Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[leonz]

What you are referring to is either clockwise or counter clockwise rotation.

The Caroni is referred to as a clockwise rotation flailmower which reduces the
chance anything can be sent flying as the material will be picked up and carried over
the flail mower rotor and thrown back down to the ground just as the clippings would be If
the flailmower is operating and folling the ground contour.

You have not tolds us much as we do not know what size mule you have or whether its a gear drive or hydrostatic transmission.

If you have a high horsepower (fifty plus) Mule with a hydrostatic transmission you not suffer huge power losses due to the automatic transmission and heat buildup.



You need not worry about this for the following reasons if you use the flail mower
as it was intended to be used.

1. mowing a higher cutting height is detrimental for the following reasons.

1. The flailmowers counterclockwise rotation is ment to slice the material
into smaller clippings.

2. any flail mower is working at its most efficient when the tractor speed is
a. proper for the operating conditions
b. the Engines PTO speed is set for the 540 RPM operating speed and no less!
c. The Mower is lowered to the ground-

1. the flail mower rotor creates suction when it is operationg at the proper speed and the mower hood
acts as part of the vacuum system BECAUSE the mower is lowered to the ground AND the rotation of the flail mowr rotor
and the entire knive count creates the air current and suction to mow and recut.

NOW if you have not gone over the area you are mowing thats not a good idea because
you can make a mountain out of a mole hill.

The cut will look like crap and you will have material that will not decompose quickly!!



Perhaps you can rent a york rake after you mow wth the flail mower you choose

 

[mjstef]

What you are referring to is either clockwise or counter clockwise rotation.

The Caroni is referred to as a clockwise rotation flailmower which reduces the
chance anything can be sent flying as the material will be picked up and carried over
the flail mower rotor and thrown back down to the ground just as the clippings would be If
the flailmower is operating and folling the ground contour.

You have not tolds us much as we do not know what size mule you have or whether its a gear drive or hydrostatic transmission.

If you have a high horsepower (fifty plus) Mule with a hydrostatic transmission you not suffer huge power losses due to the automatic transmission and heat buildup.



You need not worry about this for the following reasons if you use the flail mower
as it was intended to be used.

1. mowing a higher cutting height is detrimental for the following reasons.

1. The flailmowers counterclockwise rotation is ment to slice the material
into smaller clippings.

2. any flail mower is working at its most efficient when the tractor speed is
a. proper for the operating conditions
b. the Engines PTO speed is set for the 540 RPM operating speed and no less!
c. The Mower is lowered to the ground-

1. the flail mower rotor creates suction when it is operationg at the proper speed and the mower hood
acts as part of the vacuum system BECAUSE the mower is lowered to the ground AND the rotation of the flail mowr rotor
and the entire knive count creates the air current and suction to mow and recut.

NOW if you have not gone over the area you are mowing thats not a good idea because
you can make a mountain out of a mole hill.

The cut will look like crap and you will have material that will not decompose quickly!!



Perhaps you can rent a york rake after you mow wth the flail mower you choose

The tractor i am upgrading to has 30.5 PTO HP and 36.2 Engine HP on a gear drive. I would NEVER mow with a hydro as they suck too much power. I walk these properties every year but it never fails i miss stuff in the tall grass and contractors leave crap lying all over. Typically i cut at around 4" or maybe a little less. I am worried that the "clockwise" rotation will not pick up the grass that the "Counter-Clockwise" rotation would pick up. My main concern is the $500K homes i am mowing around as well as all the people walking in the public areas. Here is a photo of one of my main jobs which totals 30 acres..........

 

[mjstef]

I would REALLY like to find something like this with dolly wheels.........

 

[leonz]

The tractor i am upgrading to has 30.5 PTO HP and 36.2 Engine HP on a gear drive. I would NEVER mow with a hydro as they suck too much power. I walk these properties every year but it never fails i miss stuff in the tall grass and contractors leave crap lying all over. Typically i cut at around 4" or maybe a little less. I am worried that the "clockwise" rotation will not pick up the grass that the "Counter-Clockwise" rotation would pick up. My main concern is the $500K homes i am mowing around as well as all the people walking in the public areas. Here is a photo of one of my main jobs which totals 30 acres..........

===========================================================

The clockwise rotation is preferried BECAUSE the flail mower rotor will throw any thing it contacts iforward and impact the flail mower hood and then fall to the ground as I have labored to explain to you.

You can safely mow at two inch height which I explained is the optimum height for mowing
which creates the suction needed to lift and carry the clippings over the flail mower rotor
and back tot he ground SAFELY.


Your tractor upgrade is going to be to low in useable horsepower at the Power Take Off.
If you can afford a 40 horse power hydro unit you should at least consider that as many retailers are offering zero percent financing.

