What kind of cutter would this be?

[MicroPilot]

I saw some Ohio State Highway Dept. tractors out mowing the other day. Big Ford's I believe, probably 50 or 60 HP. Anyway they are going along with there sickle cutters knocking down the growth alongside the road, then I see one that has what looks like a Tiller on the 3pt, but he is cutting grass with this.

My question is what kind of mower is this?

Would be very nice as it doesn't take up mch room out behind the tractor, and looks like it would have to be very simple machanically.

 

[JayC]

What you saw was probably a flail mower. I'll post a link of the first result I took when I did a search for a flail mower. I'm not sure of all who makes them.

Flail Mower

 

[SnowRidge]

Sounds like a flail mower to me.

 

[MicroPilot]

I believe you guys are right.

Flail Mower

This looks very much like what they had.

How do these work?
Are they any good for cutting brush?
Why in the world are they so expensive?

 

[Taylortractornut]

I have had a few of the flail mowers they work very gooan are simple just the flails tak som time changing and also have alot of benefits to them. You can get fin cut flails for yard/golfcourse cut/ medium for yard and briar/sage bgrass trype cutting and a hevy duty flail for rough work. I have a friend that has one with the rough flails that look like forged backhoe teeth. They take out alot Ive seen him shave 4 inch pines down to ground level. I like them because they dotnt chunk deris out the sides like a rotary mower. I have one I bought for 25 bucks that has a set of bad flails because the owners neighbor borrowed it and thought it was a tiller He tilled a 500 foot drive way It has some sad looking flails. I can get all the prts to fix it for 125 dollars plus Ill have to build the roller on the back.as they warped it on a buried engine block. Most spin countrer clockwise but a few do spin clockwise they throw the stuff under the tractor the ones that spin counter clockwise throw the derbis towards the rear and most of the time it dosnt get past the roller. I know of another 4 footer I can get for 200 bucks with a bagger on the back.

 

[MicroPilot]

$25 and $200? Really?!?! These things list at over $3000!!!

 

[Taylortractornut]

If your interested in the 4 footer I can give you the mans phone number and take a few pics of it. I thought about buying it but it will only fit our 750 Deere and we are about to sell it. The bagger can be dumped from the seat on this model. I think its a Mott/Alamo brand. I just gave one to my neighbor it was an older IHC 7 footer. He wanted it to use an I got tired of folks not wanting to pay 150 dollars for it. He wanted to fix it up then have me sell it but I told him Id give it to him just to see it work. Now it cant be bought. I cant think of the HP require ments of a 4 foot flail mower but it cant be very much.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Aren't these mowers similar to the old mechanical push mowers with the reels? They always did a fine job of cutting the grass smoothly when I was a kid. I've never actually looked at any flail mowers, but that's the impression I got. John

 

[SPIKER]

koityjohn:

no they are not like a reel mower. they more resemble a roto tiller except the blades are a "T" and I think most of them are mounted flexable on the end of a link or chain so if they HIT something the T will bounce back. anso they don't dig up the ground too bad. the ohio dept have them boom mounted for mowing over gardrail & fences and such. that way if they hit a tire or post it does not do too much damage...

not sure if they make ones with ridged mounted cutter s and or if they all have the T shapped cuters or what though as I've never actually used one or seen more than what they use around here for the mowing.

they SPIN pretty fast to keep the T part extended at full out for the hole lap around the drum... now if it hits something on the down /cutting stroke it bounces around a bit but usually does not damage the mower much if at all. the item hit will take a beating though! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I happend to be next to one when they hit a sign post that was about 6" high, whew what a racket. lol

Mark M

 

[MicroPilot]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If your interested in the 4 footer I can give you the mans phone number and take a few pics of it. .... )</font>

Sure, I'm interested.