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 | greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky 
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2010-03-15 169240
Just got what might turn out to be a great deal on a Jacobsen model 78132 flail mower; rear 3-point lift, PTO drive, fixed offset, 74" cut. $150 at the monthly equipment auction over in Sikeston (MO). It's old enough so there's no Jacobsen parts support any more, but so far that's not been a problem. It was missing the PTO shaft and drive belts, and the knives are probably well past sharpening. I got new belts, new lift pins and bushings, fixed the idler, replaced some missing washers and grease zerks. And it's all lubed up and ready to be subjected to the spin test. Ordered a new PTO shaft from Agri-Supply on Saturday. So far the investment is small. The goal is to spin it up at speed to see if all the rotating parts are still true, and that the big bearings are still good. If it passes that test, I'll invest in a whole new set of knives (66 of them) and go from there. If all goes as hoped, I anticipate being able to then sell both my 84" finish mower and 72" rotary cutter.
I'm posting this on the off chance that there's any Jacobsen flail mower owners among the membership. Thought it might be nice to compare notes.
//greg//
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 | auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2168 West of Toronto 
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2010-03-15 169241
Just curious on the difference between a rotary cutter and a finish mower. ....
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| greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2010-03-15 169245
Well, I'm not sure what this has to do with the flail mower topic. But a finish mower has fixed blades, and is designed to leave an esthetically pleasing result. The majority of light and medium duty finish mowers do lawn and landscape work. Mine is heavy duty enough to do pasture work. Rotary cutters on the other hand, use hinged blades that exert brute force against heavy resistance. They do the heavy/thick/tall stuff (generally up to about 3" diameter stuff) that finish mowers can't handle.
Flail mowers fall in between. Depending upon which knives they're equipped with, they're capable of a range between finish mowing and brush cutting (generally up to about 3/4" diameter stuff).
//greg// ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2010-03-15 169249
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Are you sure? That model number still shows up in my online parts look up.
BTW, Jacobsen didn't make them, they were private labeled for them, everything you will need is still available.
If you get stuck for knives let me know, I can give you a few sources and cross-references to other compatible ones.
Best of luck. ....
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 | earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2010-03-15 169252
Greg, I did the same thing you are two years ago: found a 72" flail for $100. Installed new belt, PTO shaft and bearings. Ran and cut great---until I went to turn. The roller made torpedo-like gouges everytime I turned (6 acres of rolling berms, ditches, trees and landscaping and two ponds to deal with). So I invested another couple hundred bucks making a carriage like a towable finish mower, only it was still 3-pt (got rid of the roller). Made 4 casters from an airport luggage carts from 1/2" plate and 1" grade bolts as the pivots. First time I used it I backed up like I normally would with the finish mower and bent the two rear casters --1/2" plate (design flaw perhaps). But I gave up on it and sold it for $150.
For the record not all flail mowers are "universal"---ones meant for cutting grass have blades made for it while those for cutting brush have flail hammers or choppers and not necessarily blades, per se. The nice thing about flail grass mowers is they are forgiving when the encounter an object like a stump, rock or other things that would destroy a rotary blade. ....
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| greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2010-03-15 169253
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Soon as the PTO shaft arrives, I'll have everything I need to do the test firing. At that point, I'll be able to decide whether or not to invest in a new set of knives.
//greg// ....
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| greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2010-03-15 169255
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But the point I was trying to make is that - in terms of ruggedness - flails fall between finish and rotary.
The Jacobsen parts manual shows only my model 78132 was only supplied with grass knives. Must be considered a turf machine, so is probably closer to the finish end of the scale. I'm not selling my FM or RC unless/until this flail proves itself out in the pasture.
//greg// ....
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 | kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2010-03-15 169256
Greg very much know you are very knowledge but still wanted to point out a flail mower is really rotating at a very high rpm when run at recommend pto rpm. Sure would want to be sure the bolts and cutters on it were secure before any real run.
The point EW made sure came home for me. I solved the need on tractor with lift but ended up deciding would stick with rfm. It was mainly due to the type of blades available for the mower I was considering. Have used flail mower on boom a good bit for ditches and tree limbs and like it. If all proves well great price. ....
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| greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2010-03-15 169257
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//greg// ....
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| greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2010-03-16 169277
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EW - the Ford 917 parts list shows a selection of three different knife types
//greg// ....
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 | hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2010-03-16 169279
Someone said half way between a finish and a rotary. I don't remember if it was the school or the town that had a flail several years ago. On tghe flatest parts, it did an excelent job but in the rougher parts it scalped pretty bad. I don't remember what brand or how the rollers, etc. were set up. Frank. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2010-03-16 169280
For years if you wanted a really superb cut you only really had 2 choices, reel of flail.
