Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[crashz]

Flail Nation - I have a few questions: is there a flail that could solve my problems. My tractor is 25HP, which may be modifiable, but we'll start bone stock. I cut small fields as a side business, and have had issues with cutting:
- The tractor handles a 5ft bush hog OK, but thick grass slows me WAY down.
- The dust and chaff thats kicked up clogs my lungs. Poison Ivy is a bumper crop up here in NH and each summer I'm covered in the rashes. A cab machine is what I want and need, but won't happen for a while at least.

So - will a 5ft flail take less power, potentially cut faster and will it create less dust/chaff?

 

[JWR]

No, maybe and maybe. I have not seen a whole lot of difference in power required on my 78" flail vs my 7ft hog but it depends on what you are cutting. The hog needs more HP cutting heavy stuff but the flail won't cut the heavy stuff anyway (without knocking loose too many flails.) You can usually cut faster with the flail I think but there are other opinions. The dust whipped up by a hog is generally more of a cloud but I'm not at all sure that is a strong selection factor between the two.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Don't forget the jack stands!

Goes without saying.

 

[leonz]

Flail Nation - I have a few questions: is there a flail that could solve my problems. My tractor is 25HP, which may be modifiable, but we'll start bone stock. I cut small fields as a side business, and have had issues with cutting:
- The tractor handles a 5ft bush hog OK, but thick grass slows me WAY down.
- The dust and chaff thats kicked up clogs my lungs. Poison Ivy is a bumper crop up here in NH and each summer I'm covered in the rashes. A cab machine is what I want and need, but won't happen for a while at least.

So - will a 5ft flail take less power, potentially cut faster and will it create less dust/chaff?

A 60 inch cut flail mower with side slicer knives will provide you with a better cut and allow you to recut the brush a second and or third time.
The sliced up brush clippings will be lifted up and over the flail mower rotor and be deposited on the sod as you advance forward and will be
recut on the second and third passes.

A flail shredder with cast hammer knives will only be able to cut the brush once as it will not be able to create the pressure gradient you need to
slice and lift the clippings a second time to obtain a finer cut creating smaller clippings.

Is there reason you do not wear an N95 dust mask while mowing??

The 3M 2 strap disposable N95 dust masks are available through amazon at a reasonable price per box of 20 masks.
I just purchased 2 boxes of 3M N95 dust masks through amazon using my prime membership.

What you want with any flail mower crop shredder is to maintain a 2 inch height of cut to work well and beat back the invasives like
poison ivy.

I have covered purchasing the right flail mower crop shredder for the intended work extensively here on the forum.

I have sent you a PM.

 

[LouNY]

I much prefer the hammers to the fine cut knives if any brush is to be cut.
The fine cut knives tend to leave sharp angle sliced stubs sticking up, were the hammers tend to break
the stubs a bit leaving more of a crushed stub.
And a reason not to sharpen blades real sharp.
The duller more broken stubs are much less of a hazard to tires and animal feet then the sharp ones.

 

[arto98607]

In my experience 60" flail mower with side slicers will use less power than 48" brush hog, when mowing field of very tall grass or hay.

 

[Halftrack]

2 part reply:

I have been through a number of flails. Couple of 917 NH (5.5 and 6.5') with the cultivator sweep knives. Speed down to a very slow crawl with my TC 33D in 3 ft tall grass. A Mathews Comp 6' and similar results. My latest flail is a NH 918H 5' with side slicer knives and I can wade through 5' tall weeds and not slow down. Seems to cut effortlessly in the tall stuff. Usually come back in a few days and reverse cut to clean up the tire tracks. I can do the roadsides in less than half the time than previous mowers. My pto hp is about 27, yours may be a little weak for this flail. NH made a 918L which is strickly a light duty flail finish mower, much lighter knives.

Your other option is a drum mower in the 4'+- range. They also cut effortlessly in the tall stuff. Nice part, is they are offset, so no wheel tracks to clean up. Check with the dealers to see what they suggest for your ride.

I also suffer from the Ivy plague. Wear a GOOD mask, shower with IVAREST when I get home and wash clothing in OXYCLEAN.

 

[Molalla1]

Flail Nation - I have a few questions: is there a flail that could solve my problems. My tractor is 25HP, which may be modifiable, but we'll start bone stock. I cut small fields as a side business, and have had issues with cutting:
- The tractor handles a 5ft bush hog OK, but thick grass slows me WAY down.
- The dust and chaff thats kicked up clogs my lungs. Poison Ivy is a bumper crop up here in NH and each summer I'm covered in the rashes. A cab machine is what I want and need, but won't happen for a while at least.

So - will a 5ft flail take less power, potentially cut faster and will it create less dust/chaff?

My experience with your size tractor has been with a 5' hog on it will take less power than a 5' flail in tall fields although once the field becomes more manageable the flail rules . . . as far as your malady is concerned the flail by far is the best because they contain the clippings much better and the cut is far superior.

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

Flail Nation - I have a few questions: is there a flail that could solve my problems. My tractor is 25HP, which may be modifiable, but we'll start bone stock. I cut small fields as a side business, and have had issues with cutting:
- The tractor handles a 5ft bush hog OK, but thick grass slows me WAY down.
- The dust and chaff thats kicked up clogs my lungs. Poison Ivy is a bumper crop up here in NH and each summer I'm covered in the rashes. A cab machine is what I want and need, but won't happen for a while at least.

So - will a 5ft flail take less power, potentially cut faster and will it create less dust/chaff?

At your rated Tractor PTO Hp a 5ft flail may be a bit underpowered for your use.

 

[arto98607]

At your rated Tractor PTO Hp a 5ft flail may be a bit underpowered for your use.

Maybe, maybe not - depends on type of flails, I think hammer VS. side slicer quite a different power usage.

Ford 1310 has 19 hp engine and is very capable running 5 ft Ford 917L flail mower with the 96 x side slicer flails it was designed for.

This mower was designed as a light duty model, to be used with side slicers only and it works well as intended.



May 2021 - pretty tall stuff due to wet spring.
Obviously need to mow more often for sure, but the ground had been way too wet previously.



Cheers