Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[def38]

I thinking of removing all the hammer flail from my Chicomm flail mower, weighing them and sharpening them. (I'll also weigh all the fasteners as well). Is this a good idea? Anybody know how close typical hammer flails are in weight when new? What would be a good weight range spec for these flails after sharpening?

 

[leonz]

NOPE, NOPE, NOPE. No need, you will ruin them if you do not use a slow speed wet well grinder using a angle setter gauge for the grinder. the hammer knife weights are all different because they are all different sizes and quality in the casting.

 

[Skagit]

I thinking of removing all the hammer flail from my Chicomm flail mower, weighing them and sharpening them. (I'll also weigh all the fasteners as well). Is this a good idea? Anybody know how close typical hammer flails are in weight when new? What would be a good weight range spec for these flails after sharpening?

I had never heard of anyone sharpening flail mower blades before I joined this forum, I come from agriculture and we run them until they're worn out and then replace them. If all you cut is grass they might hold an edge for awhile but as soon as you get into any kind of brush you'll loose it.

They're going to wear to a rounded edge like a brush hog blade. They're for blackberries really and they work great for that. If you want a nicer cut you can always drop a gear, even worn hammers cut grass pretty nice if you slow down.

I'd look at swapping to Y blades or even just buy a new set of hammers before I tried sharpening them. IIRC a new set of blades for most chinese flails is only $250-$300...

 

[def38]

I too have about five acres. It has been cleared and planted in Berseem clover with the idea of eventually seeding in Bermuda. After clearing, I bought a used MF tractor and a flail mower. Mine happens to be a Chicomm mower from Titan. I chose a flail mower over a rotary because my land had slicks, brush, rocks and Buick hubcaps remaining after clearing. Yesterday I finished cutting the 5 acres for the first time this season. I had two 3 inch pine trees that had fallen and one new rock that was uncovered by recent rains. The pines were sliced and diced up into mulch with two passes and the rock was pulverized. Now, my Chicomm flail mower does not leave the cut looking like a golf course fairway but close. There is no need to reseed in Bermuda, the clover looks very good and my flail mower cost less than $1500.00 new, free shipping.

 

[Tinhack]

My flail uses the spoon type on a D-ring. It will throw one or two occasionally on stuff that shouldn't be in the grass/weeds--Like rebar or pieces of cinder block. If I hear it and find them, I'll sharpen them and put them back on before the next cut. I can feel a little vibration if I loose more than about two.

I've rolled up about 100' of barb wire and a few fence posts before. That was a lot more nerve racking that throwing a cutter.

Mine is an old Giant Barracuda I picked up at an auction for $35. I got it cheap because no one knew what it was. It will get a make over after I finish the tractor and a couple of other implements.

 

[arto98607]

I found a ford 907 flail 6' wide for 150 bucks. Seller says it needs a bearing and the belt is a little worn. Looks to be complete except for one of the knife assemblies. Its rusty so would need a good cleaning and paint job or minor restoration. Worth picking up? Its been for sale for a long time so I think i could snag it for under a hundred.

At that price it's well worth buying as long as you are willing & able to repair it yourself.
Photo would be helpful.


I bought this Ford 917L last year for few hundred bucks and after set on new flails + bolts, rebuilt belt idler pulley, new PTO drive shaft, new gearbox shaft seal, new belts and new roller bearings it is working very good!

Al together perhaps $350 worth of new parts but at least the labor was free.

It is the perfect match with my Ford 1310 tractor and the exact model I wanted so I did not mind doing the repairs.

 

[milesvdustin]

Here is the seller's picture.

 

[def38]

My flail uses the spoon type on a D-ring. It will throw one or two occasionally on stuff that shouldn't be in the grass/weeds--Like rebar or pieces of cinder block. If I hear it and find them, I'll sharpen them and put them back on before the next cut. I can feel a little vibration if I loose more than about two.

I've rolled up about 100' of barb wire and a few fence posts before. That was a lot more nerve racking that throwing a cutter.

Mine is an old Giant Barracuda I picked up at an auction for $35. I got it cheap because no one knew what it was. It will get a make over after I finish the tractor and a couple of other implements.

View attachment 695647

That's one ugly looking mower but, it looks like it is indestructible. Paint it blue!

 

[Fallon]

That's one ugly looking mower but, it looks like it is indestructible. Paint it blue!

