MOWER COMPETITION - Flail VS. Rotary Cutter VS. Zero Turn

[@farmertyler8087]

As someone who runs flails a lot I have a couple suggestions for you. First off slow down. There’s no rush. Take your time with it. Secondly try the brush knives. When the grass is that thick I always use brush knives and get a much nicer cut. Third use the offset to your advantage. Try round passes around the perimeter of the grass offset into the grass so you don’t push it down with the wheels

[@C_J_81]

I agree with this. I will also say with hammers you can really chew up debris that happens to be on the ground. I wouldn't really worry about a branch. A rock might knock off a hammer from time to time but that is about it.

[@wittsend1961]

How high of a cut can you get with a flail ? I dont like to cut under 6-8 inches

[@christopherstamm893]

What brand and model of flail mowers do you like to use for situations like this? I agree in that I have read a lot from guys experienced with flails saying hammer knives work as good or better on grass, yet can handle some branches and woody material when needed. I have a small, 6 acre field to maintain, similar to what this video shows, where i will let the grass get long between cuttings.

[@Morpheen999]

We had a Mott flail mower years ago that had a large roller on the back of it, man that thing cut nice.. pulled it with a Fordson Super dexta

[@斐济小赵]

Hi, I am a beginner and wanting to know more about flail mower. As you mentioned that brush knives will get a nicer cut, I've tried to google brush knives but I couldn't find it. Could you please explain more about this type of blade?

[@larrymoore6640]

Neil thanks for the comparison. My Mom used to use her Cub Cadet to mow their acreage, liked the finish. Dad got her a Woods Finish mower for their tractor, she did 2 passes and got her Cub out. They had beautiful acreage thanks to Mom and her Cub Cadet.

[@KI4HOK]

You have the whole family involved in this one! Passing that work ethic on to the next generation.

[@DLTJR1959]

Another great video. Three good options that are best suited to your use and needs. I use my zero turn for my lawn. My 10 foot rotary brush hog for open pasture. Don't run a flail. They are not a popular around here. I do see a few at times cutting along the highways on the sides. IMHO that is a very good option for them. I think of flails as a hybrid between a brush hog and finish mower. BTW I used rear mounted finish mowers for over 30 years. One was a 5 foot Land Pride and the other one was a 6 foot Woods. Both were excellent units. I think that in 30 plus years of service all I ever replaced was one drive belt on the Land Pride and several wheels and spindles. Replaced the wheels on the Woods. Both were heavy built and were of excellent quality.

[@idaho_7407]

Would like to see a comparison of flail “Y” grass blades vs. flail “Hammer” blades in this exact same grass you just cut.

[@thebradleysoncatbirdhill6849]

Excellent video! I've never seen comparison of mowing implements like that before anywhere. Well done! 👍

[@cleonmain1291]

Thanks for the video. I think it depends on the application which is the better type of mower. I maintain just under 4 acres of perennial food plots in rocky country planted in a blend of different clovers. And 2.5 miles of green access trails. So the Z turn would be a very poor choice on my land. And I want to leave 8 inches plus of clover and 6 inches of green on my trails while keeping the volunteer trees and weeds controlled. Thats why I have a 6' rotary cutter for my L3200 gear drive tractor. So the correct mower depends on the application.

[@00nutt]

Man I cut many acres of what we call bull grass here in Louisiana. If my rotary cutter left my fields like that I'd return it!!!! Good sharp blades and it does an awesome job.

[@chadzomek2948]

I essentially agree with your final conclusion. However, you would have seen a much better cut quality out of the rotary mower if you had gone around the perimeter blowing the grass away from the uncut grass. Most of your clumping is coming from the machine having to deal with two passes worth of grass. When you are striping a normal length lawn this is not much of an issue. In grass that high you would definitely improve the finished product by going around the outside. For mowing field grass I agree that nothing beats a flail mower. I do think the rotary mower is the best all around mower for rough areas. It deals with the grassy areas ok but really shines when you get into more brushy areas.

