Sickle Bar More sickle bar mower questions

[Builder]

Just got an answer back on the Gibraldi sickle form the dealer:

The price for the 7' model with hydraulic lift would be $2900, plus shipping.
This will cut in a 90 degree vertical position, down to a -60 degrees. Thanks!

$2,900 is half the price of the Befco, but I would bet being Italian made it would be lighter duty.

These are both 3 pt models which I would think would feel "stiffer" of the tractor than the NH455 tow behind, but the tow behind is a lot easier to mount/dismount.

 

[sandman2234]

Just wondering what you plan on cutting with the mower in question. I have been known to cut a few things along the edge of the property line, trim a few trees, cut limbs from trees that were hanging too low and knocking lights off the semi trailer that I bring home occasionally. I use a rear mounted boom mower, similar to a backhoe with a heavy duty 4' flail mower mounted on it. With hammer knives on the flail, there isn't much it won't cut and with the versitility of the boom mower, not many places it won't cut. The boom mowers flair might be something you could adapt to your backhoe arm, as it is hydraulicly powered.
David from jax

 

[wrangler6831]

Go for the NH. It wouldn't be to hard to fab up the bracket to hold it at 90 degrees. The Gribaldi and Salvia mower is a double action which means that the knives go in one direction and the guards go in the other (think in terms of an electric knife) noisy to. If you just to use it in grass they are great mowers but the guards are only a little thicker than the knives, so if you hit anything of size it will break one or the other. To replace either you have to pull the knife and guards both out, not a quick job. The only advantage of them is that they will mow as fast as you care to run your tractor. Hers a good link of the same mower by another name.
YouTube - Tonutti Sickle Bar Mower FD- FB Series

Rich

 

[whitedogone]

Why not hire a hihoe for a half a day? Probably around $500. We "trim" hedges with them all the time. Works great and reachs high. Just reach max ht. and "rip" all the branches drown to the ground and push the pile up under the tree. WDO

 

[Builder]

Why not hire a hihoe for a half a day? Probably around $500. We "trim" hedges with them all the time. Works great and reachs high. Just reach max ht. and "rip" all the branches drown to the ground and push the pile up under the tree. WDO

I guess because I want to use it to also cut some hay grass, too. I think it will get a lot of useage.

 

[MarkV]

Watching the video of the sickle mower it looked to me that if it could cut in a vertical position it would not clear the tractor tire enough to be effective. Of course that may just be because of the size of tractor but worth looking at as you shop.

MarkV

 

[KennyV]

I have posted about my sickle 3pt AC on other threads but I have missed this one.
Get a good sickle it will definitely do what you are trying to get done. I jusst side trimmed my hedge row with mine yesterday. The only bad part is attaching it to my tractor. It is heavy and takes a little work... I'm trying to avoid all of that that I can, dose not seem to be working for me, somehow everything is more work than it use to be...
I can cut anything that will fit between the rock guards except steel T-posts.
Get a goos old sickle, you will love it and with very little care it will last forever.
A 3pt is handier to trim closely and maneuver around obstacles, a tow wheel mount is very easy to hook up... either one will cut grass or trim trees KennyV.

 

[aczlan]

I have asked the dealer about the NH455 mowing in the vertical position. They said it would do it, but "it won't stay secure" in the vertical position? and "you would have to rig up a bracket" to hold it vertical, yet the pictures show it past the vertical position.
I don't understand this because if it has a hydraulic lift and belt drive, wouldn't it just be raised until it's vertical, then turn the PTO on and begin cutting?

Am I misunderstanding something? Is it something involving the spring that won't allow it to cut vertical?

If it is anything like the Ford (probbaly about the same vintage) 3 point one that we have, there is nothing to keep the cutterbar from going "overcenter", thus you would need another bracket to keep it in a vertical position.

Aaron Z

 

[Builder]

I have posted about my sickle 3pt AC on other threads but I have missed this one.
Get a good sickle it will definitely do what you are trying to get done. I jusst side trimmed my hedge row with mine yesterday. The only bad part is attaching it to my tractor. It is heavy and takes a little work... I'm trying to avoid all of that that I can, dose not seem to be working for me, somehow everything is more work than it use to be...
I can cut anything that will fit between the rock guards except steel T-posts.
Get a goos old sickle, you will love it and with very little care it will last forever.
A 3pt is handier to trim closely and maneuver around obstacles, a tow wheel mount is very easy to hook up... either one will cut grass or trim trees KennyV.

AC meaning Allis Chalmers? Can you tell me what model you have, will it cut vertical and does it have a hydraulic lift so I can operate easily from inside cab?

Thanks, Kenny.

 

[KennyV]

AC meaning Allis Chalmers? Can you tell me what model you have, will it cut vertical and does it have a hydraulic lift so I can operate easily from inside cab?

Thanks, Kenny.

Yes it is a Allis-Chalmers 80-R3, It will cut vertical on down to below grade.
I did have to mount a hydraulic cylinder to let me control the cut angle from inside my cab.
The factory 3pt cable lift did not allow the range I wanted so after removing that part I modified the attachment point slightly to allow a cylinder to control the Sickle bar. Works great.
I have seen this model sell for $200 to $2000... They are very heavy duty sickle mowers. If you have an ex A-C dealership in your area, you will have quite a few model 80 mowers around you as they were very popular. Available in 3pt and trailer mount pull type, and I don't think they could ever be worn out, very well built. KennyV.