Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[coolnick73]

I have looked over this MONSTER thread and didn't see where anyone has owned a Woodmaxx flail mower. I'm considering one for use in several roles.

1. As a light to medium duty brush cutter for material up to about 1.5in in diameter but mostly berry brambles.

2. To cut up to 10 acres of clover, alfalfa, buckwheat, wildflowers, and similar plantings a couple of times a year.

3. Cutting tall grass from under-attended areas several times a year.

I think I'll want a machine with hammer knives rather than Y grass blades. I'm not looking to cut super short or get a particularly groomed look, but a rotary cutter leaves windrows that I'd like to avoid. Where I mow there are occasional bowling ball sized rocks and old stumps. The rocks I'll remove as I find them, but I wouldn't want hitting such a rock to cripple the mower. The stumps will either be mostly rotten, or I'll dig them out as needed.

I'm looking at the 77in Woodmaxx with side shift, but would consider other machines... will such a flail do all that I'm asking of it? Does anyone here have a Woodmaxx, or can you recommend another unit for less than $4000.

Thanks in advance for your help!

I was seriously considering a Woodmaxx FM-78H when I was in the market. It has the rear door which makes maintenance easier and it has the hydraulic side shift.

I ended up going with a used Maschio Brava which is quite similar in design as the Woodmaxx. My Maschio is a bit smaller, doesn't have hydraulics, and has used blades. It was about the same money as the FM-78H, but I didn't factor in the cost of new blades, bolts, nuts and washers. I kind of regret not going with the Woodmaxx but I was hesitant not seeing one in person. Having just purchased a chipper from WM, I am satisfied with the quality even though it is made in China and the company has good customer service. I think if I could go back I would have went with the Woodmaxx flail.

 

[sidecarist]

Thanks much for the response. I have heard good things about their customer service, as well as the chippers. I know one person with a woodmaxx chipper and they like it. So fat it's been trouble free so support hasn't been needed, but the purchase process went well. I'm a little skeptical of buying sight un seen... it's still in the running.

I'm going to work on the land with my rotary cutter for now. Find the rocks stumps and other obstacles then get the flail this autumn and mow everything going against into a fine mulch that will decompose quicker.

Thanks again and if I buy the woodmaxx I'll post my thoughts about it here.

 

[TerryCC]

Bought my first tractor in September last year with a shredder and a finishing mower but after reading this thread in December I ordered a Caroni 1900 flail mower. On my pastures the brush hog left much of the grass lumped up, but the flail mower does just what this thread says, cuts it almost like a hay mower. I couldn't be more pleased with this purchase. I read this thread completely and purchased the Gates belts and the gearbox adapter. The adapter has different threads than my gearbox and will not work, however it is not needed as my gearbox doesn't leak without it, Caroni must have fixed the problem. I probably have 25 hours cutting with the Caroni without any problems.

Kudos to Island Tractor as I found his posts to be most informative and was able to set the mower up initially correctly. No dragging on turns and a good cutting height.

 

[IslandTractor]

Glad you are happy with your TM1900 Terry. I'll try to remember that Caroni has changed the gearbox vent design so folks won't need the extension adapter anymore.

 

[sodamo]

Last week I somewhat reluctantly became a member of the "Smoked My Belts" club. I knew this task was going to tax my belts:




This area hasn't been mowed in 3+ years and has hundreds of albizia seedlings, which I need to kill. Before I realized there were so many, my plan was to just cut off and poison the stump.
I was able to get mowed up to the fence, down to the big dying albizia on the left.
But late in the day, I just wanted to do a bit more and about 30+ ft past the tree got into stuff about 6 ft tall and really thick. My technique had been to back over, flail raised, forward, repeat a bit lower. Well, I just bit too much. Squealing and smoking, it just wouldn't clear and I was too slow to disengage PTO. I probably should have quit half hour sooner. By the time I got back to the tractor shed it was still smoking, and not a pretty sight once I got the belt cover off. Off the 4 belts, only 1 might be recognized as a belt.

Ordered set of replacement belts from Betstco next day. Unable to determine what to get locally.