[@davidbaker2859]

Exactly right regards the zero turn,throw the cut grass away towards the already mown area.A poor comparison not showing the Hustlers true ability. Yes the Flail is better suited to those conditions, but also handicapped ,too fast..

[@small-timegarden]

Currently I have a 2 wheel walk behind tractor with a flail mower attachment. I have a sickle bar mower attachment as well. I don't have the brush cutter deck attachment. But, I love the benefits of having the flail mower. One thing I have learned about using the flail is that I don't always have to mow the grass to half of an inch off the ground. I can raise the height of my flail mower and make a second pass, to get that manicured finish. I know that my attachments and tractor altogether are relatively very small but if I had any sized tractor bigger than the one that I have… then purchasing an attachment would have to be a major big deal for me because I imagine it's gonna cost quite a bit to purchase either of brush cutter or a flail more attachment. I would keep in mind what I said before especially as it's easier to process/plow the soil after passing with the flail.

[@baronallison941]

You said the rotary only has a "single blade." My rotary cutter has 2 swinging blades (one on either side), but also has holes to mount 2 more blades. Can you revisit with a 4-blade rotary?

[@Karl427]

I would love a follow up video to see the difference when the grass is 4-12”

[@josephparditka4969]

I maintain horse trails with a flail mower and I chop up some pretty heavy branches with it instead of stopping and picking them up. The flail would be my choice for that job.

[@bill45colt]

i cut 7 acres with 130hp john deere and 16ft cutter. Set my blades really low, maybe 3" and open up the rear of cutter so it can throw out and spread cuttings to the rear. Ive found having a tall deck height is best as it allows room for cuttings to flow and less drag on my blades, i think my deck is 10" in height. I find if i really sharpen blades often so you can cut your hand on them it makes all sorts of difference on the finished job and is easier for my tractor to pull I dont get in any hurry either, mainly running at only6 mph so what i cut gets chopped pretty well before i move over it. I sometimes cut a mix of brush, pines, cedar, and maple trees. My loader bucket helps a lot in this as when i mow, i do so with bucket about 6 inches high. That way anything i run over is bent down well such that the cutting blades on a 15 ft tree cuts the trunk while its bent over pretty well. At times i discover hornets nests but cab and air conditioner make that a non event. Thanks for your fun video, we all get to learn from others as we go along,,,,regards

[@hphillips7425]

Good video and comparison. Glad you got the young man out for a good life experience

[@davidulan5975]

Since I picked up my Land Pride FM2160 flail mower, I have not used my finishing mower or rotary mower on my tractor. I can go from finished lawn to 6 foot cattails and willows. The flail is way more resilient than my rotary mower, just take your time and use some finesse and there is not much that you can’t cut.

[@hlcorick]

Slow speed and sharp blades work for me when it's thick an deep. (L2501 and same rotary cutter seen here). Thanks for excellent videos and information!

[@flash1259]

I gave this comment multiple thumbs up only one of them is showing though.

[@stephengmeiner3264]

Great video but I didn’t know “standing sticky stringy things” is an ag term. I guess I learned two things today! Seriously tho, I never knew much about flail mowers but the more I learn, the more I like them.

[@needstacos4892]

This was great. I need a mower for scrubby brush, Oregon grape time stuff on the property I’m picking up Lots of hidden branches on the ground form over time we harvesting and bad management.

[@jh9855]

I own a Delmorino Flail mower. Awesome equipment. Bloody heavy, durable and it does cut grass I have the brush knives and can chew up sticks, etc. I've hit rocks with no damage. Do not recommend but sometimes you cannot see rocks. Once hit an old crankshaft that was on the side of a the lawn, backed off and no damage to mower or tractor. As Farmer Tyler said, slow down! The nice AC cab on the B2650, and the stereo in the cab listening to classical music is a good way to relax while mowing.

