Flail Mower Choosing the correct flail mower

[cadillac]

I'm interested in a flail mower, but I'm having trouble choosing the correct type. After days of getting close while reading this forum, I thought I'd post here for more detailed feedback.

I currently have a rotary cutter that I use to mow the lawn and typically up to 1.5" trees at most. The grass is about twice per month and the brush is 2-3 times per year (unless a limb falls or something). What I'm looking for is something shorter, safer, and a little better grass cut.

My tractor is 48" wide, so that's about the width I'm aiming for, $2000 is about what I can swallow on price, and my tractor is 25hp

I'm looking at the Caroni TL1200FSC which has their F drum with 72 of the Y shaped blades. I'm also looking at the woodmaxx FM-54 which has either 18 duck foot blades or 18 sets of two Y shaped blades.

I guess my main concern with the caroni is that it won't handle brush. With the woodmaxx if I go with the duck foot blades, I don't want it to cut grass worse than my rotary cutter.

Any thoughts?

 

[leonz]

You have to decide what type of cut you want all the time.
Do not expect to have a "great lawn looking cut" if you do not mow weekly or biweekly.
The finish cut/fine cut flail mower rotor will surprise you with the 2 inch setting as you
will be recutting material as you mow on the first pass as the 36 pairs of side slicers
will give you a "lawn look" on the first pass as long as you mow slowly and I mean SLOWLY
with the mules engine at the 540 RPM speed and no lower.

The more often you mow the less time you will need to mow and I mean that in all seriousness
as the lawn haircuts are quick especially if you mow in spiral pattern which saves fuel and time
as you do not have to brake and turn around and after two days the tire tracks are gone.

If you have rapid growing saplings you will need the rotary cutter as a small flail mower will not
handle it.

I want you to succeed not fail, please send me a pm if you have more questions.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I owned and used a Caroni TM1900 with the Y-shaped knives for about 5 years, and I've been using a Woodmaxx FM-78 with their Y-shaped knives since the start of July (maybe 15 hours use so far). My use is rough mowing of weeds, tall grass, woody brush and minor saplings, and the Caroni replaced a 6' lighty duty (Deere LX6) rotary cutter. I've found the flail with Y-knives capable of mowing anything the rotary cutter could mow. I haven't tried the scoop knives. I can mow 1" woody brush or saplings without much issue.

The flail does seem to require a bit more hp than the RC, but the safety and mulching benefits are totally worth it to me.

I was perfectly happy with the Caroni, although the drive belts will shred and are somewhat of a pain to replace. I think the Woodmaxx is a slightly better design and build in all ways, but the difference is small. Since you're in NC, you can buy the Caroni locally at Agrisupply, and I would consider that convenience factor, especially since the cost will probably end up being a bit lower than the Woodmaxx.

 

[cadillac]

Thanks for the replies. I think I might end up getting the Y knives and a set of scoop knives just in case (extra $75). The only caroni they offer is more on the fine/light side which worries me.

 

[powerscol]

Check with Iowa Farm Equipment for other choices Iowa Farm Equipment -- Mowers: 3-Point, Pull-Type, Skid Steer, Rotary, Flail & Zero Turn

They did very well by me when I bought my Maschio Giraffetta from them

 

[leonz]

Before you open your wallet;

You need to look at your mowing needs again. A cast hammer flail mower knife is very versatile flail mower knife used in orchards and vineyards to shred pruned tree limbs grape vine prunings and also mow with no issues

With your needs you should look at the Maschio Giraffetta from Iowa Farm Equipment as powerscol has said as it will mow all your property with no issues.

 

[TractorToolsDirect]

You should also consider the Del Morino, which is similar in design to the Caroni, but a heavier build and better belt tensioning system. Also the knives are much larger and thicker. You could probably go with the 52" model, or maybe the 62". More info here: Tractor Tools Direct | Product Categories | Flail Mowers

 

[cadillac]

Before you open your wallet;

You need to look at your mowing needs again. A cast hammer flail mower knife is very versatile flail mower knife used in orchards and vineyards to shred pruned tree limbs grape vine prunings and also mow with no issues

With your needs you should look at the Maschio Giraffetta from Iowa Farm Equipment as powerscol has said as it will mow all your property with no issues.

I think we're on the same page related to the knives. I planned to get the cast hammers, but also a set of Y knives just in case. Maybe we're just down to brands now, but correct me if I'm wrong.

That Maschio Giraffetta seems to require more HP than I have. I'm only putting out 25 hp.

 

[leonz]

I think we're on the same page related to the knives. I planned to get the cast hammers, but also a set of Y knives just in case. Maybe we're just down to brands now, but correct me if I'm wrong.

That Maschio Giraffetta seems to require more HP than I have. I'm only putting out 25 hp.

You can buy a smaller maschio or purchase a towed motorized unit from Iowa Farm Equipment.

 

[powerscol]

I think we're on the same page related to the knives. I planned to get the cast hammers, but also a set of Y knives just in case. Maybe we're just down to brands now, but correct me if I'm wrong.

That Maschio Giraffetta seems to require more HP than I have. I'm only putting out 25 hp.

Iowa Farm Equipment -- Peruzzo Fox Cross Ditch Bank Flail Mowers This was my second choice. Give them a call. Also measure tractor and be sure you can offset enough to do what you need

 

[leonz]

Hello Kieth, I hope all is well and you have all your hay in by now.

