millpond said:
Scotty so if you're cutting a new field which isn't going to be used as hay, but isn't suppose to look like finished lawn bordering your house would you
see flail as your best option..?
Let me take a stab at it.
A Flail mower IS capable of giving a quality of cut comparable to the best finish mowers. It can do so in conditions where a finish mower would struggle at times. (i.e. trash and debris present, rock, rough terrain) A flail mower will handle (somewhat more) SAFELY mowing with debris present more so than a rotary mower, be that a brush cutter or finish mower. The flail does so at a higher initial cost, along with a higher routine maintenance cost in most cases.
If a finished look is desired, a finish mower is the lowest cost solution, then the flail mower is next in cost.
If conditions dictate debris NOT be thrown about, but that debris is present, a flail mower is a logical step from a bush hog style rotary cutter. If debris isn't an issue, and quality of cut is less of a factor, a bush hog style rotary cutter can do a fairly decent job. It may require the blades to be somewhat sharper than NORMALLY found on a bush hog, but that isn't out of the ordinary.
So, generally speaking,
1. Finish mower for clean, well groomed lawns.
2. Flail mower for less than perfect conditions where a reasonably clean cut is desired.
3. Bush hog type rotary cutter for rough conditions where quality of finish is the LAST consideration.