Flail Mower 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.

 

[Eagleview]

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]

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?

 

[Eagleview]

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

 

[IslandTractor]

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]

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).

 

[GreenMtns]

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).

That bubbling oil is only a small nuisance when every thing else is considered. And it can be dealt with very easily. Just let the gear housing find it own level and then clean it off. Since your only going to change the oil at service intervals it won't be a big deal.

As far is "would I do it again?", If I knew then what I know now, I could have saved a lot of money and bought the Caroni flail mower the first time. I am buying a set of replacemnet knives this summer just to have on hand for that point in the future when they need to be cahnged but that is quit a ways off.

You will like the way the fields look compared to the windrowing of a Bush Hog type mower.

 

[IslandTractor]

That bubbling oil is only a small nuisance ....

As far is "would I do it again?", If I knew then what I know now, I could have saved a lot of money and bought the Caroni flail mower the first time. ....

You will like the way the fields look compared to the windrowing of a Bush Hog type mower.

I agree completely on all counts. I did not mean to overemphasize the oil dribbling phenomenon but it is about the only "defect" in the TM1900 worth mentioning.

If someone stole mine I'd order another the next day.

 

[swampvol]

What sized saplings can a flail cut without damage?

 

[IslandTractor]

What sized saplings can a flail cut without damage?

You'd have to be specific about what flail mower you are considering. There are heavy duty flails that will happily cut up cinder blocks along the highway.

For a medium duty flail like the Caroni TM1900, I have had no issue at all with 2 inch brush. Haven't tried 3 inch material as I usually get those with the grapple. Here are photos of the remains of a couple of bushes that had about 2 inch stems. The original bushes looked like the untouched bush just behind the stubble remains.

 

[SPYDERLK]

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.

I am planning to get a flail. My problem is determining how heavy duty a one I need and how the cut quality of grass trades off between HD and lighter duty knives, or hammers in the case of extreme HD. Im considering Rears, Gearmore, and now Caroni. I want one that will mulch 2" wood routinely with no problem, and be able to handle larger without damage at creeper speed. Yet I still want a decent field cut on grass. With your experience with the Caroni, will the TM1900/30837AgSupply do this? Is it gear or belt final drive? I assume the TL series Caroni are light duty? Odd that they cost almost the same for smaller units. Anyone with experience on them??

I spoke to a Rears distributor in MA, who recommended the SPF series with big knives rather than hammers. These weigh in at around 900# with the optional 1/4" housing on the 5 foot mower. The knives counter rotate wrt tractor wheels. Price is double the Caroni. That is ok if Im getting a much more capable and durable machine. I need some basis of comparision based on collective experience on TBN. Please help me not jump the wrong way.
Thanks,

larry​

 

[IslandTractor]

I cannot give you comparative experience as I have only used the Caroni TM1900. It is what I'd call a medium duty unit and by that I mean that it is not designed to be used by highway shoulder maintenance or in the way you'd use a heavy duty bush hog. I feel comfortable using it anywhere I'd use my BushHog Squealer and it obviously cuts much finer than that, roughly comparable to my Rhino finish mower.

It has three belts instead of two and heavier knives than the TL series from Caroni. It weighs about 600lbs I believe which again is indicative of its medium duty status as the heavy duty flails can weigh 1000lbs.

You might want to PM someone like FarmswithJunk for his thoughts as he has used the heavier flails and other brands.

 

[Tarheelfan]

Can you use a Flail mower as a finishing mower? If so how close are the results to a finishing mower??

 

[IslandTractor]

Can you use a Flail mower as a finishing mower? If so how close are the results to a finishing mower??

Absolutely. There are different types of flail mowers and some are made to cut more roughly than finish but there are also flails that would exactly duplicate a rotary finish mower cut.

 

[Agent Blue]

I have a 6' Mott flail mower that the local school system had until the ran the gearbox out of oil. I have a 1-1 right hand gear box on it but it needs a 1-3 ratio. In short lawn type grass it cut terrific and chopped the clippings to tiny bits. Tall weeds will smoke the belt drive.

One of my projects is to find a proper ratio gear box or add a geared system to get it to the right rpm. I like the way it cuts and I think my 4110 JD would have enough power to operate it in the big open spaces. I also have a ton of cutters with it which seem to cut rather than tear the blades of grass.

I didn't think parts were available for this machine as it was traded and sold for scrap price.

 

[Tarheelfan]

OK, another question, how close or high can you adjust a flail to finish mow??