Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[powerscol]

Disk mowers are meant for hay work, same as drum mowers which I have that take less power to run. An even faster mower would be a sickle mower, but with all 3 mentioned you would need to pick up the grass. I went from a rotary to the flail, as the rotary (brush hog) left big clumps of grass, while my flail mulches everything well.

 

[leonz]

Morning all,

The weather here on my mountain is sunny and cold and it is becoming more cloudy again today I guess we are in for more rain.

I guess I went off the rails and buried all 6 axles up the the electric motors discussing a sub compact type disc mower for his mowing and I made an error. I was simply thinking it would be a smaller boom mower. Even the smallest three point hitch mounted boom mounted flail mower would work very well too.

I should have simply said ask "your" neighbors what they are using to mow with if they are mowing brush. :^0

The smallest Boom Mounted Flail Mower would be a much more flexible mowing option for sure.

 

[TMR]

What about blade maintenance? I have both trails and field that while they have been mowed with a lawn tractor for many years they do have protruding rocks and the occasional small stump that I may "miss" even though I generally know where they are...and hit them with my blade...usually a glance off of a rock or perhaps a little firmer hit on a small stump. Even on a riding lawn mower the blades take the abuse and "survive" with perhaps either a sharpening or new blades once a year. Also, I have been know to break a spindle or two a season. I DO try to anticipate the location of rocks, etc and there are not that many. I also would plan to perhaps spry the protruding rocks a bright color to help avoid...but no doubt would occasionally come in contact. Yes, I know with a tractor maybe I can dig them out...problem is what may lie beneath the ground may be very large

How much damage and how difficult to repair with a moderate rock contact or small stump "hit"???

My problem is that I like the trails and field that I mow to look like a lawn which I fear a brush hog may disappoint me? I do not pick up the grass/weed/small brush cuttings but would like them cut fine and now create a significant "row" look.

BTW I mow the field a couple of times a year so the grass/weeds are more like a poor quality hay field. I like it to look mowed rather than beat down...is a flail mower a good candidate?

Thanks...TMR

 

[leonz]

What about blade maintenance? I have both trails and field that while they have been mowed with a lawn tractor for many years they do have protruding rocks and the occasional small stump that I may "miss" even though I generally know where they are...and hit them with my blade...usually a glance off of a rock or perhaps a little firmer hit on a small stump. Even on a riding lawn mower the blades take the abuse and "survive" with perhaps either a sharpening or new blades once a year. Also, I have been know to break a spindle or two a season. I DO try to anticipate the location of rocks, etc and there are not that many. I also would plan to perhaps spry the protruding rocks a bright color to help avoid...but no doubt would occasionally come in contact. Yes, I know with a tractor maybe I can dig them out...problem is what may lie beneath the ground may be very large

How much damage and how difficult to repair with a moderate rock contact or small stump "hit"???

My problem is that I like the trails and field that I mow to look like a lawn which I fear a brush hog may disappoint me? I do not pick up the grass/weed/small brush cuttings but would like them cut fine and now create a significant "row" look.

BTW I mow the field a couple of times a year so the grass/weeds are more like a poor quality hay field. I like it to look mowed rather than beat down...is a flail mower a good candidate?

Thanks...TMR

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A flail mower is a better candidate for you mowing as it can handle the use and abuse better simply because the side slicer and cup knives will fold back when the scoop or side slicer knife impacts it. The flail mower equipped with the side slicer knife will give you a better cut/lawn look as the side slicer knives recut the brush and you can recut it a second time to shred it into the smallest clipping size and clippings will dissolve quickly.

Purchasing a TM model Caroni Flail Mower with 2 rows of slide slicer knives sized for your mules power would work well fro you and provide you with a good looking mowing job,

If you examine Island Tractors uploaded images from the reclaimed farmland he mows you will see how well his TM model flail mower mows his farm property.

Knife edge flipping or replacement of side slicer knife pairs is easy as long as you safely secure the flail mower on LOTS OF hardwood blocking or roll it on its back to change them.

Using the slow speed $99.00 dollar wet knife grinder from Micromark to maintain the flail mower knives is easy as long as you know the angle the side slicers were sharpened at when they were made at the factory most are 37 degrees but they may very slightly in cutting angle.

 

[powerscol]

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A flail mower is a better candidate for you mowing as it can handle the use and abuse better simply because the side slicer and cup knives will fold back when the scoop or side slicer knife impacts it. The flail mower equipped with the side slicer knife will give you a better cut/lawn look as the side slicer knives recut the brush and you can recut it a second time to shred it into the smallest clipping size and clippings will dissolve quickly.

Purchasing a TM model Caroni Flail Mower with 2 rows of slide slicer knives sized for your mules power would work well fro you and provide you with a good looking mowing job,

If you examine Island Tractors uploaded images from the reclaimed farmland he mows you will see how well his TM model flail mower mows his farm property.

Knife edge flipping or replacement of side slicer knife pairs is easy as long as you safely secure the flail mower on LOTS OF hardwood blocking or roll it on its back to change them.

Using the slow speed $99.00 dollar wet knife grinder from Micromark to maintain the flail mower knives is easy as long as you know the angle the side slicers were sharpened at when they were made at the factory most are 37 degrees but they may very slightly in cutting angle.

LEONZ - you not stuck in the mud - is just a language difference. Happens to me all the tim when we go see the wifes folks in southern Mississippi. I just cant understand the language. Once you mentioned boom mower I knwt exactly what you said.

TMR - you mentioned trails - what about getting an offsetting swing arm flail such as my Maschio Giraffetta or possibly a smaller unit. Iowa Farm Equipment has good choices and help. The knife maintenance would be easy as you can rotate the head 90 degrees and work standing up (mine has a safety lock in that position). Would also be great for trimming the side brush on your trails. Hammer type knives would be best I think for that, but Leon is the expert on that.

 

[leonz]

Hello powerscol,

You are right, its a language difference haha. Are your in laws close enough to the delta to talk about the local skunk ape or are they up north where the Mississippi Wildman is in in the Piney Woods timber country?

Knowing I had a nine footer out back even 9 years ago now still creates a pucker moment as there are times when there is no sound of wildlife at night and when I called the game warden about the nine footer back then he said it is entirely possible you saw one and I am not going to deny that you did. SO I know he has spent time in the north country and around Whitehall, New York.

 

[powerscol]

They are an hour plus south of Jackson near Magee in the back country. Replaced his cows (raised feeder calf's) with trees - don't need to get up so early for the trees

 

[Fallon]

I've abused my flail & knives for several years now. The outer ones are rounded rather than square. Have yet to sharpen them & based on cut quality I doubt I will.

The only damaged knives were a failed attempt at mowing my we'll head. Think I bent the rotor a bit on that hit too. Hard to tell given all the other damage to the flail & rotor long before I got it. Not enough to to take it out of commission so I'm still running it. Did replace a couple knives after the we'll head though.

 

[ShowroomShine]

I've got a question about flails and pasture mowing. I'd like to get a flail as a replacement for my old Woods 214 batwing, run by my IH 385 (36pto hp).

I mostly mow horse pastures on my property to keep them "clipped", when the grass seeds out I mow it back down to below hay height. Normally it's still 8-12" tall after mowing.

From what I understand a flail cutting height is controlled by the rear roller, and from what I've seen most only go to a max of 5-6" cut height to keep the roller in contact with the ground.

Can the mower be run higher? I'm looking at used ones from Alamo, Ford, and Deere.

 

[Fallon]

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