Flail Mower Flail Mower vs. Bush Hog / Shredder ?

[brin]

I am thinking about buying a used Flail Mower...I have never owned or used one, however I have owned and used and currently use a bush hog.. I need you fellas to tell me if I will gain anything from buying this flail mower.and what to watch out for ...what is the downside of a flail..?

From reading posts here on TBN I have been led to believe a flail mulches small brush and branches better and delivers a nice clean cut..

If any of you have had the experience of both a flail and a bush hog ..please let me know what you would prefer to cut pasture with and small branches and little 1 " saplings.. Thanks.

 

[greg_g]

I have a flail, two rotary cutters, and a finish mower. In the early years, I needed the rotary cutters because my pasture was so rough. After taming it considerably, I bought the finish mower because it did a better job on the brome sage. But now I'm at the point where a flail mower can do the job of both. So one rotary cutter and the finish mower are up for sale.

Based upon my own experiences - and considering your brief description of work - I'd say go for it. But get one set up for coarse cut. The fine cut configurations aren't intended for brush. They're more suited for landscaping and golf courses.

//greg//

 

[brin]

Thanks Greg ...I sure appreciate you sharing your experience...

 

[TDVT]

I've never had a finish mower but have a sickle bar cutter, a bush hog & bought a flail last year. The flail is by far my mower of choice. I would like sell the sickle bar now (except for the bearing I need to replace) & had planned to sell the rotary too, but still have all three at the moment. I am now leaning toward keeping the rotary for rougher stuff when I don't want to beat up the flail. The sickle bar does a nice job but easily clogs, can't handle heavy stuff & needs more maintenance.

Overall, the flail is way ahead (IMO). Wider, no windrows, a more even cut, no flying debris (broke a window last year w/the rotary), offset cut (good for getting under trees & along fences), less extension off the back (better for uneven terrain & overall maneuverability) & probably a few other things I can't think of.. Since it does such a nice job, I feel bad when I hit the odd rock or heavy limb but it hasn't bothered the mower at all. I tend NOT to mow saplings with it so I can't help you there. I HAVE mowed a part of our lawn with it from time to time & it doesn't look too bad.

Not sure about the down sides yet, not enough hours, but I'm really happy with it so far.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have a flail, two rotary cutters, and a finish mower. In the early years, I needed the rotary cutters because my pasture was so rough. After taming it considerably, I bought the finish mower because it did a better job on the brome sage. But now I'm at the point where a flail mower can do the job of both. So one rotary cutter and the finish mower are up for sale.

Based upon my own experiences - and considering your brief description of work - I'd say go for it. But get one set up for coarse cut. The fine cut configurations aren't intended for brush. They're more suited for landscaping and golf courses.

//greg//

I have had exactly the same experience and agree with Greg's conclusion. If I had to start over again I'd just get the "rough cut" flail and forget about the rotary and the finish. If I were only cutting lawn I'd just get a finish mower and if I were doing commercial bush hogging I might consider a heavy duty rotary but for all around use the flail is near perfect.

 

[sandman2234]

For my experience, bush hogs take alot more abuse, and less maintance doing it. I have an older JD 25a flail (6'6"wide) The flail mowers don't like the rough stuff that a bush hog eats regularly, but I do have a 4' hydraulic powered flail that eats anything you put in it's way, including whole trees, including the trunks. If it will reach the top, (25'), Just let it eat it's way to the bottom. However it is equiped with "hammer blades" which aren't designed for grass (in my opinon)
David from jax

 

[KRBrouwer]

I am thinking about buying a used Flail Mower...I have never owned or used one, however I have owned and used and currently use a bush hog.. I need you fellas to tell me if I will gain anything from buying this flail mower.and what to watch out for ...what is the downside of a flail..?

From reading posts here on TBN I have been led to believe a flail mulches small brush and branches better and delivers a nice clean cut..

If any of you have had the experience of both a flail and a bush hog ..please let me know what you would prefer to cut pasture with and small branches and little 1 " saplings.. Thanks.

I too agree with Greg. I had a bush hog and a finish cut mower, and replaced them both last year with a flail mower, and would never go back. It easily does the job of both for me, mowing along the road and my orchard/lawn area.

Ken

 

[mas1237]

I've got a 9' sickle mower, 5' rotary, 6' rotary, 6' finish mower and 6' flail mower. Each one fills specific needs.
a) The sickle mower is used to mow large areas when I'm looking for production. It will definitely eat up the acres, but the grass must be dry. Also it works great to mow the sideslopes around my pond.
b) The rotaries are good for cutting brush and saplings for the trails in the woods.
c) The finish mower (rear discharge) is great for cutting my runway without gouging and leaves a very uniform cut.
d) The flail mower is good for when the grass gets too high and thick for my finish mower. Also I can turn my wife loose with it and she doesn't have to worry about gouging the ground with that big roller on the back.

I could probably get by with just one rotary mower but it is amazing how many more areas I can mow in the woods with the 5' rotary on my Branson vice the 6' rotary on the Mahindra.

 

[brin]

Here is my question...If I buy this 6o inch cut Ford 917 H Flail mower will my NH TC - 29 be powerful enough to pull it and cut 3 ft. tall grass and brush...My bush hog will..I just have no experience with a flail...Anyone with a flail have an opinion ? Thanks

 

[flusher]

I am thinking about buying a used Flail Mower...I have never owned or used one, however I have owned and used and currently use a bush hog.. I need you fellas to tell me if I will gain anything from buying this flail mower.and what to watch out for ...what is the downside of a flail..?

