Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

CADplans · Sep 7, 2016

Winter Storage!! :cool2:

So, how do you store your flail when left out for the winter?

Previous years I have tried a blue tarp, that rots away,,
I am thinking about building a 5 foot wide, 10 foot long, 42 inch tall metal "shed",,
using the loader, I can drop that over it,,,
I do set the PTO coupler on an inverted pail,,, that keeps mud from splashing in when it rains.
Hmmm,,,

Any other great ideas?

Dan in MN · Sep 8, 2016

I haven't had a chance to take any pictures of areas mowed or anything yet, but figured I'd at least post initial impressions of my Value Leader EFG-175. It was pretty heavily protected in a welded angle iron frame that had to be cut apart. Everything seems to be heavily built, the only thing I don't care for is that one of the grease zircs is under the belt cover. It's only one bolt to remove, but that requires getting tools out and I have a feeling if removed over and over that one bolt will eventually be a problem. I'll be drilling a hole in the cover across from the zirc. I've mowed about 3 hours with it so far, I'm generally satisfied but not thrilled at this point. It leaves a bit more standing than I would like, especially some sort of tall weed flower with a thin stalk, just leaves a lot of stalks standing even after hitting some of it twice. It's certainly possible that some adjustments will help, time will tell. We've had several rainy days in a row now so I haven't been able to get out, today I tried mowing with wet grass and ended up having to cut about 30 lbs of wet grass out of the roller....won't be trying that again... :laughing: I'll have to get some pics of it on the tractor and some mowing shots of course, but for now here's what I have..

Since I've had almost no experience running 3 pt implements I need some advice. I have it hooked up right now without stabilizer bars on the lower arms, thinking allowing some movement would be best. Of course if I'm on any side slope and lift it the mower flops sideways a bit. I have stabilizer arms that I can add that triangulate the lower 3 pt arms and will take pretty much all the sway out of it, but for this type of implement what is recommended?

Dan

Fallon · Sep 8, 2016

Dan in MN said:
I haven't had a chance to take any pictures of areas mowed or anything yet, but figured I'd at least post initial impressions of my Value Leader EFG-175. It was pretty heavily protected in a welded angle iron frame that had to be cut apart. Everything seems to be heavily built, the only thing I don't care for is that one of the grease zircs is under the belt cover. It's only one bolt to remove, but that requires getting tools out and I have a feeling if removed over and over that one bolt will eventually be a problem. I'll be drilling a hole in the cover across from the zirc. I've mowed about 3 hours with it so far, I'm generally satisfied but not thrilled at this point. It leaves a bit more standing than I would like, especially some sort of tall weed flower with a thin stalk, just leaves a lot of stalks standing even after hitting some of it twice. It's certainly possible that some adjustments will help, time will tell. We've had several rainy days in a row now so I haven't been able to get out, today I tried mowing with wet grass and ended up having to cut about 30 lbs of wet grass out of the roller....won't be trying that again... :laughing: I'll have to get some pics of it on the tractor and some mowing shots of course, but for now here's what I have..

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Since I've had almost no experience running 3 pt implements I need some advice. I have it hooked up right now without stabilizer bars on the lower arms, thinking allowing some movement would be best. Of course if I'm on any side slope and lift it the mower flops sideways a bit. I have stabilizer arms that I can add that triangulate the lower 3 pt arms and will take pretty much all the sway out of it, but for this type of implement what is recommended?

Dan

I always leave my stabilizers tight all the time. I hear leaving them loose when plowing is good to let it move around obstacles a bit, but I don't plow.

Fallon · Sep 8, 2016

D2Cat said:
Saw a Ford 917L Special for sale. Anyone know why it is "special"? I have not seen it in person, only pictures and they did not send one of the knives. He said it looked like a tiller! He bought it at an auction and never used it.

Other mower is saw was a JD 25A. Looked life it had knives like hammers, but once again only pictures.

The Ford was in excellent shape with all the decals and paint in excellent shape.

Trying to decide which one I will get. Thanks for any ideas.

My 917 came with side slicers. It's old & really beat up, but I still really like it. It's a bit lighter when I compare the hood to my light duty rotary cutter. It will be a great pasture & lawn mower. Might be a bit light for much brush. I think you can swap hammers for side slicers on the same rotor.

Really a flail is the same as a tiller, just a faster speed, loose tines & a belt instead of gears or a chain.

IslandTractor · Sep 8, 2016

CADplans said:
Winter Storage!! :cool2: So, how do you store your flail when left out for the winter? Previous years I have tried a blue tarp, that rots away,, I am thinking about building a 5 foot wide, 10 foot long, 42 inch tall metal "shed",, using the loader, I can drop that over it,,, I do set the PTO coupler on an inverted pail,,, that keeps mud from splashing in when it rains. Hmmm,,, Any other great ideas?

