TOW BEHIND FLAIL MOWERS OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND PARTS

[ukrkoz]

I'd like to create a dedicated thread for tow behind mowers.
Flail tow behind.
This thread here:
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/118882-lets-talk-flail-mowers.html

Is not just 600 pages long, what is overwhelming at the best but, also, took on so many tracks that it became to significant extent non flail related.

I'd like to refresh and center on this topic as tow behind flails slowly start entering the USA and, hopefully, thread will become useful for current and future owners.

I have Betstco 69 inch tow behind with Y blades. Chinese Honda 15Hp knock off engine, electric start.
4 rows 8 blades stations each, non spiral arrangement. 4x16= 64 Y blades.

First question I have is:
1. how do you determine cutting height? As blades can't be seen when cranking the height adjustment handle, so it's a guess. Do we go by skids gap to the soil? I'd like to mow as short as possible without damaging blades too much on rocky clay soil and occasional mole mounds.

2. What blades are recommended for horizontal cut? Reason being, Y blades do not cut dandelions, just comb them down, then they sprout back up. This is why I'd like to have horizontal cut blades, as we have millions of them. About an acre of my property is very uneven, lots of short hills and valleys. My tow behind did well so far, but that terrain needs needs to be taken into consideration as sometimes blades inevitably scalp high points. I mow grass exclusively, with maybe young blackberry saplings, nothing major. When recommending blades, who sells them?

Thank you

 

[thekkfan]

Y blades do not cut dandelions, just comb them down, then they sprout back up. This is why I'd like to have horizontal cut blades, as we have millions of them.

Spraying 2-4-d early spring and possibly mid-summer treatment will take care of the dandelions. Mowing them will never get rid of them. You're just spreading seeds, lol. I don't have a single dandelion in 1.5 acres of yard, or 10 acres of pasture.

 

[ukrkoz]

Thank you, chemicals are out of consideration..
Back to blades .....

 

[Lnk]

Thank you, chemicals are out of consideration..
Back to blades .....

Good for you for not using chemicals. I live in farm country and it seems everyone kills everything with round up and 2-4d. I know it is perfectly safe /s. None will take a sip though.

You should be able to get scoop knives from flail master. Take one of your current blades and measure the width at the bottom of the Y, and measure from the top of the mounting hole to the bottom of the blade. The blades stay in the Y configuration when spinning. Flail masters catalog has the dimensions on the parts. Would be great if you could get close in weight. Do you have a scale that can weight something that small?

Flail Mower Blades and Parts - Flail MasterFlail Master

At the bottom of the page is a link to download the catalog. Hope this helps.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I saw with disgust the many dandelions on my house lawn. Made me think for a moment of going south of the border for some good stuff! A hundred meters away, is an Organic Certified field. What to do?

 

[Lnk]

I saw with disgust the many dandelions on my house lawn. Made me think for a moment of going south of the border for some good stuff! A hundred meters away, is an Organic Certified field. What to do?

Get a couple of goats, then you won't have a dandelion problem. Maybe rent a couple for a day.:thumbsup:

 

[Industrial Toys]

The old guy, now gone, next door, never did a good job of countrolling his livestock. Often I would wake up with sheep or goats around the house. I kind of miss that.

If I got a goat, it would have to have a medical/dental plan, and would need a warm place to sleep with a heating blanket. And then education and University! So, I really besn't.

 

[Lnk]

The old guy, now gone, next door, never did a good job of countrolling his livestock. Often I would wake up with sheep or goats around the house. I kind of miss that.

If I got a goat, it would have to have a medical/dental plan, and would need a warm place to sleep with a heating blanket. And then education and University! So, I really besn't.

Not to mention the most mischievous animal in the world is a lone goat. Need at least 2 to give them someone to talk to, usually the 2nd one talks the first one out of doing mischief.:drink:

 

[ukrkoz]

Wow, wow, wow!!
Back to flail mowers!! Don't hijack my thread.

 

[ukrkoz]

Good for you for not using chemicals. I live in farm country and it seems everyone kills everything with round up and 2-4d. I know it is perfectly safe /s. None will take a sip though.

You should be able to get scoop knives from flail master. Take one of your current blades and measure the width at the bottom of the Y, and measure from the top of the mounting hole to the bottom of the blade. The blades stay in the Y configuration when spinning. Flail masters catalog has the dimensions on the parts. Would be great if you could get close in weight. Do you have a scale that can weight something that small?

Flail Mower Blades and Parts - Flail MasterFlail Master

At the bottom of the page is a link to download the catalog. Hope this helps.

perfect, thank you.
I'll look into this.