Again the clockwise rotation is fine! The problem is your 4 inch mowing height
which I have labored to explain to you will be the problem.

Unless you purchase a Vrisimo road sider or spend a small fortune on an Alamo flailmower
you will not be able to buy a flail mower with casters.

AS I mentions previously mowing at two inch cutting heightthis will provide with the cut
you need and the safety in mowing while pedestrians are inthe area.

We used a John Deere 25A with a Ford Jubilee so think about that please as a JD 25A will work
well for you mowing at the 2 inch cutting height. You really dont need the casters if you mow
slowly in a spiral pattern as you will overlap avoid braking and backing up wasting fuel and time.

 

[mjstef]

The issue here in Montana is there are plenty of rocks you would need an excavator to move. The property above eats a set of bush hog blades in 22 acres even after all the loose rocks are pulled up unless i mow at at least 4" If i where to mow around all of these large rocks at 2" i would have to have a laborer to mow about 1/3rd of these lots with a hand trimmer. Much of the grass is a thin wirey type grass that don't suck up well and i have a horrible time with it on smooth lots with my Grasshopper finish mower. The point of a flail is it can't pick up anything really large and anything it could pick up would get stopped by the plates on the front in a clockwise rotation unit or the rubber belting on the back with a CCW rotation. The rocks are another reason that the casters wheels would be preferred as the roller would get the crap knocked out of it. I can fab up casters as long as i have a good solid surface to mount them too.

===========================================================

The clockwise rotation is preferried BECAUSE the flail mower rotor will throw any thing it contacts iforward and impact the flail mower hood and then fall to the ground as I have labored to explain to you.

You can safely mow at two inch height which I explained is the optimum height for mowing
which creates the suction needed to lift and carry the clippings over the flail mower rotor
and back tot he ground SAFELY.


Your tractor upgrade is going to be to low in useable horsepower at the Power Take Off.
If you can afford a 40 horse power hydro unit you should at least consider that as many retailers are offering zero percent financing.

Again the clockwise rotation is fine! The problem is your 4 inch mowing height
which I have labored to explain to you will be the problem.

Unless you purchase a Vrisimo road sider or spend a small fortune on an Alamo flailmower
you will not be able to buy a flail mower with casters.

AS I mentions previously mowing at two inch cutting heightthis will provide with the cut
you need and the safety in mowing while pedestrians are inthe area.

We used a John Deere 25A with a Ford Jubilee so think about that please as a JD 25A will work
well for you mowing at the 2 inch cutting height. You really dont need the casters if you mow
slowly in a spiral pattern as you will overlap avoid braking and backing up wasting fuel and time.

 

[leonz]

The issue here in Montana is there are plenty of rocks you would need an excavator to move.


(Are you in the Powder River Basin?)

(Has this land been strip mined fror coal and then reclaiimed?)


The property above eats a set of bush hog blades in 22 acres even after
all the loose rocks are pulled up unless i mow at at least 4".

(The only real option you have is to mount a York rake in the
front of the tractor to catch the rocks before you hit them)


If I were to mow around all of these large rocks at 2" i would have to have a laborer to
mow about 1/3rd of these lots with a hand trimmer.

Much of the grass is a thin wirey type grass that don't suck up well and i have a
horrible time with it on smooth lots with my Grasshopper finish mower.

(Is it Buffalo Grass?)


The point of a flail is it can't pick up anything really large and anything it could
pick up would get stopped by the plates on the front in a clockwise rotation unit
or the rubber belting on the back with a CCW rotation.

(This is what I have been explaining to you; unless you purchase a combination front/rear
mount flail mower you will not have the debris catching plates as standard equipment.)



The rocks are another reason that the casters wheels would be preferred as the roller would get the crap knocked out of it.

I can fab up casters as long as i have a good solid surface to mount them too.

(you cannot fabricate heavy enough casters for this)

(The casters are there ONLY to allow the flail mower "which is in contact with the ground
surface" to prevent the rear roller and side weldments from gougeing the ground.)


In order to sove this you will need to buy a motorised towed flail mower with front and rear caster wheels OR

Simply purchase a small horsepower Vrisimo flail mower and ask to have front and rear casters installed as an add on item with casters and ask them to install front casters on it as well for you.

Rear casters alone will not solve this issue as the area was not finish graded with dozer apparently.

Either way you are going to have to install a York Rake in the front of this tractor with your mowing conditions.

If you purchase a JD 25A seven foot finish flailmower you will be able to weld the caster weldments to the front box beam BUT
saying that you would have to attach the casters to the side weldements behind the flail mower rotor using steel tubing the thickness of the box beam to mount the casters.