Both are spendy when it comes to maintenance, but the reel is a bunch more to sharpen, which is required on a regular basis, even if you don't hit anything.
The big problem with a flail mower from our point of view is it's slow compared to other cutters.
It is however much safer for by-standers or vehicles if you hit something. The much lighter flail knives or hammers don't have the mass behind them to turn a piece of debris into a projectile.
We still have a bunch of them because certain government type contracts specify the work must be done using a flail-type mower.
Best of luck. ....
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| greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2010-04-06 169785
Update. Set up flail with 33 new sets of coarse cut knives/hangars/brackets/carriage bolts/lock nuts. FlailMaster is a great outfit to work with. Didn't feel $35 for a banded drive belt was justified though. A pair of conventional V-belts work just fine. One skid was floppy loose, didn't want to tear it off the sheet metal base. Closed the old bolt holes, fashioned new ones, reattached both skids securely with new carriage bolts/lock nuts. Did both sides to match.
After a satisfactory trial spin up, I took her out on the road frontage for the test of fire. Couldn't have been more pleased. Highway department here ain't so diligent about maintaining their secondary right of ways, so I've grown accustomed to doing their job for them. Cut maybe a foot of coarse old season grass and thatch. Machine was nice and quiet, no vibration, no scary noises - even shredded the discarded plastic soda bottles and fast food detritus. I mean shredded well enough, you can't even see the residue. I had to always walk the road frontage with a garbage bag to clean up before using the rotary cutter. Now I'm only going to worry about picking up stuff that will hurt my tires, the flail literally eats everything else.
The mower is really for pasture maintenance, but the big spring growth surge hasn't gotten ahead of my livestock yet. But based upon what it did on the road frontage today, I'm confident it will work out just fine. By the time it's painted, the total investment should be right at $500. Makes me feel sorry for whoever ends up spending $2750 +freight on that used 72" John Deere flail mower on eBay.
I'm actually tempted to start shopping for one for my other tractor. Anybody want to buy an 84" finish mower and two rotary cutters?
//greg// ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2010-04-06 169801
Good to hear it Greg!
Just a tip though, if the flail you have has just a tail roller, add on the two caster wheels behind them and leave the roller as an anti-scalp backup.
The two bigger wheels take a lot of the bumpiness out of the operation.
Besides, if you add a hydraulic top-link, you can adjust the height of cut on the fly.
Best of luck. ....
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| greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2010-04-06 169805
Gauge wheels were never a Jacobsen option. But then again it is actually a Ford model 917 flail, albeit with Jacobsen paint and decals. But there's apparently no such thing as getting an entire gauge wheel assembly from them. And to put one together off the Ford parts list, would cost more than the $400 something that I already have in this machine.
Like I said, it's intended as a pasture maintenance machine. I'm not going to lose any sleep over the fact that it doesn't have training wheels. Oh, but I do make extensive use of the HTL on that tractor. Wouldn't be without it.
//greg// ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2010-04-06 169807
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Like I said, it's intended as a pasture maintenance machine. I'm not going to lose any sleep over the fact that it doesn't have training wheels.
//greg//[/QUOTE]
Bah, humbug! Anybody who knows how to hold a hammer can make a set in a few hours for buttons.
All you need is an old light duty trailer axle, the little 600 or 1,000 pounders with 4.80 x 8 tires they use under those Big Box Store cheapie box trailers, snowmobile or jetski trailers work very well.
If you want a picture of how they're done just let me know. They really are nothing but $10 worth of 3/8" plate with a couple of holes in them and a wheel on a swivel.
I've done up a bunch of them over the years, every single time the owner was astounded at how much nicer the mower was to use afterwards.
Best of luck. ....
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| greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2010-04-06 169809
TRULY Murf, I'm NOT INTERESTED in training wheels. Lighten up
//greg// ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2010-04-07 169821
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Sorry if trying to help you prevent damage to your equipment is offensive, it won't happen again. ....
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| kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2010-04-07 169833
I really like flail mowers from what I have used them and seen used on mostly roads here. But don't like the bumping Ole Man Murf is talking about and that would if I understand correctly solve a problem I ran into when flail mower on lawn, the resistance the roller was to turning thus causing the front tires to dig in the turf.
As to speed, think I can cut as fast with a flail mower as I really care to travel...now remember I am one of those slow moving Southerners that drives speedy Jeff crazy. :) ....
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| earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2010-04-07 169836
Kenny I'm speechless. And you are right. ....
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