Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[IslandTractor]

Good luck. Sounds like a well thought out plan and appropriate compromise.

You will find that a sub 30hp tractor with four+ foot flail is going to give you LOTS of seat time if you try to cut 17 acres even once a year. Been there done that. (That is why I now have a 40hp even though I cut only about 10 acres). Figure about an acre or a bit more per hour with your rig. You might still want to subcontract out some of the rough cut stuff so you don't wear yourself out. A guy with a 100hp utility tractor and seven or eight foot mower would get stuff done probably five or more times faster.

 

[Fallon]

My 32hp L3200 could only pull an acre an hour on smooth open field, less HP, smaller wheelbase & a smaller mower will definitely be slower. Hopefully you like seat time ;-)

You can steal you loader lift circuit for hydraulic offset easily. Curl would probably work too as it should be a double acting cylinder (read up on regen, big problem for using the curl circuit to move a plow with a pair of single acting cylinders).

I'm to lazy to have ever taken my loader off, but I hear it was an easy 5 minute job. I do often move the loader when mowing to clear fences, lower my center of gravity,push over brush or keep the sun out of my eyes. Wouldn't be possible with the lift circuit stolen for offset. Taking the loader off would eliminate some of those benefits or clearance issues. With a big mower on a small tractor you may be lacking on front traction & steering. Front ballast would cure that & the loader is the easiest ballast there is. And if it's not enough, put the bucket on. And if that's not enough fill the bucket with a scoop of something heavy & convenient. A short flail will likely present much less of an issue than a long rotary with all that leverage lifting the front.

Keep us posted on how it works out. Not to many WoodMaxx flails out there yet. I'm seriously thinking about joining that club in the spring. Hydraulic offset, trash door, seems pretty beefy & priced well. Has a lot going for it.

 

[FreedomFamilyFarms]

Just a quick point of clarification: I have no intention to mow 17 acres. 10 of it is densely wooded, 1-2 will be lawn maintained by a beautiful brunette on a Toro ZTR. The rest I'll flail semi-annually until I can get is established in a way that minimizes maintenance with intentional perennial plantings and livestock. We'd also like to put in a pond that will consume another acre. I'm looking at a maximum of 6 acres to mow a couple times each year. It was tough not to just get a cheap rotary mower but I want to shred the vegetation so it builds soil. I figure between a new rotary vs the flail I chose it was about a $1500 upgrade to shred the vegetation (plus all of the other benefits of a flail mower and citizenship in the Flail Mower Nation).

Regarding the loader; I'll just "borrow" the loader valve to set the offset. Might even come up with something that doesn't use the tractor hydraulics. Just need to set the offset and unhook the lines. No need to keep the plumbing attached until I want to change the offset again (think jumper cables). I was set on rear remotes before I bought this tractor but the good folks on this site talked me out of a 3 point splitter so no immediate need for that $800 expense. Should moving the offset be more trouble than its worth my Kubota dealer is 14 miles away ;-)

 

[IslandTractor]

Yeah, if only 5 acres then the B2710 plus Woodmaxx should be just perfect.

Regarding stealing hydraulics from the loader, you could easily use the temporary steal method. I used to do that with my CK20 which had only one set of rear remotes that was used for both backhoe and grapple which were both almost always mounted and shared the rear remotes. If I needed to switch implements it just took twenty seconds to make the switch. Just make sure to unload the hydraulics or carry a small ball peen hammer to tap the fittings and let out the pressure so you can reattach.

 

[richardhorne]

Ive just mowed about 3acres with my jd3033r and a hayes 1350 (4'6") flail. Was quite flat i achieved about an acre every 45mins. Wish i had a bigger mower but didnt want to exceed tractor capacity.

Getting tonthe point i need to sharpen the knives. Any tips?

 

[Alien]

I just lifted my Hayes up high and sat something under it so it wouldn't come down and lay down with an angle grinder and gave the hammers a touch up. Considering all the sticks I have cut up and a few stumps I have hit I was surprised how little the hammers needed to spruce them up.

 

[richardhorne]

I just lifted my Hayes up high and sat something under it so it wouldn't come down and lay down with an angle grinder and gave the hammers a touch up. Considering all the sticks I have cut up and a few stumps I have hit I was surprised how little the hammers needed to spruce them up.

Mine may need a bit more tlc as the ground round here is a bit rocky. Might give that a go though

 

[Alien]

I actually walked my paddocks picking up rocks and throwing them in my bucket. A bit laborious but worth it.
I suppose you lost all your little yellow rubber plugs? I fitted nuts and bolts in the holes to prevent any debris from escaping. I thought rubber plugs was a bit lame.

 

[richardhorne]

I actually walked my paddocks picking up rocks and throwing them in my bucket. A bit laborious but worth it.
I suppose you lost all your little yellow rubber plugs? I fitted nuts and bolts in the holes to prevent any debris from escaping. I thought rubber plugs was a bit lame.

We are really rocky here in the avon Valley wa. Lots of granite embedded deep. Think i will do the loose stuff though when it cools back down. Ive had to set the mower higher to try and dodge some of the outcrops. Now ive mowed for the first time i am getting an idea where it is. Ive got the yellow gromits but i agree they are useless. Like the nut and bolt idea. The split pin sheared off on the rail holding the front debris guard. I ended up loosing about 4 of them. I am going to upgrade the spli pins to the largest that will fit.

 

[Alien]

The split pin sheared off on the rail holding the front debris guard. I ended up loosing about 4 of them. I am going to upgrade the spli pins to the largest that will fit.

I haven't had a problem with the split pins but thanks for the heads-up. I will take a look.