[@timziegler9358]

You made good points, for ownership/use, in your video. Thank you

[@daviddewilde8041]

Hello, For the first time I don't agree. I've had less problem because of sticks, molen piles with my Delmorino Y flail mower than with my rotary mower. I've bent lots of blades on simpel mole piles with the rotary mower, but never bent a shaft with the flail mower. I have both machines. (Same italian quality) Our tiny grasland has Trees al around it and in between. I'll take a flail mower rather than the rotary to clean up what the horses don't eat every time. Not only does it handle the sticks ( 2 inches) and mole piles (4 inches high) better, but it spreads the menure much better too. Cheers from Belgium.

[@fibreguy1971]

I quite agree. In UK we use flails as they are way more durable because the flail heads will bounce on object and fold back. He is only using flimsy y blades not hammers

[@stanhensley3082]

Great demo! Thanks!

[@deanives5919]

This was an awesome and informative video. We really appreciate it. At the end of the day, that cab is what makes the difference ! LOL

[@gus473]

Well, at least the air conditioner!

[@swampwhiteoak1]

Great warning about hidden items. On some new land, I walked everywhere hoping that I had found everything. So I attached the brush hog and decided to go slowly looking and listening. I found a few sections of the old clay tile pipe that was used to drain fields - that was the loudest thing I ever mowed. Most folks cannot or will not buy many zero turns, tractors, cutters, and other implements. And sometimes the one machine that they bought is required to do everything. In that case, be cautious and and go easy to take it easy on the machinery. When using a zero turn to cut much more than neglected lawn grass, it is likely headed for a much shorter than usual lifespan. Especially too much heat buildup on the bearings. Two other variables are machinery setup and user skill and experience. On the rotary cutter either the blades are dull, or the user was not running the pto at the proper speed, or the tractor was moving too fast for the conditions, or the cutter was too big for the tractor. The cut result should have been much better. I use a 7 foot brush hog and just mowed an area that had not been cut since last fall. After the first pass there was nothing sticking up and the cuttings were cut acceptably fine. However in one area there was some type of grass that left a few roosters that needed to be cut again - but I am fussy. Whatever you do and however you do it work safely.

[@roflstomps324]

An old clay pipe is preferable to a three foot long half inch piece of rebar in a reverse drive tiller. That thing went right for the right side housing and wrapped itself around almost every bolt on the side of it. It took a good two hours and a grinder to cut it out.

[@boboslickjohn1471]

I bought my tractor 5 years ago with a rotary cutter and a finishing mower. I cut 15 acres that look a lot like the field in this video. I bought a flail mower 6 months after the tractor purchase and have used only the flail mower since the purchase. It can cut up small branches up to 2 inches without any problem or damage, larger limbs I have to pick up, but usually after mowing over them also without any damage. I upgraded to a larger tractor and also purchased a larger flail. My newer flail has a long Y blade and a shorter Y blade on each station. This flail leaves hardly any stems standing and I have a lot of Dallisgrass in the field. As I have the original flail as a spare, I will sell the little used rotary and finishing mowers

[@deaconnyte9748]

What brand and size Flail mower did you purchase? suggestions for a 39 HP tractor?

[@jackstutts2325]

Can you do a video of how to grease all the PTO shaft points like and how to remove the covers to grease it all

[@blessed7fold]

So I want to point some things out that Neil did not specify or make clear. He was using a very light duty flail mower. Flail mowers are built to different grades just like any other mower/piece of equipment. The type of flail mower he was using is the lightest duty you can get which means it requires very little PTO HP but it also means that it doesn't have as many knives attached to the rotor as a heavier duty/commercial grade flail would have which is partly why he did not get a very good cut with it. Most commercial/heavy duty Flail mowers require at least 25-30 PTO HP and yes they will draw down some PTO HP in thick, overgrown grass. However, it is also true that flail mowers are much more HP and fuel efficient then Rotary mowers are. This was a good video but Neil really didn't do his homework when it came to explaining flail mowers. Flail mowers are a very different beast and there is a lot to know and understand about them. However, once you go flail you never go back!