From reading posts here on TBN I have been led to believe a flail mulches small brush and branches better and delivers a nice clean cut..

If any of you have had the experience of both a flail and a bush hog ..please let me know what you would prefer to cut pasture with and small branches and little 1 " saplings.. Thanks.

Flails are used preferentially in my neck of the woods to mow the orchards (olive, prune plums, English walnuts, almond, mandarin orange). They mulch the cuttings and drop them in place instead of flinging them in all directions like brush hog mowers.

 

[IslandTractor]

Here is my question...If I buy this 6o inch cut Ford 917 H Flail mower will my NH TC - 29 be powerful enough to pull it and cut 3 ft. tall grass and brush...My bush hog will..I just have no experience with a flail...Anyone with a flail have an opinion ? Thanks

In general I'd think a tractor can run similar sized rotary and flail mowers in similar conditions. The flail is not inherently less efficient than the rotary but you might need to go slower as the flail mulches material while the rotary just rips and disperses it. It must take some extra energy/power to do the mulching but that just means going a little slower if you want the mulching to occur. If you don't want the mulching and wanted to go faster you could always remove a balanced number of knives but it really should not be necessary.

 

[FarmGeek]

I agree with all comments above as my rotary now just sits and gathers rust while my flail gets used every couple of weeks.

However, I was disappointed in the flail for one reason - it does not produce uplift since it has no horizontal blades. As the tractor's tires push over taller vegetation it won't spring back uprght in time for the flail to cut it. This leaves 'hairs' sticking up all over the field the next day.

Maybe I just have Lazy Grass????

 

[greg_g]

Here is my question...If I buy this 6o inch cut Ford 917 H Flail mower will my NH TC - 29 be powerful enough to pull it and cut 3 ft. tall grass and brush..

How are you concluding it's a 917H model? Decal? I ask, because there were quite a few variants over the years. The 917H has 3/8" pin holes (travel limiters) above and below the connecting links (where it attaches to the tractor lift arms). The lighter duty ones (like the A- and L- models) don't have those pin holes.

Nevertheless, the 917x came in 4 configurations; standard, fine, coarse, thatch. Unless it's a coarse cut machine (not sure about standard), you've really got no business in three foot stuff, especially if it's wet. Configured for coarse cut however, the 25 PTO horsepower of a TC29 should be adequate.

The coarse cut model can be distinguished from the others because the knives are hanging like an upside down T, and there are fewer of them. My 74-inch H-model for example, has 33 knives; 3 rows of 11. Your 62-incher should have 27 double edged; 3 rows of 9. Not sure about standard, but the fine (and maybe thatch) model knives have about 2.5 times as many cutting edges (singles) as coarse. Another difference is the triangle shaped link that the knives hang on. The fine cut knives hang from 5/16" diameter triangle shaped links, the others use 7/16". The fine cut links are lighter duty too.

//greg//

 

[nwbearcat]

I dunno...my Ford 917A does a much better job than my rotary did. The drum rotates the same direction as my tires do so it scoops things up fairly well. Mine does pull pretty hard, but I also went from a 6' up to an 8', so that's to be expected. I don't see the tire tracks now that I did before.
Just me, but if I were mowing a 40A pasture, I'd be looking at a rotary mower. For a expanded backyard area/barn lots and etc. I really like the flail. Doesn't toss things out, easier to manuever (doesn't stick out as far to the rear) and takes less room to store in my barn.

 

[AlanB]

Greg is giving you great advice.

Flailmaster is a great source of help and information as well (on the net)

I have a NH 1925 (33 or so HP predecessor to yours)

I have a 5' KK bush hog and a 5' fine cut alamo flail.

One thing I did not realize prior to buying my flail was the differences in the flails that Greg is pointing out too you.

For me, and my situation, I need them both.

The Bush hog cuts sticks, chunks, bushes, rough stuff well. (well enough) Clears small saplings etc. etc. The downside is that it throws stuff (I need to add chains / flaps) but the basic way it works tends to give a hit to the things it cuts.

For high grass though, with stuff potentially in it I do not want thrown (mowing overgrown yards is what it was bought for) the Flail is great. Keeping things cut down after the rough work was done with the bush hog it is great, trying to cut saplings, bushes thoroghly overgrown areas with vines, I hook up something else.

Good luck.

 

[brin]

Thanks to all of you for the responses and based on Greg posting about Rough set up vs. Fine set up and other comments by you fellas...I have decided to pass on the flail since it is set up for FINE cutting...that is the blades on it and it is a 917H like Greg's diagram shows. My Bush Hog brand bush hog is a mulching bush hog ...there are no openings on the front or the back..no chains..it is all enclosed so it mulches and does not throw anything and I can go along in 3rd on low speed which is fine. I wanted the flail for the offset which would have allowed me to get closer to fences and trees. I was looking for a better way...grass always looks greener..LOL....
Thanks again all for helping me make this decision..

 

[datanull]

but I do have a 4' hydraulic powered flail that eats anything you put in it's way, including whole trees, including the trunks. If it will reach the top, (25'), Just let it eat it's way to the bottom. However it is equiped with "hammer blades" which aren't designed for grass (in my opinon)
David from jax

That machine sounds like one of the R-O-W mulchers. One brand I have seen is call a "Bull Hog".

Can you tell me/us more about the one you have, pictures brand etc. Skid steer or tractor?