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]

Dupe post

 

[Dan in MN]

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

You could just keep it lifted with the 3 pt, but that is going to bounce around badly and be very hard on the tractor. Also not going to cut that well. A 12' batwing like a Woods BW12 will go up to 8" I believe, but that's a much higher price category unless you maybe have more to mow with it or can pick up some side work..

 

[IslandTractor]

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.

You are correct that most flails only adjust up to 5-6 inches. However, I don't see any reason that you couldn't bolt on an extension piece to allow the rear roller to be adjusted for a 8 inch cut. You'll give up mulching as that depends on recutting and I doubt that would happen much with such a high cut.

 

[leonz]

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.

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The only flails that will run that high or nearly so are the higher horsepower-100 HP+ flail crop shredders.

If you have a flail mower raised to its highest cutting height it loses efficiency(pressure gradient)
to cut and lift the clippings up and over the flail mower rotor.

You could purchase a Vrisimo flail mower with rear tires in addition to the rear roller to aid in maintaining a higher mowed height.

 

[IslandTractor]

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.

Not sure what happened to my first reply but here it is again....

You are correct that flails are generally limited to a max cut height of less than 5-6 inches. I think that is partly because you won't get good mulching if you try to set it higher. That said, when I want to cut higher (usually just first pass in very lush spring grasses taller than 12-18"), I just use the 3PT to raise the mower off the rear roller. Cut won't be quite as even if the land is bumpy but it does work. If you wanted, you could modify the flail rear roller attachment points by inserting a spacer. Bolt the spacer to the "normal" rear roller attachment points and then bolt the rear roller to the spacer. You'd have to figure out the geometry and drill some holes in a ?1/4" x 8" piece of flat stock but I don't see any reason it wouldn't work. If it were me I'd just try the 3PT raising first and see if that gives you a satisfactory cut.

 

[IslandTractor]

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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.

Slight correction to Leonz's description. I'm not with my mower now but have spent enough time replacing knives and clevises lost due to rocky conditions in New England to say that there are four, not two, rows of knives. I believe there are seven stations on each row and each station holds one clevis and two knives. Total of 28 stations and 56 knives. The adjacent rows are offset slightly to provide full width coverage. I think the rows at 1 and 180 are identical except for offset as are the 90 and 270 but I don't have access to the mower right now to check. I've attached a few (bad) photos so you can see the basic set up. And, yet, that is a piece of firewood jammed in the rotor on the second photo (no harm done). The mower works well in "hay" and also in light to medium brush up to and inch or inch and a half. It will cut more than that but requires slowing down.

 

[Gator6x4]

Why not either fabricate or have one fabricated a dolly to hold your current rotary cutter or the flail mower at the height you want to cut?

 

[IslandTractor]

Why not either fabricate or have one fabricated a dolly to hold your current rotary cutter or the flail mower at the height you want to cut?

Maybe simpler would be to adapt the type of cantilevered rear wheels used on rakes or some finish mowers to maintain a given clearance. You could just weld a couple of hitch receivers on to the top of the mower and use 2x2 tubing to reach out to a wheel assembly.

 

[madpuma13]

Still in my deciding phase since agrisupply is sold out on the tm1900 atm.

While waiting I came across an alamo shd74 for about the same price I can get the tm1900.

Are there any benefits to getting a heavy duty flail over the medium duty tm1900?

 

[leonz]

If you can purchase a heavy duty flail that has only been used seasonally all the better as
it will have plenty of life in it as the steel used to build it is much heavier.
You also need to be able to raise it with the 3 point hitch on your mule.

 

[PRCWI]

Still in my deciding phase since agrisupply is sold out on the tm1900 atm.

While waiting I came across an alamo shd74 for about the same price I can get the tm1900.

Are there any benefits to getting a heavy duty flail over the medium duty tm1900?

I think mainly just the durability and toughness. I can tell you that my beat up SHD88 that I got has taken a severe licking before me and from me and it's still ticking. Just a very tough mower and lays the grass down very nicely! I haven't regretted that purchase for a second.

We had/have some areas that have lots of heavy brush and sumac as well as very rocky soil around my neck of the woods. As we've gotten things cleaned up I now have lots of areas where I could use a lighter duty flail but I have no reason to have to go get one because the 88 lays down a very nice cut already.