[@MessicksEquip]

you can say the same with rotary cutters as well. there are various duties, the bigger you go the higher the HP requirements for a given size.

[@normandong4479]

Almost any overgrown field would need a couple of passes, regardless of the mower you use. Landscapers who mow large areas typically mow twice or more which helps mulch the grass. Zero turn users usually do not wear shorts and sometimes spray themselves w bug repellent to avoid ticks.

[@prjndigo]

full hoodies and high-vis pants/chainsaw pants with toe-cut socks bundled up on top of the work boots, sprayed top to bottom.

[@halsnyder296]

I snapped a bade in half on my landpride ... wild hog had been rooting and pushed a 120# rock down into my perimeter road. Grass here grows so fast I didn’t see it. Had the bucket set to protect the pan. Went over the rock and the blade caught it square. I think everyone within two miles heard it! Only no cosmetic damage was the blade. I replaced both blades and the pin bolts. I need to find a good way to skim off rocks... every time I mow I keep hitting 5-20 lb rocks... our property is on a decomposing lava flow (Hawaii) and there is no end of rocks coming up!

[@markpontes4457]

What about a sickle bar mower, I think that would have done the best in those conditions?

[@MessicksEquip]

That would have been a good addition

[@seantaray7180]

A sickle mower would do a decent job.. however the residue would take longer to break down... as it is not chopped up...

[@prjndigo]

@@MessicksEquip Wouldn't have had a good outcome, after using a sickle you have to remove the cut crop or you kill the field. As land clearing using a sickle then a flail a day's dry later really clears the burden back down as mulch.

[@JonsDailyHustle]

I was actually wanting to see this type of comparison. There's actually a company that is making blades specific for brush cutting with zero turns now. Like kwavil blades or something like that, is what they are called

[@InLineDiesel6]

Love seeing your family involved.

[@HydrarDraconis]

How does the cut quality differ between the Y flails and the hammers? I would've thought the hammers would make a smoother finish when doing finish type work, but Y flails mulch tall grass better.

[@prjndigo]

Hammers are heavier and more expensive and require a much tougher housing in case one cuts loose, the whole combination takes a LOT more horsepower to do the same job. All flails (blade, hammer, loop) mulch pretty well. The blade flail is far less likely to pick up and carry stem and wire and debris. You can be guaranteed to lift debris/cord/wood with the hammers. The blade flail are superior in any kind of broadleaf cover. But the best flail mower is the front-mounted flail.

[@raulhogland7309]

Ys are the best all around. Spring steel just bounces off rocks. The hammers try to cut too much at a single pass it requires much more horsepower and if you are n dry ground it makes a dust storm that even in an enclosed cab you are not going to be happy. Can’t see and dust on your glass. I only recommend hammers for doing a lot of brush all the time. Not worried about dust no need to go fast. I use them on my ditch bank mower that I can turn upright 90 degrees to open roads closed by overgrown trees. I put it against 3”+ branches and kapow!! It’s the physics of a blade cutting horizontally or perpendicular to large amounts or a full blades worth that encounters so much resistance versus a y blade that does more of a side swipe going in between the grass faster and fewer at a time that does a better job.

[@danielhall4439]

Good video....I'd love to see a video comparing a mid mount mower on a sub compact vs. a zero turn mowing both on speed & cut quality. I know the zero turn will be faster but would love to see by how much

[@NoSQLKnowHow]

I have a B2650 with a flail mower, but with hammers not Ys, and I can take out sticks, small trees, blackberry canes, salal, and grass/weeds. Is why I got the hammers and not the Ys. Small rocks are fine, it handles that, but larger rocks would certainly be a problem.

