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Trying to find a flail mower

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Kendews
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 48 New England
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2011-06-05          178863

I'd like to buy a new 5 foot flail mower for my Kubota B26, but can't find anyone in New England who actually has one to sell me. Does anyone know of a dealer, preferably in MA or NH that stocks them? I'd really rather see the unit before I spend the thousands it will cost. Thanks!

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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2011-06-06          178867

Google "flail mower." ....

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greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2011-06-06          178871

I'm told that Tractor Supply has started carrying Caroni flails (Italian). Try
GORHAM TSC #1305
491 MAIN ST STE 8
GORHAM NH 03581
(603) 752-5300

AgriSupply sells them too, but they have no storefront presence in the Northeast. They claim "freight included in price", but it's reasonable to assume that they've already padded that into the selling price.

//greg//

//greg// ....

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Kendews
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 48 New England
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2011-06-06          178872

Yeah, I've tried TSC. The Gorham store had never heard of a"flail mower". None of the TSC stores seem to carry them or even know what they are. It appears that flail mowers are an exotic item not stocked by any dealer aroun these parts. ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2011-06-06          178878

I had a 6' flail and used it once--then sold it. It was totally impractical for being used for anything but straight runs; the rear guage roller drags itself in turns making a mess at every turn. PLUS they're 3 to 4 times the cost of a blade mower AND use 30% more power to use. But -I'm jis' sayin'. ....

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greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2011-06-06          178881

Sorry EW, but I have formed a completely opposite impression of flail mowers. Well built and well maintained ones that is. I got a used 74" Ford 917H at an equipment auction a few years back. I think they originally sold new for somewhere in the neighborhood of $5K-6K. I paid $150, then put $350 in into it for blades/hangars/belts/etc. I was so impressed with the subsequent performance - that I sold two rotary cutters (a 5' and a 6') and an 84" finish mower. Zero turf damage by the roller too. And when I downsized from my 45hp PTO hp KAMA to my 35 PTO hp John Deere, I also found that the flail actually takes less horsepower to do the same work as did the rotary cutters and finish mower it replaced.

//greg//

....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2011-06-06          178882

Greg is correct, the shipping is built into the price with AgriSupply. Price them in store and easy to see it.

They are suppose to be very propular in the vineyards. I agree with Jeff on some things. THe rear roller does make turning without picking it up a pain. I also tried one once and took it back. Hey AgriSupply has a good policy there or did. Now, I really like them on booms, lighter than rotary cutters. On some you can also change the cutters or hammers as some are called and move between lawn cut to brush cut. Not a simple job nor cheap. The one thing they are much better at over rotary cutter is to me they are safer. They don't throw "stuff" near the same as a rotary cutter. Have seen a tire run over on side of road and it almost did not move as the cutter went over it. Rotary cutter, would have hated to be behind it as I was. They also normally leave it more like mulch than a rotary cutter does. ....

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Kendews
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 48 New England
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2011-06-06          178885

I had a Woods Rotary cutter (brush hog) and was never satisfied with the cut. Even with new sharp blades there was always a lot of uncut grass left behind. The impression I've gotten from reading postings here is that a Flail Mower might work better for me. Ah, but to find one... ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2011-06-06          178892

If by uncut grass you mean strips of grass not cut as short as the rest, it's because both the front & rear tractor tires have to drive over it before the cutter gets to it.

Best of luck. ....

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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2011-06-07          178893

If you might hit a rock or stump, a flail is less likely to be damaged than a blade, and if it is, I'd guess it would be cheaper to replace. But I don't think I'd enjoy sharpening them all. ....

