Flail Mower Using a flail mower to pick up leaves

[MJPetersen]

I did not have a mower for my tractor, but as long as I have a son at home that was not be a big problem. :laughing: However, gathering up the leaves in the fall is a real problem for me. We have a lot of trees; birches, maples, oaks, and others, so raking leaves in the fall has been a task that my kids and I have done for a number of years. The problem is that my kids have grown up and gone off to college, until now only one son remains. I bought a hand blower and that helped, but there were still those huge piles of leaves to loaded into the trailer.

I have been looking at these flail mowers that have a built in hopper, but they are a bit pricey for me. I finally found one that was used and that very little. It is 120 cm (4 feet) wide and uses the shovel blade type of cutter. It is made in Italy and the gear box has a built in overdrive clutch (did not know that before I bought it). I was able to get it for less than one half the price of a new one. I figured that it would collect my leaves for me.

The pictures show my process of blowing the leaves away from the trees and fence line, and then I am able to collect it and dump it into one big pile that I will add to the garden soil. It works and as well as I had hoped. It is pretty heavy for my Yanmar 1510D at 380 kg, but by taking the quick hitch off, which brought the mower about 3.5 inches forward I was able to use it. When the hopper is full it is a bit light on the front, but I can steer with brakes. I am making something to add a bit of weight on the front, but for now, IT WORKS! :cool2:

I do need to add hydraulics so that I can dump the hopper without effort. On my to do list for the winter.

 

[PhysAssist]

Hi Mike,

I never hesitate even a second to click on your posts because I know that I am guaranteed to see a thoughtful application of technology and ingenuity to a problem that needed solving.

Nicely done!

Have a warm and short autumn and winter,
Thomas

 

[MJPetersen]

I wanted to show my pile of leaves that I have gathered. I am not finished, but it is getting close to being done for the season.

Thomas, thank you for the very kind remarks. :ashamed: I have a couple of things that I have made that I need to start a thread on when I get some time.

Mike

 

[leonz]

Greetings and salutations Mike,

I wish to welcome you as the newest
member of the "Flail Mower Nation"

I take it that you have a 4 foot cut Peruzzo flail pick up mower.

I have a factory installed ratchet type wire rope winch on my
4 foot cut Mathews Company Lawn Genie with a pick up basket

You could install one them on the three point hitch mounting frame.
Your mower is a good catch and you will have no issues getting parts for it.

LeonZ

Once you go flail you never go back!
Pronovost or not at all!

 

[MJPetersen]

I wish to welcome you as the newest member of the "Flail Mower Nation"

Thank you very much. I really like the mower overall. There are things that I do not think were done well. ie. brackets for the front support wheels are really sloppy. It is a few things like that which make me think that it is not a peruzzo. What is written on the machine is "Geo FL120" It could be a cheaper knock off or competition for the peruzzo. I do not know. I do not think that parts will be a problem, the flails you can buy on an auction site like Ebay, and the rest is just generic like bearings and seals. The structural parts I can repair of make new pieces, so I am looking at a mower for the long haul. I would like to make the height adjust easy to change. It is not now, having to take out bolts to reposition the roller. I will study how others do this and copy--that is what I do best. Why reinvent the wheel huh?

I considered some sort of cable winch, but in my thinking, to get enough leverage to lift the dump effectively I would have to add some sort of additional bracketry and I do not want to add one ounce to the thing. Besides Hyd add a "cool" factor. I have a need for hydraulics in other places too so it is just one more place that will benefit.

I was introduced to flails here on the forum and have read about them for years, so I am very happy to enter the "Flail Mower Nation."

Mike

 

[PhysAssist]

Hi Mike,

You're entirely welcome, although I was not being kind, just factual. In point of fact your thread on making your RO Boxblade strongly influenced me to purchase our Gannon Earthcavator (along with other consoderations).

I am looking forward to seeing your new builds when you get them posted.

Great googly moogly, that's a big pile of leaves!

I am also working on plans for a "home-built" implement, most likely a land plane/grader, to supplement the ro-bb's work on driveway maintanence.

Thanks,
Thomas

 

[gertjand]

Old topic but at the verge of buying a GEO 160 or Peruzzo Koala 1600. Need it for mowing, cutting (to cleanup mos and weed). Any experience with either one or have an insight on difference in build quality? It's around 2500 euro vs 5000 euro.

Many thx!

 

[leonz]

Old topic but at the verge of buying a GEO 160 or Peruzzo Koala 1600. Need it for mowing, cutting (to cleanup mos and weed). Any experience with either one or have an insight on difference in build quality? It's around 2500 euro vs 5000 euro.

Many thx!

Hello Gertjand,

If you can afford it purchase the Peruzzo Koala.
I have a 35 year old Mathews Company towed motorised Lawn Genie
with the collection basket that holds almost a cubic yard of material when full.
I had my fathers 36" unit before this one.

A little maintenance and they work forever, so no worries there as long as you grease it at every mowing,
we replaced the fistr set of rotor bearings 10 years ago and it still mows like new after new tires,wheels
and engine controls for the original Briggs and Stratton I/C engine with the cast iron piston sleeve.

 

[gertjand]

Hello Gertjand,

If you can afford it purchase the Peruzzo Koala.
I have a 35 year old Mathews Company towed motorised Lawn Genie
with the collection basket that holds almost a cubic yard of material when full.
I had my fathers 36" unit before this one.

A little maintenance and they work forever, so no worries there as long as you grease it at every mowing,
we replaced the fistr set of rotor bearings 10 years ago and it still mows like new after new tires,wheels
and engine controls for the original Briggs and Stratton I/C engine with the cast iron piston sleeve.

Hi Leonz,

Many thx. Let's see if I can stretch the budget. No experience with GEO or Agri anyone? The look the same but differ on tiny things.

Need a flail mower for ditches as well. Thinking about this one: Geo Agric - Products - meta titlo en - Geo Agric agricultural implements - Italy GEO AGL but it needs 30-50 hp and I have 26 on my JD 2520

 

[leonz]

Hi Leonz,

Many thx. Let's see if I can stretch the budget.
No experience with GEO or Agri anyone? The look the same but differ on tiny things.

Need a flail mower for ditches as well. Thinking about this one: Geo Agric - Products - meta titlo en - Geo Agric agricultural implements - Italy GEO AGL but it needs 30-50 hp and I have 26 on my JD 2520

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Hello gertland,

The tractor ratings are based on total PTO horsepower.
In our case on this side of the pond we have many rear mounted snow
casters on small mules. The (mule)tractor owners simply have to take a slower
forward speed in the first full width bite of the white stuff or take half cuts and
move at normal speeds after the first pass.

You can contact the Italian Farm Machinery Manufacturers Association directly
to get more information about the Geo flail mower or find the nearest dealer too.

What is most important is your mules set up as you want loaded tires and wheel weights
on the opposing side to balance the torsional forces created by the mowers being extended
and lowered in a ditch mowing phase.
Adding front weights will also aid in stability due to the mules(tractor) higher center of gravity.

Do not hesistate to shop and examine EVERYTHING as the build quality will be high as long as the
implements are tested by the EU farm equipment safety organization.

All depends on how many times you want to mow and recut the clippings versus picking up an
mowing in one pass or whether you want to dethatch and overseed as well to improve your turf if desired.

I want you to suceed not fail my friend. Owning a mule and the right implements and how much time you
have to do work are a long term commitment.