Flail mower question

[nestorint]

Hello. I contemplating to buy a flail mower, similar to the one attached on photo (chinese made) My tractor has only 20 hp with FEL, so I can't go too big.
Will it helps me to deal with this type of grass (on attached photo) and small trees (1-1.5 inches diam.) ?
Can you share your techniques with dealing with such a bushes?

Thank you

 

[3Lfarms]

That is a bit too tall for a flail. Flails do a good job of basically mulching the grass to small bits, but it takes a lot of power. For grass that tall and thick, I don’t think any flail will handle it well. Not to mention, you would have to drive the tractor over the grass first. Flails do not work worth a darn moving backward.

I have a commercial Italian ditch and bank flail behind a 70 horsepower tractor, and I don’t think it would handle the grass in that picture without stalling the engine of the tractor.

 

[Molalla1]

That is a bit too tall for a flail. Flails do a good job of basically mulching the grass to small bits, but it takes a lot of power. For grass that tall and thick, I don’t think any flail will handle it well. Not to mention, you would have to drive the tractor over the grass first. Flails do not work worth a darn moving backward.

I have a commercial Italian ditch and bank flail behind a 70 horsepower tractor, and I don’t think it would handle the grass in that picture without stalling the engine of the tractor.

:thumbsup: . . . I agree that is some tall and thick vegetation . . . no way 20hp is going to cut it.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I never had much luck with Tall LUSH vegetation using any variety of flails. I would wait for the vegetation to dry out, and cut it in the fall.

 

[Molalla1]

I never had much luck with Tall LUSH vegetation using any variety of flails. I would wait for the vegetation to dry out, and cut it in the fall.

Did you notice their location . . .

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have one location on the property, going around a pond, that does look much like that. I used to have a friend with a walk behind sickle mower cut it first. Now, I find, my Cushman ten foot wing mower will go through it after all. Sometimes you have to go back and forth, but seldom.

 

[Molalla1]

Taiwan . . . is what I was getting at . . . not too much "fall" happening. Vegetation keeps growing, add to that there is a very humid rainy season.

 

[nestorint]

Taiwan . . . is what I was getting at . . . not too much "fall" happening. Vegetation keeps growing, add to that there is a very humid rainy season.

Correct. it's never dries out and I am at 600 m elevation, so often clouds have their gathering up there, fog, and drizzle rain especially in the winter.
What would you recommend to deal with such grass?
So far I will be using FEL to dug it out and push it to the side

 

[DieselBound]

Bush hog, rotary cutter. I've got a Kubota B7800 that I first used to tame some Reed Canary grass, grass that I'd measured stalks at 10 1/5' (yes, TEN and a Half FEET). Very slow going, but one can get the job done if patient. Once somewhat under control one can then use other cutters to maintain: I still rely on my rotary cutters (5' and 6') to do my mowing as I continue to do brush clearing work- one day hope to switch to using flails (for at least one of my tractors). A 4' cutter is about all you're going to be able to run on that tractor; back in to the grass/brush (if only grass then one can go forward over it: no potential harm to tractor).

 

[Molalla1]

Correct. it's never dries out and I am at 600 m elevation, so often clouds have their gathering up there, fog, and drizzle rain especially in the winter.
What would you recommend to deal with such grass?
So far I will be using FEL to dug it out and push it to the side

It's going to be tough going at first (I spent some time there years ago, more so in SEA, Vietnam) . . . bulldozer at first, if you want to get it cleared fast . . . and then maintaining with your tractor. How many acres are we talking about? You're in the highlands then . . . things grow like some kind of aliens there . . .

 

[Molalla1]

Bush hog, rotary cutter. I've got a Kubota B7800 that I first used to tame some Reed Canary grass, grass that I'd measured stalks at 10 1/5' (yes, TEN and a Half FEET). Very slow going, but one can get the job done if patient. Once somewhat under control one can then use other cutters to maintain: I still rely on my rotary cutters (5' and 6') to do my mowing as I continue to do brush clearing work- one day hope to switch to using flails (for at least one of my tractors). A 4' cutter is about all you're going to be able to run on that tractor; back in to the grass/brush (if only grass then one can go forward over it: no potential harm to tractor).

DieselBound, you would have to see it personally, the vegetation there is not anything like that grows in the US. The area is a growing machine, year round.

 

[nestorint]

It's going to be tough going at first (I spent some time there years ago, more so in SEA, Vietnam) . . . bulldozer at first, if you want to get it cleared fast . . . and then maintaining with your tractor. How many acres are we talking about? You're in the highlands then . . . things grow like some kind of aliens there . . .

About 2.5 he and only half could be used into flat space or some tractor accessible terraces (our land half hill, half top of the hill) To cut this grass with trimmer I use circular saw type blade.
At first I was pissed off at local farmers who use chemicals to kill weeds , but than I realized by my-self there is never enough manpower to maintain sides of the roads to fight off this green monsters.
But it's trade off. Have a view and fresh air and also temperature up there 4-6 degrees celsius lower than down below on flatland toward ocean.
Bulldozing will be fastest and easiest way. But,,,, who wants to be easier?? :laughing:

 

[Molalla1]

About 2.5 he and only half could be used into flat space or some tractor accessible terraces (our land half hill, half top of the hill) To cut this grass with trimmer I use circular saw type blade.
At first I was pissed off at local farmers who use chemicals to kill weeds , but than I realized by my-self there is never enough manpower to maintain sides of the roads to fight off this green monsters.
But it's trade off. Have a view and fresh air and also temperature up there 4-6 degrees celsius lower than down below on flatland toward ocean.
Bulldozing will be fastest and easiest way. But,,,, who wants to be easier?? :laughing:

Are you saying hectare/ha? . . . if so, that would be what, around >6 acres, nice looking dirt by the way and view. You can grow anything.

 

[troverman]

The flail mower you pictured looks interesting. Same gearbox as the Titan flail, and same side shaft. Possibly the same roller, but a better location of the roller grease fitting. The housing looks better made than the Titan, and much stronger looking 3-point top link mounts.

Nice view!

 

[hunt4570]

Any chance you could rent a forestry mulcher somewhere for the first time through?? I don't know whats available over in your part of the world.
Oh, and Hello from South Carolina USA!

 

[Recoveryhill]

Virgin Islands here in the NE Caribbean Sea. Guinea Grass is the local demon in the Islands (and elsewhere). When cut and it sees rain, growth rates exceed 3" per day. Leave it alone for a month and it's five feet tall. I run a 37 hp tractor with a 60 rotary cutter which will knock it down no problem. My location is also mountainous so the risks aren't with cutting, the risks are with tumbling off a slope.