It will be much simpler for you tp purchase Vrsimo flailmower sized for your tractor and have them make a change/add
order to ad front casters to the mower as they have to mount the four casters in the proper location onthe flail mower to prevent interfering with the rear wheels and the lifting arc created by the three point hitch.

Dont expect to be able to mow fast with a low horsepower flailmower its not going to happen.


Again I want you to suceed and not fail. I do not have my hand on your wallet. I am simpy trying to be realistic with you and your operating conditions.

Ask Vrsimo how much a 5 foot flail mowr would cost with front and rear casters and more structural steel to support them.

The flail mower shroud is designed to complement and add strength to the side weldments of a flail mower.

The with shrouds with the mounted casters are thicker steel to increase the structural strength of the shroud and side weldments as the caster add two more points stress to the flail mowers weldments.

I take it this mess is a HMA with fussy owners?Homeowners Management Association?

You need a york rake to help with this period.

 

[mjstef]

Yes, It's an HOA. I have most of the loose rocks picked up but there are MANY huge rocks that would need an excavator to move. The frost tends to move them up out of the ground over winter. I have mowed different HOA's for 20 years and it's always the same issues. Rebar, Blocks of wood, Chunks of concrete, Rocks Ect. I make sure i get paid well for the headache. As far as casters, i have seen these 2 units. One is a JD with home made casters and the other looks like a Factory Alamo??

(you cannot fabricate heavy enough casters for this)

(The casters are there ONLY to allow the flail mower "which is in contact with the ground
surface" to prevent the rear roller and side weldments from gougeing the ground.)


In order to sove this you will need to buy a motorised towed flail mower with front and rear caster wheels OR

Simply purchase a small horsepower Vrisimo flail mower and ask to have front and rear casters installed as an add on item with casters and ask them to install front casters on it as well for you.

Rear casters alone will not solve this issue as the area was not finish graded with dozer apparently.

Either way you are going to have to install a York Rake in the front of this tractor with your mowing conditions.

If you purchase a JD 25A seven foot finish flailmower you will be able to weld the caster weldments to the front box beam BUT
saying that you would have to attach the casters to the side weldements behind the flail mower rotor using steel tubing the thickness of the box beam to mount the casters.

It will be much simpler for you tp purchase Vrsimo flailmower sized for your tractor and have them make a change/add
order to ad front casters to the mower as they have to mount the four casters in the proper location onthe flail mower to prevent interfering with the rear wheels and the lifting arc created by the three point hitch.

Dont expect to be able to mow fast with a low horsepower flailmower its not going to happen.


Again I want you to suceed and not fail. I do not have my hand on your wallet. I am simpy trying to be realistic with you and your operating conditions.

Ask Vrsimo how much a 5 foot flail mowr would cost with front and rear casters and more structural steel to support them.

The flail mower shroud is designed to complement and add strength to the side weldments of a flail mower.

The with shrouds with the mounted casters are thicker steel to increase the structural strength of the shroud and side weldments as the caster add two more points stress to the flail mowers weldments.

I take it this mess is a HMA with fussy owners?Homeowners Management Association?

You need a york rake to help with this period.

 

[leonz]

You ought to seriously invest in the rental of a wide vibratory roller with all that you have going on in those areas,. renting the vibratory roller for a week will save you a lot of worries and you will be able to mow closely with a standar flailmower sized for your new tractor





You still need a York rake mounted on the tractor front and
a flailmower that will work well with a thirty horse
power mule and you need to have the manufacuturer
install front and rear casters on their frames

Call Vrisimo in California and ask them how much a five foot road sider
would cost with front and rear casters AND BUY IT.

 

[mjstef]

10K Nearly 1/2 the price of the tractor.............

You ought to seriously invest in the rental of a wide vibratory roller with all that you have going on in those areas,. renting the vibratory roller for a week will save you a lot of worries and you will be able to mow closely with a standar flailmower sized for your new tractor





You still need a York rake mounted on the tractor front and
a flailmower that will work well with a thirty horse
power mule and you need to have the manufacuturer
install front and rear casters on their frames

Call Vrisimo in California and ask them how much a five foot road sider
would cost with front and rear casters AND BUY IT.

 

[leonz]

10K Nearly 1/2 the price of the tractor.............

It is referred to as the opportunity cost-what you willing or able
to give up for what you desire or need

I would rent a large vibratory toller for a week before you mow
with a less expensive flail mower

Your in business to make money.

TO make money you have spend adequate funds for
machinery(physical plant).


Invest in vibratory roller rental for a week and a good York rake
and then purchase your flail mower.


Your running out of options other than the renting a Vibratory roller and
purchasing a York Rake OR purchasing the Vrisimo with dual casters.