Flail vs rotary

[LD1]

Maybe he has really big pinkeys:laughing:

 

[4570Man]

I have seen a forestry flail take out trees as large as 8", but it is probably cheaper&faster to use a chainsaw. Comparing for forestry flails to a regular flail mower is like comparing a 22 rifle to the deck gun on a ship. I would way rather have a flail mower for my mowing choirs even a light duty one. I use a finish mower for most of my mowing, but it is hard on it. The stuff I have to use a rotary cutter for gets mowed once yearly, and doesn't have saplings bigger than 3/4 of an inch.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have both flail and rotary. I use them for different purposes and am glad I have both. Primary reason for the flail is that it is WAY safer when used around people or dwellings. Almost zero risk of throwing a serious chunk of wood or rock at high speed. Secondary reason for the flail is that the cut is significantly better than a bush hog type rotary cutter especially in high grass (not better than a finish rotary cutter). Third reason is that it is physically smaller so easier to store and maneuver. Advantages for the rotary are that ultimately it is tougher (I have a medium duty Woods BrushBull 600 that I am more confident backing into unexplored territory than I am with my medium duty Caroni TM1900 flail). I use the BrushBull for initial clearing of heavy brush and sometimes just in unknown fields where lots of debris is expected. I'll use the BrushBull on 2" material and the flail on 1" regularly. That said, I've hit cut firewood and metal scrap with the flail without damage. I do lose flail blades with solid hits on rocks frequently so I end up replacing a knife set (two Y blades plus clevis and bolt) every so often. I have broken a blade on the bush hog too (big rock) but there is little doubt that the bush hog is the tougher of the two. The other big advantage of the rotary bush hog is that there is virtually no maintenance required while the flail requires regular greasing and occasional belt and blade replacements.

 

[RobertN]

I could not find a new stump jumper. Took mine to a welding shop and had it repaired. Used it a couple days ago; worked well. The main arm that the blades bolt to was fine; it was just the pan that makes up the stump jumper that was messed up. Got it welded, and put a new set of blades on. Should get a few more years out of it.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I think the welding job hit the spot - $2,000 saved! Ka-ching!
:thumbsup: