Can a Flail Mower Cut Tall Weeds?

[TerryR]

I'm trying my Peruzzo Ditch and Bank mower for my fall mowing, and finding it very disappointing again. It works find for ditches and banks where I mow them several times a year. But I mow the field only twice a year, so by the time I mow it has grass and weeds to 3 feet or more tall.

The mower does fine with all the grass, but it has a hard time with even green weeds with stems. In this photo you can the stems left standing for the previous three passes:



This is the result in first gear - 0.9 MPH according to the chart on the fender. Higher speeds give worse results. It looks like all the stems get pushed down as the mower comes over them and never get up to the blades.

Here's another view, cut at the same speed:



In this one you can see better what I'm cutting. I think the tall stuff is goldenrod.

I really like the offset mower for getting under all the trees around the field, for the fact that it doesn't leave a windrow of heavy cuttings, and I'm not running over the stuff first with the tractor so stuff pops up afterwards. But the very slow speed and poor cut quality have me thinking of going back to my rotary cutter.

Is there any way to improve this result, or is this the best a fail mower can do?

 

[jaxs]

I'm trying my Peruzzo Ditch and Bank mower for my fall mowing, and finding it very disappointing again. It works find for ditches and banks where I mow them several times a year. But I mow the field only twice a year, so by the time I mow it has grass and weeds to 3 feet or more tall.

The mower does fine with all the grass, but it has a hard time with even green weeds with stems. In this photo you can the stems left standing for the previous three passes:

View attachment 575362

This is the result in first gear - 0.9 MPH according to the chart on the fender. Higher speeds give worse results. It looks like all the stems get pushed down as the mower comes over them and never get up to the blades.

Here's another view, cut at the same speed:

View attachment 575363

In this one you can see better what I'm cutting, is this the best a fail mower can do?

Not even close. We can guess and procrastinate about what might be wrong but I recommend having a neighbor or emplement dealer show you how to operate your equipment.

 

[metalbender]

I recently purchased a Chinese verge mower, pretty impressed with the results, aside from having it plug up with some kind of soft, long grass a couple of times. The cutters did take a bit of a beating doing the ditches, need to touch them up with the angle grinder.

 

[kthompson]

My quick thoughts are the mower in not running full rpm or you have missing, damaged or worn cutters.

 

[TerryR]

Not even close. We can guess and procrastinate about what might be wrong but I recommend having a neighbor or emplement dealer show you how to operate your equipment.

So far as I know no one else in the county owns a flail mower, so asking a neighbor seems difficult. The dealer is 800 miles away and has offered no helpful suggestions by phone.

 

[TerryR]

My quick thoughts are the mower in not running full rpm or you have missing, damaged or worn cutters.

The mower is for a 540 RPM pto, and I'm running the engine at rated PTO speed. So I don't think speed is the issue.

Their are no missing cutters, but some are damaged from running it low at the dealer's recommendation and hitting stones. But it did exactly the same thing when brand new, which is why I called the dealer for suggestions. The cutters were all sharp then and it made no difference.

The problem seems to be the cutters aren't getting to the stems because they are pushed flat on the ground before the cutters get to them.

 

[dynasim]

The shoe style and shape have a huge effect. I cut 3 ft sparse weed and brush with no issues, as long as the belt is tight, and the shoes are in good shape. If your shoes are in bad shape, it will always leave stragglers.

The importance of running at full speed should also be noted.

On mine, the ground speed doesn't have anything to to with the cut quality unless the shoes are in bad shape. The tip speed is very high. The power consumption is related to speed.

 

[1010]

My experience with a flail is no, they won't cut woody, heavy, tall grass like a bush hog. I used a 6 foot flail for years in the large yard, if I let the grass get to tall, I'd have to make sure to cut it again after a few days to get it back into shape. Flail mowers are wonderful in kept up yards, you can't get a better cut.
The tips on mine were like split similar to a butterfly. There might be a better tip available now days, this was 20 years ago.

The only alternative I see you have is replace the tips, replace the mower, or cut the area more often.

 

[Fallon]

I have Peruzzo Superbull which only comes with the heavy hammers. I get a good cut on Yucca, finger & wrist sized woody brush as well as tall grass. It does push some things over so the flails don't cut before it passes over. It doesnt happen often, usually on tall flexible light stalky things. Sunflowers, cat tails & the like.

 

[TerryR]

It does push some things over so the flails don't cut before it passes over. It doesnt happen often, usually on tall flexible light stalky things. Sunflowers, cat tails & the like.

Fallon,

Sounds like you are describing what my field is full of ... tall flexible light stalky things. :-(

My experience with a flail is no, they won't cut woody, heavy, tall grass like a bush hog. I used a 6 foot flail for years in the large yard, if I let the grass get to tall, I'd have to make sure to cut it again after a few days to get it back into shape. Flail mowers are wonderful in kept up yards, you can't get a better cut.
The tips on mine were like split similar to a butterfly. There might be a better tip available now days, this was 20 years ago.

The only alternative I see you have is replace the tips, replace the mower, or cut the area more often.

Thanks, 1010. Mine has the heavy hammer blades, but the issue seems to be that the blades don't get to the stalks because they are pushed over and laying on the ground. I'm afraid you are right about the alternatives, though I'm not sure there are better tips.