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greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2011-06-07          178894

Quote:
Originally Posted by auerbach | view 178893
But I don't think I'd enjoy sharpening them all.
Naw, piece of cake. I've got 66 T-type knives on mine, 132 edges in all, and I can put a clean edge on them all on the machine in 15 minutes (3 rows of 22 double knives). All it takes is an emery stone on my Craftsman rotary tool [p]http://s.shld.net/is/image/Sears/00961139000?hei=400&wid=400&op_sharpen=1&qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0[/p]

//greg//" src="https://s.shld.net/is/image/Sears/00961139000?hei=400&wid=400&op_sharpen=1&qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0" >

//greg// ....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2011-06-08          178910

kendews, if you were using a rough cut mower which is what most people mean when they use the term "bush hog" it is not meant to cut grass like a finishing mower. Woods does make both, rough cut and finish mower. One thing I seen some do with especially finish mower is they don't get the emgine RPMS where they need to be. They are designed for full 540 rpms or the tip speed is too slow to cut as need be. ....

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Kendews
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 48 New England
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2011-06-08          178912

I always mow at full engine speed but I was never satisfied with the quality of the cut with the rough cut mower. It seemed to want to knock down but not cut the tough tall grass - the wheels just made the problem worse. I have a Deere finish mower that I use on rock and brush free athletic fields. In any event, I've ordered a flail mower from Liberty in Arizona. I was going to get a Caroni, but could only order the one equiped for finer cutting. The Liberty comes with heavier cutters.
Anyone had any experience with Liberty Flail Mowers?, (now that I'm committed) ....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2011-06-10          178933

Have no knowledge of the Liberty brand or label. Per two different people who (one with Agri Supply) and one who had a business of mostly boom flail mowers; most if not all flail mowers were made in Italay. That was when I was doing careful shopping about 4 to 6 years ago. They also said there was not that many manufactors of them, just labeling of them. Still would not be surprise since then to be changes there. ....

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Kendews
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 48 New England
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2011-06-26          179178

Well I got my Liberty flail mower a week ago and have had quite an experience.
When I ordered the mower I was told it was built in Mesa Arizona. I said I thought I might need replacement cutters and was immediately offered a free second set of 20. So far so good.
The mower arrived on time, but upon inspection I found it was only partially assembled, was missing the PTO shaft, the set of spare blades and any type of instruction manual. I called the company and they apologized and said they would send me the missing shaft immediately and that I could download the manual. They insisted that I would never need to replace the blades,but agreed to send along 4 anyway.
I downloaded the manual but found it to be written in "pigeon" English. It was confusing, with nutty grammar, made up words etc, and lacking any assembly instructions. I was able to figure out the assembly for the most part although quite a few bolts were missing and the PTO guard was mis-drilled. The lack of assembly wasn't just to make the unit fit in a smaller crate, mostly it was just to save time and pass on labor to the consumer - me.
I called the company again to ask why a US built machine had a manual clearly written in China. They said they owned a factory in China but did assembly and inspection here in the states - in other words, it is a Chinese machine. I invite you to go to their web site and see if you don't find it more than a bit deceptive.
The PTO shaft arrived after another week along with the 4 blades. Unfortunately the shaft is frozen and will not telescope at all. Its going back. I put a spare shaft on the machine and took it out to do some work. Before I started I checked to make sure the Gear oil was topped up. Good thing I did, It was completely empty. Apparently assembly and inspection did not include assembly or addition of lubricant.
After everything, I have to say that the mower works extremely well. I cut about 5 acres of very overgrown pasture that my Woods rotary cutter would not have been able to touch. I cut right through hood-height grass, brush and thorns and left a three inch deep carpet of debris. Eventually I encountered a hidden lump of New England granite and that ended my day. Before I could hoist the mower out of the way I had shattered two cutters and badly damaged another three. So now I can put the four replacements on and wish they had sent me what they originally promised. ....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2011-06-27          179194

Sorry for the experience. Did you pay with a credit or debit card? If so you may have easy recourse if you desire a refund.

If you rather keep it as you have found it you may prove to be good or not. I would wonder about any warranty based upon your limited experience. As to the replacement cutters, never need replacement makes me think they either have no expeirence selling them or expect them to be used very little. Hey we don't have rocks but stuff happens. You probably can find another brand of mower that uses cutters that will work fine on your machine.

As to what you thought of the job it does, I agree. Very much like the result of a flail cutter. ....

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