Flail Mower Rotory vs flail

[Anonymous Poster]

I need to buy about a 4 ft mower for my little Kubota BX22. I have a 60 inch belly mower but it is hard to get on and off, plus I have some stuff rougher than I really ought to use the belly mower for. ( cutting down last seasons pumkin patch prior to plowing)

I have never used a flail mower. Am I missing something by not considering one vs a rotory cutter?

 

[gerard]

Not missing something but flair mowers won't replace a rotary mower as they won't cut heavy woody material as well. If all you have to cut is pasture grass with no bushes a flail will work fine. They are usually used by municiplaities to cut grass because they don't propel objects the way rotary cutters do and so are better for liability reasons. Also usually a little more expensive for the same size and when you have to sharpen them it takes longer as there a re a LOT of small cutting edges that have to be individually sharpened

 

[Kodiak]

I have to disagree with Gerard. There are two types of flail mowers. One type has lots of thin blades, or knives as they are called. These will do a great job cutting a lawn, but will also handle heavier pasture grasses and weeds prettty good. They chop everything into really small peices, like a mulch. I've even used mine to mulch some black berry vines from my fence rows. the second type has fewer heavy blades called hammers these can really take on some heavy duty stuff, two or three inch limbs,small stumps, vines, etc. they are they are popular with right of way contractrors and DOT's, as well as orchard owners. The one thing to remember is, it takes quite a bit of power to operate one.