Let's talk flail mowers

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I just bought 5 acres and will build a new house, probably this fall. I plan to have about an acre around the house as a lawn area and the balance will be cut only two to three times during the growing season. I had intended to use a rotary cutter to cut the 4 acres, but the more I hear about flail cutters the more interested I get. I have used rotary cutters for years, but have never used a flail mower. Does that sound like a good option for cutting the four acres? I would appreciate people who have experience with flail mowers to chime in and give me the good, the bad and the ugly.

[IslandTractor]

I have a Caroni TM1900 flail that I really like. I had previously used both bush hogs and rotary finish mowers. The flail cuts pretty close to the finish mower in quality but is more like the bush hog in its ability to cut rough stuff. I like the short projection off the rear of the tractor and the quiet (especially compared to the bush hog). I don't really have any negatives to report although it is clear that when it does come time to change knives it will take longer and be more costly than with either a rotary finish or bush hog.

[Iron Horse]

You will NEVER go back to a rotary cutter after using a flail mower . They cut very neatly , leave no winrows , throw no missiles and mow right up to fences and leave scrub looking like lawn . I am a contract slasher , i mow grass beside fully glazed house fronts without fear of damage . When i first started i bought my new tractor with a 6' contractors slasher . On the first day it picked up a 6" bolt from the grass , it threw it through a chain wire fence , across a busy street , and then through the fibro wall of a house 60 metres away . If it did not hit the wall stud it would have went through the plaster and into the lounge room . It would have killed anyone in it's path , i rang the dealer and told them to bring the flail mower with them and pick up this death trap . It had done 2 hours work and i paid the extra $7000 for the flail and have never felt safer . There is a before and after shot in my gallery of some Lantana and woody weed i slashed with my Cabe 2500 .

[AndyMA]

I agree. I've used flails since I used a 36" wide Mott walkbehind over 40 years ago. They do a great job and are safe.

Andy

[IslandTractor]

I forgot to mention the safety points brought up by Iron Horse but that was my main motivation in changing over. I cannot control pedestrian or child traffic in the areas that I mow and I feel a lot better with the flail.

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Originally Posted by IslandTractor

I have a Caroni TM1900 flail that I really like. I had previously used both bush hogs and rotary finish mowers. The flail cuts pretty close to the finish mower in quality but is more like the bush hog in its ability to cut rough stuff. I like the short projection off the rear of the tractor and the quiet (especially compared to the bush hog). I don't really have any negatives to report although it is clear that when it does come time to change knives it will take longer and be more costly than with either a rotary finish or bush hog.

Island....What is the width of cut of your flail? What size tractor do you use? How mcuh did it cost?

[Iron Horse]

Those thumbnails are pretty cool , i'm gonna give it a try .

[IslandTractor]

Originally Posted by TNhobbyfarmer

Island....What is the width of cut of your flail? What size tractor do you use? How mcuh did it cost?

I believe the cut is 75 inches. The mower is offset to the right about a foot (similar proportionally to Iron Horse's photos). I use a 41 hp Kioti DK40se but I would be confident using this size flail on a 30hp tractor in routine cutting of pastures or lawn and in a 35hp tractor for brush work. I believe it cost just about $1600 from AgriSupply (plus shipping). AgriSupply is a very good outfit that has carried the Caroni line for quite a long time and is, I think, the main importer of these mowers from Italy. They carry a full range of supplies as well as other Caroni equipment. Caroni may not be a name that you see at local tractor dealers but from my experience they are equivalent to Woods, Landpride, Bush Hog, Rhino etc in the sense of being a well established quality company.

[davitk]

I just got off the phone with Agri Supply, they have a 73" Coroni flail with 53 blades (hammers?), item #30837 delivered by truck with a lift gate (to Wisconsin) priced at 1,947.95. Price seems too good to be true considering my local dealer offers a Landpride 72" RCR1872 rotary mower at 1,595.00 + tax. Same dealer has a NH 60" flail for 2,600.00 or a NH 71" flail for 4,100.00.

[IslandTractor]

Originally Posted by davitk

I just got off the phone with Agri Supply, they have a 73" Coroni flail with 53 blades (hammers?), item #30837 delivered by truck with a lift gate (to Wisconsin) priced at 1,947.95. Price seems too good to be true considering my local dealer offers a Landpride 72" RCR1872 rotary mower at 1,595.00 + tax. Same dealer has a NH 60" flail for 2,600.00 or a NH 71" flail for 4,100.00.

I think that is probably the TM1900 flail that I have. Cut is 1.9 meters which is either 73 or 75 inches. Your quoted price makes sense if it includes shipping. It is a great deal but not too good to be true. There are at least half a dozen TBN members with this mower and so far only good things to say (other than the inevitable and messy but otherwise harmless bubbling over of oil from the breather cap).