My neighbor was late getting his second cutting and the rain made
a mess of things delaying cutting, crimping, baling and wrapping.
He still has another 12 acres to cut and bale of second cutting alfalfa that
is already dark in color.

I guess they are having a lot of snow on Donner Pass now and
they had a 16+ car pile up due to the snow.

The weather has been cool here and a welcome change for me.


Leon

 

[powerscol]

Leon - doing well. We will get our first frost Sunday night. I was lucky on my second cutting a record for me. Forecast was 20% several days, but they went around me. I baled and stacked 268 bales one day and moved them and stacked in the barn the next morning, I passed the 500 bale mark this year, close to 600 with both cuttings. Good part it is 1/2 sold already - getting $6 a bale and $7 a bale if I store for some folks.

Again thanks for you help choosing the flail mower. Its been working well. It does max me out in 3' grass, but I just slowed down. Each time I take it out I learn something new or a better way to run it. I usually cut in the offset mode like I do cutting hay. I cut in a rectangle with mower to the right so on the second pass I am driving in the cut area. By the time I get done the grass that was mashed under the tires in the first round springs back and by reversing direction the drum rotation pickets it up and cuts. I am also getting used to the timing on the arm so I can come up to a tree and move the mower back and then out without having to slow down much. I did get into a bunch of rocks when I mowed beside my entrance road (set too low) but I was able to touch up the hammers easily with my small angle grinder by putting the mower in the 90 position.

 

[leonz]

Hello Powerscol,

I am so glad that the flail mower has been working well for you.
I am also glad the hay gods have shined on you too.


Leon

 

[zbappel]

We recently purchased the Titan Flail mower with the hammer blades. PROS: Inexpensive, creates a nice finish mowing grass, maneuverable, worked on rocky terrain, no flying rocks. CONS: Mowing is slow. Shipping issues -it came on a 4 ft pallet which was too small for the unit (600 lbs +), they had no way to get it off the truck. The unit came in a metal cage, but the cage was bent by the UPS shippers. Biggest issue is in the design. The zerts for greasing the roller bar are ON THE BOTTOM. Because of how they project down, they are easy to shear off. And they were sheared off when we received it. So we are still waiting on getting those shipped to us. Also, when putting in the oil, its impossible to see/access the train plug unless you take the unit off the tractor. Titan does try and make things right, so I give them credit for that, but the wait time to access technical support is pretty long.

 

[Al 2]

Do a search on this site for a discussion on these mowers. I think there was a thread with numerous posts.
Al

 

[kthompson]

A few years back I bought flail mower from agri supply for my lawn cutting and was disappointed greatly. Maybe I did some things wrong but fround with the roller on the ground the way I thought it was designed to operate it was hard to make sharp turns without lifting the mower which meant having to allow for that and the "Y" blades did not cut the grass level. It left well a "Y top to the grass. No idea why I would have thought the "Y" blades would cut level other than that was the blades suggested to cut grass. Now I think it would cut grass fine, but not fora lawn. Well at least my wife and I did not.
Did not turn me off of flail mower for I used one on boom mower but not a yard mower for me. Oh what do I think of Agri Supply, they told me try it and if you are not happy with it bring it back. I did and they did refund the full price. Could not have been better.

 

[Z-Michigan]

A few years back I bought flail mower from agri supply for my lawn cutting and was disappointed greatly. Maybe I did some things wrong but fround with the roller on the ground the way I thought it was designed to operate it was hard to make sharp turns without lifting the mower which meant having to allow for that and the "Y" blades did not cut the grass level. It left well a "Y top to the grass. No idea why I would have thought the "Y" blades would cut level other than that was the blades suggested to cut grass. Now I think it would cut grass fine, but not fora lawn. Well at least my wife and I did not.

Sounds like you had a Caroni similar to what I had. Yes, it cuts with a Y top, since I was using mine for weeds and brush this didn't bother me.

As for turning, I found that the side skids would dig in on turns, and I simply adapt my mowing so that either I make gradual turns of 90 degrees or less, or I lift the mower for sharper turns. This has been true with both the Caroni I used to have and the Woodmaxx I have now. The roller is there as part of the containment system for clippings and debris, and is more like the rear housing of a mower than like a tailwheel. I imagine much cheaper tailwheels (probably free-swiveling too) would have been used if they could have been.

 

[Ricn]

The way I understand it, digging in on turns happens because the mower is not set correctly? I too had this issue until someone explained it all. First, the mower must be level when picked up slightly and on a concrete floor. I used a 4ft level for this adjusting the lower link arm and top link arm. Then, the top link is set out beyond vertical just enough so the mowers front on the skids is just up off the ground when mowing. The mower is supposed to mostly ride on the large roller, not on the skids. When doing this adjustment my digging issues were very minimal to none..

Ricn

 

[lostcreekranch]

Maybe Leonz could give us a quick tutorial on proper blade type selection for cutting grass vs. weeds and brush. I’m in the market for a flail and I’m confused on blade types myself.

 

[Al 2]

If anyone has time to learn more about flail mowers, check out this discussion from TBN . 4815 posts and 482 pages. Read on. Lets Talk Flail Mowers http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/118882-lets-talk-flail-mowers-482.html
Al