[@jonburt2695]

What width flail do you run on the 2650. I have a 5' midmount and I'm wondering if I could run a 6' flail.

[@NoSQLKnowHow]

@@jonburt2695 I run a 60 flail mower. You might be able to run a 6', but it'd limit how large of stuff you can mow.

[@digitalguru42]

Nice comparison. Thanks for taking the time. Was that 3 generations working out here?

[@MessicksEquip]

Yes it was

[@Earl_of_Peck]

If you get a chance I would really like to see how hammers in the flail mower will do on lawn grass and over growth....

[@joemonstermaker4784]

I own all three of those. I agree except the flail isn’t as fragile as he says. It grinds sticks into powder. If it’s really rough I’ll back into it with the rotary, which knocks everything down, then make a pass with the flail to pulverize everything into nothing.

[@raulhogland7309]

I totally agree. I have 4 flail mowers and just ordered another one. The y blades are the best in my opinion because they just bounce off rocks and shreds brush and even 4x4s! I wish these dealers would run one for more than five minutes before making a video. He’s wrong on so many points. They are really hardy machines. The only weakness they have is barbed wire or any kind of hose. It gets wrapped around the rotor so quickly. I carry bolt cutters, compound wire cutters but usually able to back it out with a chain anchored to a tree or post and pull the wire or fencing out in one piece.

[@flash1259]

@@raulhogland7309 I really wanted to get a flail mower but, couldn't justify the cost of one. So I use my Rhino 84" finish mower and 6" Bush Hog brush cutter. I pull them with a Kubota 3901 I just bought last year after upgrading from my 1975 6600 Ford tractor. I had to stop watching the video when he showed what the brush cutter cut. Either they didn't know how to use it to cut the grass clean or just wanted to make the cutter look bad. I can make the grass look good or bad with the same cutter. Just depends on the quality of cut I want at the time.

[@theburnhams2925]

@@flash1259 Agree, Jimmy. He was definitely trying to make that rotary look bad. Just watching it bounce along 8-10" off the ground insures a sloppy "cut." I have all three mowers and generally choose the flail for its superior performance, but agree that a rotary can give a good finish given sharp blades and proper operation. I have two types of flails, the "Y" for brush and also "grass" flails which give a manicured cut on grass of any height. It has been years since I changed the Y flails to the grass flails since if I have to cut anything really knarley I just grab the rotary. A zero-turn can also do a surprising amount of work if you don't "push" it too hard, but those "pot-metal" spindles won't take much abuse. The flail mower would be the last one I'd sell. They say that once you've used a flail mower you'll never go back to a rotary, and I believe it. The main reason highway departments favor the flail is that it doesn't throw material like the rotary. But you do have to reduce ground speed a bit if you want a smooth finish. The ability of some flails to be radically off-set is a real "plus" but they're heavy and expensive. They will help you keep the tractor out of the pond....

[@flash1259]

@@theburnhams2925 I haven't got a flail mower. They're selling an offset bush hog close to where I live. I've been thinking about checking it out. My oldest zero turn and my wife's riding mower have the "pot metal" spindles. I've broke plenty of them on both of the mowers. I've also bent blades in a "U" shape. My 61" Bad Boy Outlaw XP and my 84" Rhino finish mower have steel spindles though. I've got most of the area's I mow a lot better shape now. Some of it still needs a lot of work. Unless they've changed lately all the highway crews I've seen around here bush hogs. Maybe we're out of date. It would be nice to have a flail mower.

[@liamsherwood7507]

Great video. I always wanted to know. My rotary cutter has two blades.

[@jimg8218]

Great way to do comparison

[@SeanRCowan]

Neil - thank you for the info. Really interested in the feedback you provided and received from others on the size of the flail mower and what you recommend. I have an LX2610 and need to mow more than 5 acres, so I want to get as wide a unit as possible, but am worried about the PTO HP requirements. Which Del Moreno unit did you use? Can you recommend a “best fit”? Thanks again for all your help thru your work!