Better than my $100 917. Mine had paint but lots of dents on the hood & other obvious issues.

 

[electrycmonk]

I found a ford 907 flail 6' wide for 150 bucks. Seller says it needs a bearing and the belt is a little worn. Looks to be complete except for one of the knife assemblies. Its rusty so would need a good cleaning and paint job or minor restoration. Worth picking up? Its been for sale for a long time so I think i could snag it for under a hundred.

Snag it!

 

[nittanyjd]

Any Deere 25A users that can help. Looking at buying a 25A to work with my jd quick hitch. Deere shows the serial break at 644700 and the one I looked at is 636xxx. I don't want to take the qh off everytime to use it since all my other attachments are setup with qh.
Any way to make it work with quick or walk away and find one that does? Seems like a crazy question but looking to see what others have done. Thanks

 

[electrycmonk]

Any Deere 25A users that can help. Looking at buying a 25A to work with my jd quick hitch. Deere shows the serial break at 644700 and the one I looked at is 636xxx. I don't want to take the qh off everytime to use it since all my other attachments are setup with qh.
Any way to make it work with quick or walk away and find one that does? Seems like a crazy question but looking to see what others have done. Thanks

1st) I don’t own one, I did a fair amount of searching for one. Missed out on two eventually.
2nd) regarding the Quick hitch setup, I’m at a loss as to how the serial number is a serious “stumbling block” given all the images I have seen of all the years it was made. Every one I can recall seeing and every stinkin’ one I can dig up in a web search (just now as a mental refresher) has the 3 point set up that’s identical and thus, a slam dunk for the quick hitch yoke looking setup that I’m assuming is what your referring to?
3rd) it may be a couple days before you one of the 25a members to chime in so.... if possible can you snag a picture of the setup from the 25A your wanting to get and maybe.....

just maybe the rest of us can come up with a reasonable educated guess. As apposed to a W*A*G.

(edit to add) 4th) I have a Ford 917 and yes, I know there are a few variants of this model. The 3 point setup I have is slightly different from the 25A in that the lower connection is 2 bars (with holes) for the pin to slide thru for each arm. However, it would be reasonably easy to get a pair of “those long pins” with threads, a nut and washer from like TSC. Then get 2 extra nuts & get a few more washers; this would allow anyone to take the twin bars and make them Quick hitch ready once you also put a pin with washers thru the top set of holes as well.

fair enough dude?

 

[jthibodeau89]

My 25A has a fore-aft sliding pin slot at the top link. Not directly QH compatible. Not sure of the S/N, but it has the later model 6 bolt type rotor bearing housing; same as my 390. 390 is CAT2 and QH compatible, but 2x the weight of the 25A.

Edit: With the top link all the way forward, looks like it may work with a QH. But you won't have the slider capability. S/N is 642971

Can't get photos to attach properly at the moment.

 

[nittanyjd]

This is what Deere says.... My s/n is 636xxx so according to this its not QH compatible. I plan on taking my hitch to the mower and see what it looks like. Just trying to use the QH since I have it and not take it off evrrytime I use or move the mower. Thanks for the replies!

Tractor hookup​

Tractor hookup

The 25A hitch is now compatible with any Category 1 3-point hitch (with or without the iMatch™ Quick-Coupler system).

iMatch compatibility starts with serial number 644700.

 

[jthibodeau89]

The mower in your pic has the same slot as mine. I'm guessing that was changed to a fixed pin with correct iMatch geometry. Nothing that a little time with the plasma cutter and some 7018 rods won't fix.

 

[nittanyjd]

That pic is from Deere site.

Here's the one I'm looking at

 

[workinonit]

If it won't fit fab it up and make it fit. I've had to modify all of my implements to fit mine except my bush hog.

 

[jonsstihl]

doesn't look like your top hook will slide under the top pin but the yoke adapter mentioned above would work. doesn't look like it would be too hard to extend the pin hole out a little so the top hook clears that bracket under the pin hole, If you can weld.

 

[jthibodeau89]

That pic is from Deere site.

Here's the one I'm looking at

This pic looks like the top pin has already been modified once with a blue wrench. And the rear stays appear to be tubes. Definitely different than my 25A.

 

[jthibodeau89]

Heres a pic of mine. The front uprights on your pic are made from angle, mine are a wide flat plate. On mine, the QH top hook can get under the pin if it is all the way forward