Caroni TM1900 with Smooth-Cut Blades

[nunyabinis]

never tried a flap disk, will have to try it. Have had good luck doing touchups on mounted blades with a dremel and a stone

Flap disks are relatively expensive but they're worth every penny and since the "flaps" overlap they last a LONG time.


I used a 36 grit yesterday to grind down some welding I was re-doing and it ground down a half inch of welded bead in less than a minute. Now THAT'S grinding metal.

 

[IslandTractor]

Flap disks are relatively expensive but they're worth every penny and since the "flaps" overlap they last a LONG time.


I used a 36 grit yesterday to grind down some welding I was re-doing and it ground down a half inch of welded bead in less than a minute. Now THAT'S grinding metal.

Not that expensive actually. I just ordered three (36, 60, 120 grit) from Amazon for about $18 total. I suppose it depends on how long they last.

 

[sunspot]

I removed and sharpened my knives this weekend. The whole thing was a bear to do but I'm still glad I bought the flail.

I moved the flail close to my shop area and flipped it to the front so the rotor was facing the back.

It was very steady so I did not have to block it.

I sprayed all the bolts with a penetrating oil and took a few off. What with all the mashed grass still on the bolts, I used a wire wheel for clean up.

All the knives were very dull on both sides and about a dozen were plenty nicked up.

The nuts are the nyloc type but when re-installing, the nylon seemed worn, so I used some blue loctite on the bolts threads.

I took the flail out for a test drive and it cut very nice. No stubble and no lines after making a pass.

 

[J_J]

You said dull both sides, had you turned them around before, or for some reason, the backside of the blade became dull also?

Did you notice if the blades on the ends of the flail, whether they were in the "Y" pattern , or both blades were turned away from the sides, and both the same way as in an "L" as one poster had noted?

 

[sunspot]

JJ, both sides were dull and I had never reversed them. I have no idea how that came about. I knew what side to sharpen because one side of the blade was shiny and the other had grass juice dried on it.

I did read about the L vs Y but I did not pay attention to my outside blades. I feel like they were Y because the L might of registered to my sight. It was a bit noisy when I engaged the PTO and a few clinks when I disengaged.

BTW, the bolts that hold the outer blades are shorter than the rest of the bolts.

 

[swampvol]

Nunya, how about an update on those blades.

Do you feel they'll last a couple of seasons without having to sharpen or replace?

 

[swampvol]

This is the "hammer" blade that betsco sells on ebay. Looks pretty similar to the one from Flailmaster, but they're twice the cost. $200.00 for 28.

 

[brandoro]

Something I noticed on my Landpride flail is that some of the knives can interfere with each other. Not all, only a few but, the ones that do really beat up each others edges. At first I thought I must have hit something but realised that the trailing edge of some of the knives was beat up. That's when I started flipping the knives back and forth to see if there was a clearance, on most there is and the unsharpened part of the knife will hit the drum. On a few the knives will strike each other.
I use the flail to cut brush, mostly 1/2" to 3/4" diameter but the flail is rated to 1" so that shouldn't be a problem for it.
Seems like a design flaw to me.

 

[swampvol]

Nunya, how about an update.

Are you still happy with the job these blades do on your grass?

I started cutting yesterday morning with the flail and after 10 minutes I decided to finish with the bush hog. I actually had to go back over the spots that I had used the flail on. The y blades just don't cut the tall grass and weeds.

 

[IslandTractor]

I actually had to go back over the spots that I had used the flail on. The y blades just don't cut the tall grass and weeds.

Are you talking about the standard blades? Are you at or close to PTO speed? I forget which mower you have but my Caroni TM1900 with standard blades has never had a problem with tall grass and weeds. If I go quickly through an area with 3ft grass I do get some areas (mostly wheel tracks) that are not cut ideally but if I slow down all is fine. No issue unless it is very tall grass and fast mowing.