Mine sits out without cover. In nine winters it hasn't shown any rust to speak of despite being only a few hundred yards from ocean. Only issue is that there are flat surfaces that trap dirt and stay damp. Tilting mower keeps one side clear but worsens the other. I just clean it out after all the leaves are down but by spring it has reaccumulated.

CCWKen · Sep 8, 2016

Winter storage? Since winter down here lasts about two weeks, mine just sits where it always sits. It'll be time to cut grass again by the time winter is over.

I'd like to build a 3-wall shed to house all the tractors and implements but it would have to be something like 20'x50'. The tax appraiser would jump all over that since it would be spotted easily from the air. (Yes, that's how they do it down here.) Also, the dozer would need special consideration since it has a boom on it. That and I'd probably be going through 2-3 cans of wasp spay every day.

Steave · Sep 8, 2016

I usually keep a can of wasp/hornet spray handy too, especially inside any sheds. They like to build under some of my equipment but not usually a bad problem unless it's been sitting a long time.

On the winter storage: This is the first year I've had the Mott flail and it'll be like the rest just sitting wherever I park it. There's no way to tilt or turn it that water won't be able to puddle on it but it'll dry out.

Dan in MN · Sep 8, 2016

I thought I had gotten a picture of some of the stuff that it leaves standing, but apparently didn't.. Anyway, I've figured out the problem, it's the same as when I mowed outlots earlier this year with a Gravely zero turn. The problem is stalks that are tall enough that the front of the deck pushes them down, and the back of the deck (the roller in the flail's case) gets to it and keeps it held down before the front clears the end of the stalk (never has a chance to pop up inside the deck). It passes right under the blades or knives and pops back up behind. I have one area that still looks terrible after mowing, and more passes doesn't do much either. So far I've had the mower set fairly level and also high, I'm going to try dropping the back of the flail low on the roller, then using the top link to lift the front so the flails are more 'exposed' to the incoming material. I'll try to get more pictures tomorrow and report if the change in angle helps or not...

leonz · Sep 8, 2016

Dan in MN said:
I thought I had gotten a picture of some of the stuff that it leaves standing, but apparently didn't.. Anyway, I've figured out the problem, it's the same as when I mowed outlots earlier this year with a Gravely zero turn. The problem is stalks that are tall enough that the front of the deck pushes them down, and the back of the deck (the roller in the flail's case) gets to it and keeps it held down before the front clears the end of the stalk (never has a chance to pop up inside the deck). It passes right under the blades or knives and pops back up behind. I have one area that still looks terrible after mowing, and more passes doesn't do much either. So far I've had the mower set fairly level and also high, I'm going to try dropping the back of the flail low on the roller, then using the top link to lift the front so the flails are more 'exposed' to the incoming material. I'll try to get more pictures tomorrow and report if the change in angle helps or not...

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Hello Dan,

refresh my memory, do you have the scoop knives or the side slicers?

Are you mowing at the 540 PTO engine speed? Your brush is not that high.

Have you tried half cuts?

Do not hesitate to mow backwards with a full width cut to get rid of the crap. You would be surprised how much will get shredded when mowing in reverse and then driving forward while mowing to shred it even more.

When my father used his 36 inch towed/ motorized lawn Genie(8 HP B+S) to make a jogging path for my mother in an old pasture the golden rod was 12+ foot high on average and once he got the grass and brush down to 2 inches the crap was gone and she had a safe path to jog on when she was still well.

If that rear roller is adjusted to 2 inches the mess would be nothing but a carpet of clippings if the engine speed is set for the 540 RPM PTO speed.

Dan in MN · Sep 8, 2016

leonz said:
refresh my memory, do you have the scoop knives or the side slicers?

side slicers

Are you mowing at the 540 PTO engine speed? Your brush is not that high.

At or near, mower seems to cut the same even considerably lower, but the tractor is happier a little above..

Have you tried half cuts?

I can only lift it about 6-8 inches or I risk the pto shaft separating, doesn't seem to make a difference with those stalks.

Do not hesitate to mow backwards with a full width cut to get rid of the crap. You would be surprised how much will get shredded when mowing in reverse and then driving forward while mowing to shred it even more.

I can try it, but if I have to stop, shift, back up, shift, go forward, etc.. over and over through large areas then I bought the wrong machine..

If that rear roller is adjusted to 2 inches the mess would be nothing but a carpet of clippings if the engine speed is set for the 540 RPM PTO speed.

I don't think dropping it straight down would make any difference with the tall stalks as the front of the deck and roller are keeping them pinned below the knives, never having a chance to get cut. I'm planning on experimenting some tomorrow if it doesn't rain with different heights and dropping the back, raising the front as I think that's the best chance to get knives on those stalks.. :thumbsup: