Let's talk flail mowers

[RobinGB]

Excellent thread. Being in the UK I would add (if it helps) that flails are widely available and used hear. They are seen as an excellent tool to get a good mulched material finish on lawn and brush as already stated by others.

In the UK "forged hammer" flails are generally seen as the best type of flail in most circumstances (except rocks) as they are aerodynamic (low HP requirement), give a very even finish on lawn (noticeably better than Y type flails) similar to finishing mowers, and are very tough for mulching anything woody they come accross.

For anyones info, in the UK Market the following makes are widely available and have a very good range for compact tractor owners...

"Kuhn" (german build) is possibly the premier brand in the UK and reasonably priced compared to all but the chineese makes. But getting hold of one is difficult towards the end of the season as the factory produces "once yearly" batches of each product, so once they are sold out you have to wait to the next batch is produced!

"Major" (UK built) a very good reputation

"Wessex" (UK Built) another with a very good reputation

"RYETEC" very expensive but good reputation

"Teagle" (Italian) a good reputation

Others makes not so widely available in the UK are...

"Orsi" (Italian) a reasonable reputation, Y type flails only (no hammer type).

"Rotomec" (USA build) these are low spec units (unusuall for a USA product, normally USA products like JD are high spec), not well known

"Hymari" (Chineese build) low spec, not well known

Sadly Caroni I have not heard of in the UK but I will have a look.

I read the first 20 pages of this thread and then the last five only as that alone took over an hour. Hope I didn't miss any gems in the middle?

RobinGB

[IslandTractor]

Originally Posted by RobinGB

Excellent thread. Being in the UK I would add (if it helps) that flails are widely available and used hear. They are seen as an excellent tool to get a good mulched material finish on lawn and brush as already stated by others.......RobinGB

Welcome aboard. Nice to have input from across the pond. I'm surprised that the brands don't overlap more as they do with tractors. I don't think we get any German or UK flails imported to the US. As noted in the thread, flails have mostly been used here for highway maintenance and crop mulching. Until recently there have not been many low or medium cost/duty flails available and as it has been a low volume item not much inthe way of discounts either. I think we use more rear finish mowers and "bush hogs" than are used in Europe. Still, it looks like Caroni has made an impact and that people here are discovering the virtues of flail mowers.

[greg_g]

Originally Posted by RobinGB

"Rotomec" (USA build) these are low spec units (unusuall for a USA product, normally USA products like JD are high spec), not well known

For USA members who've not heard of Rotomec before, it appears to be the Italian trade name for BEFCO exports. See
BEFCO - Products
then
ROTOMEC - Products

//greg//

[texbaylea]

I picked up a 25' length of barbed wire with my TM1900B this week. I caught it near one end so it unwound easily. No damage to the mower was apparent except for some polishing where the end hit. Noisy though.

I really like this mower. It stays on the tractor 90% of the time since it does not get in the way back there.

Vernon

[IslandTractor]

I had a similar experience with a 8ft section of rusty angle iron that was half buried in a field I was mowing. The flail pulled it out of the ground and wrapped around the rotor. Stalled the tractor. I cringed but then simply unwound the mess and went back to mowing with no ill effect.

[DirtHauler]

Found and wound this up in my flail ........ 20' + of temp power line that was hiding in the weeds, thankfully it wasn't connected! It was wound so tight, I couldn't pull it out. Had to quit for the day, take it home and spent an hour cutting it out. Went back the next day and finished the job.

[Builder]

They're so simple & tough looking. No blades to worry about resharpening when you hit something like that. Guy near me pulls one behind a big McCormick 4x4 cab tractor. Really does a nice job.

[davitk]

I wrapped this canary reed grass around mine, stopped it cold. Anybody have a technique for 6' tall grass??

[IslandTractor]

Originally Posted by davitk

I wrapped this canary reed grass around mine, stopped it cold. Anybody have a technique for 6' tall grass??

Go slow???

[DavesTractor]

Originally Posted by davitk

I wrapped this canary reed grass around mine, stopped it cold. Anybody have a technique for 6' tall grass??

Seems you have made yourself a nice three-point power broom. Once you wear down the "bristles" you just mow a little bit to replace them.