Flail Mower Flail mower as runway cutter???

jimgerken · May 13, 2008

I posted this question in the big flail thread, but its so long and maybe this is off track, so I am asking as a seperate thread...All you guys familiar with flail mower capability, let me ask you a couple questions. I have a grass runway of two acres to mow. Its all flat (no hills), and is like a really tough lawn. It is somewhat thick and sort of growing in clumps. I need it mown to about 3 inches tall, but don't want to mow it every week to keep it that way. In the past, mowing with a lawn tractor, if I didnt get over there every week, or less, it would overgrow and cause me a lot of stress on the tractor trying to get it hacked back down. So, there are no tree saplings, or tall brush, just thick probably overgrown turf, sometimes 8 inches tall and I want it mown to 3 inches. I have 22 pto hp.
For this job, I have been considering buying a RFM. Does this sound like a good job for a FLAIL MOWER instead? Can I run the 59 inch Caroni with my 22hp, in these conditions? Thanks!

highplanesdrifter · May 13, 2008

Hi

Two acres. You probably have something like 80 feet X 1000 feet then? Ultralights and the like?

You're up in Minnesota ... drought is probably rare; can you irrigate?

When it's wet and sunny, your grass probably wants cutting twice+ a week to prevent nose-over upsets and to allow reasonable takeoff lengths ...

We seeded a runway for a gliderport in a bent grass mixture (golf green varietals) in the Toronto area ... there are golf course herbicides that will keep all other grasses out of bent grass, especially if you kill everything first ... the stuff won't grow over an inch high, and is quite cushiony ... it can however be killed off by prolonged drought ... (if you golf, the 300 meter strip can double as a driving range, and no ball will be dangerously overlooked among the tufts) ...

Just a thought ... prior to that we had used a big 3 deck hydraulic mower with lift wings for large swaths ... lots of work on what was probably 12-15 acres ...

Sorry, I know nothing about flailing except when I golf!

John

jimgerken · May 13, 2008

Well you may not know flails, but all your other guesses are pretty good. Yup, its a strip about 85 x 1000. Ultra-like, very light stuff, experimental category, tailwheels only 3 inch diameter, so yup, the grass has to stay low. And, yes, when conditions are right, it grows way too fast. That's why its a pain. By the time I get around to mowing it, sometimes I can't get there everyweek, it's a battle. That's why I am hoping one of these flail experts will join in and tell me something like "its the perfect application for flail".

Nuru · May 13, 2008

Does not sound like you will get out of mowing it weekly, that is the growth pattern of the grass. The flail will be stronger than your current mower apprently and that is what you want. Some of the guys were tossing around a number like 5 hp per foot of flail mower, but i do not know how accurate that is.

texbaylea · May 13, 2008

Nuru said:
Does not sound like you will get out of mowing it weekly, that is the growth pattern of the grass. The flail will be stronger than your current mower apprently and that is what you want. Some of the guys were tossing around a number like 5 hp per foot of flail mower, but i do not know how accurate that is.

I think that this 5hp per foot is reasonable for a rotary shredder or RFM but I have no problem using a 75" flail behind my L3130HST. In fact it not much of a load on the tractor at all unless I am cutting brush then I slow down. My property is not smooth enough to mow at much more than 2 mph so I rarely have to slow down much.

Vernon

jimgerken · May 14, 2008

How much PTO HP is a L3130HST ?

have_blue · May 14, 2008

Agree with HPD this sounds more like a grass problem than an equipment problem. The grass seriously needs to be kept less than the axle height, or it will wrap at speed, and the wheels will drag very badly. It's a major headache, but killing 100% and planting a slow, low growing grass such as bent will pay big dividends in mowing.

Reg · May 14, 2008

I'm generally "not into chemical solutions" (pun), but somewhere I saw a product advertised that slows the growth of grasses and ground cover.
With a general interest in tractors, large machinery, and many other things - it is possible/likely that I saw it at an exhibition for municipal equipment/supplies.
Road-side mowing is SO labor and fuel intensive that they just about have to slow the growth and even in New England road salt doesn't kill off enough of it.