Super A sickle mower

jeffgreef · Feb 28, 2016

Hello again gents-

Thanks for all your Farmall wisdom as I learn about my new acquisition. It's a 1950 SA with a belly blade and a sickle mower.

I think I'm leaning toward selling the sickle mower to finance some other implements. I'm in a forest on a hillside and a sickle mower will never be useful. At first I thought I'd keep it because it's unique and would be of interest at the county fair, but realistically I just don't need it and I do want other things.

Just ordered the 2 point rocker bar for the back from a salvage yard. And a 3 pt conversion kit, so I'll have a cat 1 3 pt. on hydraulic. Mostly what I want to do with the unit is work on our 1/2 mile gravel road that needs attention. So I figured I'd get a box scraper and a grading scraper for the rear. I was going to use the belly blade for grading, now I'm thinking I'll mount it up front for snow and grade the road with the box to rough move gravel and the grading scraper to finish grade.

Sound like a plan?

Course that's all gonna cost a bit so perhaps I should sell the sickle. What's a fair price to ask for a complete and operating 16-A sickle mower? One salvage yard has a similar one for over $2000!! I paid $1500 for the tractor with sickle and belly blade! But I want to do what's fair- so what do you think- $1000 too much? There are very few for sale on the web, those that are mostly need parts and/or repair.

Thanks again for your wisdom and experience.

flusher · Feb 28, 2016

I bought a 1951 Super A with mid mounted sicklebar, a rear scraper and 3pt hitch for $1300 about 9 years ago.

I used to collect old tractors with bull gear rear axles.

The sicklebar came detached from the tractor. Never got around to rebuilding the mower. Sold the tractor last year for $1200.

Even if your sicklebar is in mint condition, I don't see any way someone would pay $1K for a 60-year old mower. Maybe a few hundred bucks if the right buyer shows up.

Good luck

jeffgreef · Feb 28, 2016

Ah well, wishful thinking. I was hoping the sickle would buy a new grader blade, but perhaps not.

I did a search on Google, looks in general like sickle mowers are one of the least desireable attachments for these tractors, whereas a complete blade assembly seems harder to find and more pricey.

About 3/4 of the way down on the following page for a farm equipment seller in Delaware is a Farmall A sickle for $200, right next to a blade for $750.

W.C. Littleton - Used Farm Equipment

I don't think I'll be trading my sickle for a new grader blade.

Creamer · Feb 28, 2016

Not quite sure what your property looks like but I love my sickle bar mower for keeping the tree rows trimmed back. I probably do not put an hour on it per year but it saves me many hours of work reaching under the trees and cutting off saplings, reaching into the pond and cutting off the grass that grows up around the edge, up at an angle cutting back shrubs that grow wild along my driveway. I know last year it saved me 20 hours of hard manual labor. I would keep it even if you only use it very little.

jeffgreef · Feb 28, 2016

Thanks Creamer, but I wouldn't use it at all. There are no weeds in the dry yellow pine forest at 4000 feet in California. I'll put it on craigslist eventually just so I don't have to store it. Too bad, it's a cool gadget. I have too many gadgets, if you know what I mean.

powerscol · Feb 28, 2016

Does the sickle mower work? If so they are worth a bit more, but not much - maybe $500 on a good day. Check around for a antique tractor club. If you get the hankering to rebuilt it, Webb's sickle service carries parts.

jeffgreef · Feb 28, 2016

Thanks powerscol- yes it's on the tractor and working- was a regular user for 3 acres of pasture until he got a Kubota with a mower deck. I'll contact the Farmall club, and get lots of pictures before I take it off. Maybe it will buy me a used box scraper