Joy at the PO this morning, belts arrived.
Got them installed, adjusted, shot some grease into the zerks and mowed a few hours . Regular mowing, not this project as it has been raining and needs to dry a bit. Really, really prefer tractor mowing to either the Craftsman or Scag. Probably because we really don't have lawn, but acres of mowed pasture.

Need to decipher the various codes on the belts to determine local replacement, maybe even those Kevlar ones Leonz speaks so highly:
Supposed to be metric and fit SPB pulley

CHAOYANG
GB/T1171/06
527 88091407

B 1016 Li
1059 LW

2015--04 (guessing this is manufacture date)

 

[IslandTractor]

Last week I somewhat reluctantly became a member of the "Smoked My Belts" club. I knew this task was going to tax my belts: <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=476658"/> This area hasn't been mowed in 3+ years and has hundreds of albizia seedlings, which I need to kill. Before I realized there were so many, my plan was to just cut off and poison the stump. I was able to get mowed up to the fence, down to the big dying albizia on the left. But late in the day, I just wanted to do a bit more and about 30+ ft past the tree got into stuff about 6 ft tall and really thick. My technique had been to back over, flail raised, forward, repeat a bit lower. Well, I just bit too much. Squealing and smoking, it just wouldn't clear and I was too slow to disengage PTO. I probably should have quit half hour sooner. By the time I got back to the tractor shed it was still smoking, and not a pretty sight once I got the belt cover off. Off the 4 belts, only 1 might be recognized as a belt. Ordered set of replacement belts from Betstco next day. Unable to determine what to get locally. Joy at the PO this morning, belts arrived. Got them installed, adjusted, shot some grease into the zerks and mowed a few hours . Regular mowing, not this project as it has been raining and needs to dry a bit. Really, really prefer tractor mowing to either the Craftsman or Scag. Probably because we really don't have lawn, but acres of mowed pasture. Need to decipher the various codes on the belts to determine local replacement, maybe even those Kevlar ones Leonz speaks so highly: Supposed to be metric and fit SPB pulley CHAOYANG GB/T1171/06 527 88091407 B 1016 Li 1059 LW 2015--04 (guessing this is manufacture date) <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=476661"/>

Measure it precisely. Look at the cross sectional outline. Go to the Gates online catalogue and match it. Your photo isn't clear. And, I forget whether it is internal or external length but I am pretty sure the Gates catalog explains that.

 

[whirly]

Welcome to the Club:thumbsup:

B 1016 Li = 40" inside
1059 LW = 41.6" outside

A B39 belt is 42" outside and cost about $2.90 + freight most places on line that specialize in Vbelts.

 

[Alien]

Kudos to Island Tractor as I found his posts to be most informative and was able to set the mower up initially correctly. No dragging on turns and a good cutting height.

I always lift mine a bit when I turn or the skids will dig in a bit. Much easier on the 3PL too. The finish mine leaves is second to none and the hammers seem to be standing up to the stumps and small trees I have hit.
This is my mower.

 

[IslandTractor]

I always lift mine a bit when I turn or the skids will dig in a bit. Much easier on the 3PL too. The finish mine leaves is second to none and the hammers seem to be standing up to the stumps and small trees I have hit. This is my mower.

Do you have your skids at the highest setting so they are out of the way? The roller protects the rotor when the mower is mounted so I've never found the side skids useful. I store my mower on turf. I suppose if you store it on concrete the skids play a role but to me they are vestigial and pretty much useless.

 

[sodamo]

Not completely useless, IT,
There was that time I caught the one on a root and racked the mower , but other than that a good dig could earn a comment or two from the wife LOL

I think one has to consider the actual topography and width of the mower. I have a few places that together they work against me. If the mower was narrower, the skid closer to ground may dig in, but if I were to adjust my height, I'd leave a high strip. Of course if mowing on the level and this isn't a concern. Living on the side of a mountain I have a built in slope with some interesting variations. For the longest time I fussed with the adjustments, then I actually took the time to watch. Where I might get a dig this time if my track was bit to the side not a problem. As I usually overlap a bit and sometimes alternate directions my track doesn't match mowing to mowing, except my original path next to the fence. So once I have it set up properly I no longer fiddle except for the areas I need to raise the 3pt.

Hope that made sense LOL