Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[powerscol]

Let us know what you finally come up with to satisfactorily slow down the lowering of the cutting head. Mine has the same problem and I have just managed to use a finer hand on the spool valve but a restriction would definitely work better.

After looking at the fitting I may just need to use a finer hand too. Still looking. Fitting is Banjo in one side and a taper O-ring compression on the other. I'm looking for a fitting that has an internal restriction.

 

[powerscol]

NICE! I officially have mower envy. I love my Mott SHD88 but I would love the ability to mow my ditches more easily and mow without running over some of what I need to mow. What is the price range on those?

For mine it was just under 7K including shipping. The SI model is about $500 cheaper. I have been saving up and I needed the tax write off this year - brings the price down in the end.

 

[PRCWI]

For mine it was just under 7K including shipping. The SI model is about $500 cheaper. I have been saving up and I needed the tax write off this year - brings the price down in the end.

Thanks for the info, what's the mowing width on your model?

 

[powerscol]

Thanks for the info, what's the mowing width on your model?

5' - the full information is here Iowa Farm Equipment -- Maschio GIRAFETTA Series Ditch Bank Flail Mower

 

[PRCWI]

5' - the full information is here Iowa Farm Equipment -- Maschio GIRAFETTA Series Ditch Bank Flail Mower

Thanks that's a great unit! enjoy

 

[leonz]

Hello Powerscol,

I ma happy to see your flail mower is ready to work. You can purchase a one way needle valve to control the descent speed of the mower. it slows the rate of travel in lowering it in one direction and and allows the mower to raise with no speed restriction if desired.

It all depends on how much control you want on that end of the mower as you can buy restricotrs that control both rates of travel speed/flows of oil for that specific cylinder.

You will need the two hose fittings (JIC male to pipe thread male) male to male for the needle valve to attach to the cylinder.

It will be faster to order a Parker fitting catalog then get back to me to be sure you order the right fittings for the cylinder-of course if your salesman at Iowa farm equipment has them in stock that easier too.

 

[Milo]

I would appreciate your advice especially considering I've never used a flail mower. In the near future I plan on purchasing a slightly more powerful tractor with some upgraded features, likely Kubota B2601 or B2650, both about 26hp (19.5hp pto). The plan all along was to include a 60" mmm but I'm wondering if a 60" flail could do everything I currently do with my 54"mmm, and maybe more?

Here's what I now cut; the yard area around the house at 3.5", another area a bit rougher at 4", and a small pasture 3-4 times a year with the deck raised all the way so around 6" which is slow going and I have to go over some parts twice to get it down. I like the yard to look pretty decent but I'm by no means obsessed with having a pristine lawn. So all three areas are just grass, weeds, some light brush, no heavy brush.

The "maybe more" would be to use it on our ATV trails maybe twice a year to cut weeds and the occasional small saplings nothing more than 1/2". For this it will need to be run while raised up, again maybe 6", due to the uneven terrain, rock outcroppings, small stumps, etc. This would be be something new because currently I use a heavy duty weed eater on the trails and along the edge of our dirt/gravel road.

After reading through this thread it seems a flail such as a Peruzzi Fox S-1600 Iowa Farm Equipment -- Peruzzo Fox S Side Shift Series Flail Mowers could accomplish all my requirements and it's not all that much more than buying the 60" mmm. Any thoughts regarding a Fox S-1600 (or any other flail) for my application?

 

[leonz]

I would appreciate your advice especially considering I've never used a flail mower. In the near future I plan on purchasing a slightly more powerful tractor with some upgraded features, likely Kubota B2601 or B2650, both about 26hp (19.5hp pto). The plan all along was to include a 60" mmm but I'm wondering if a 60" flail could do everything I currently do with my 54"mmm, and maybe more?

Here's what I now cut; the yard area around the house at 3.5", another area a bit rougher at 4", and a small pasture 3-4 times a year with the deck raised all the way so around 6" which is slow going and I have to go over some parts twice to get it down. I like the yard to look pretty decent but I'm by no means obsessed with having a pristine lawn. So all three areas are just grass, weeds, some light brush, no heavy brush.

The "maybe more" would be to use it on our ATV trails maybe twice a year to cut weeds and the occasional small saplings nothing more than 1/2". For this it will need to be run while raised up, again maybe 6", due to the uneven terrain, rock outcroppings, small stumps, etc. This would be be something new because currently I use a heavy duty weed eater on the trails and along the edge of our dirt/gravel road.

After reading through this thread it seems a flail such as a Peruzzi Fox S-1600 Iowa Farm Equipment -- Peruzzo Fox S Side Shift Series Flail Mowers could accomplish all my requirements and it's not all that much more than buying the 60" mmm. Any thoughts regarding a Fox S-1600 (or any other flail) for my application?

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Did you read the entire thread????, do that first please.

"Do not expect a flail mower to do what you are doing now" as they have to be close to the
ground -3 inches to mow well as they need to create a pressure gradient to mow effectively
and make use of the ground effects "air current" created by the flail mower knives rotating
and creating the HG pressure gradient while mowing.
the brush.


Once you get it knocked down to two inches you will not want it to grow higher anyway.

Please read the entire thread then decide how much money you want to spend and then
shop for a flail mower. You can purchase a Caroni flail mower with the side shift option as well.

 

[whirly]

During the rainy season, which is 12 month out of the year here on the Big Island, my pastures get over run with wandering jew which is so thick it's tough to walk through. If I try to mow with the roller on the ground, the cuttings pile up in front and will completely stop the mower/smoke a belt. So, with all due respect to leonz, I run my old Mott 72 with the roller about 4" off the ground for a first pass which puts the knives @ 6" and it works quite well. I have both y-knife and hammer flails and IMHO the y-knives work best for dense/wet foliage. :2cents: YMMV.

 

[Milo]

leonz I believe I've read most every post in this thread over a months time which is what got me interested in the first place but I'm sure I must have missed a few. I gathered from reading that they work best, with best lift, when close to the ground but my question was if they can mow a lawn adequately at 3.5", and field and trail at 6"?

whirly rough mows at 6 which answers that question but it sounds like mowing grass at 3.5" may not work well.