[@MessicksEquip]

62" funny top. The size is a great fit for this tractor.

[@jimgrimm2874]

This is great! My grass is that long but I don't even own a ride on mower yet! Would it be more effective to pay someone to mow the first time with a flail and then maintain with a zero turn? Assuming I don't need the other tractor features that is.

[@MessicksEquip]

To me it would depend on how well i knew the field. I'd mow over 2-3-4 times to get it caught after with a zero turn if I knew it was clean and I was not going to hit rocks and stuff that could damage my mower. If its an unknown field, its probably smart to get someone in with a heavier machine.

[@bryanwarm2471]

I rhink you should have had four sections. When the kid was done with the Hustler he could have gone out with a push style reel mower and proved that that is the way to go.

[@RustyZipper]

Should have 5 sections. After the push reel mower hand him a pair of manicure scissors ✂️ and proved the reel mower was the way to go.

[@encajeagricola]

Hello im from Spain , and we also have a Kubota M 9540 narrow

[@Mitalayeka]

Very well explained, thanks Neil.

[@Themeshoots]

I really wished you included a skid steer or compact track loader with a brush cutter. I use mine in fields higher and thicker that what you used and it cuts the grass down to 1.5". The clippings are almost non-existent. Where do the clippings go? China?

[@KirtH27]

How about the hammer type blades on the Flail? I have watched and they seem to better job on the heavier stuff.

[@matta3888]

Neil, Why are you using a Hustler mower? I prefer to use a ZD326 to mow a sports field. Is it common for warning light covers to blow off; while using a pressure washer? Thank you for the show.

[@MessicksEquip]

I buy my own stuff, the hustler was cheap

[@mr.e.2175]

How does the Flail Mower do on gopher mounds???

[@ingvarleskovar7169]

Just like anything else. Kills blades. And I have 64 blades to sharpen. So do your mower a FAVOR. Harrow mounds before mowing or, drop flail to the lowest position possible and skive them. THEN mow. I either use my rider with deck dropped down to the ground to skive mounds or harrow them. You can go rather fast harrowing and it pays you back with much less time spent sharpening flail multiple blades. I also made a conveyor belt strip attached to the front flail deck edge. Idea was for the semi flexible belt skive mounds height before blades hit them. It, actually, worked. But, only on short grass. On tall grass, when I didn't mow for 2 weeks, I found that that "dam" in the front laid grass down and flail skipped much more of it. So I removed it. As you know, flail does not have much of uplift, to stand grass up, like rotary cutters do.

[@DJC995]

Hi Neil having used bush hog type bomford swipe that will leave a nice finish dad had a big major flail mower with hammer flails that wood leave a lawn type finish o ground worse than that the slower you go the better cut you will normally get good video as always Thanks

[@michaelcox1071]

I just did a field (~15Ac) that had 4-6 foot grass on it, and used a bush hog. It gives so-so results, like you show. Sticks and clumps uncut, especially if you go too fast. But, I did drive into a bunch of holes and ruts, and the bush hog just eats some dirt and keeps going. So I have to make a second pass. That also re-mulches the cuttings. When the tractor falls into a hole, the robustness of the rotary really shines. I can hit the diff-lock, pull out ant re-mow the spot with no issue.

[@3535gt]

What timeframe did it take you to do the 15 acres.

[@michaelcox1071]

@@3535gt It took me about 18 hrs to do that overgrown field the first time with a six foot bush hog. I keep it under control now, and filled most of the big holes, so I can get it done in about 10-12 hrs now. A lot of that time is used clearing the edges of the surrounding woods, which takes longer than just cutting the grass.

[@3535gt]

@@michaelcox1071 thanks for the reply. Just picked up a mowing contract that’s pretty similar to what you mow. Looking at shredder sizes and a general idea of timeframe. Thank you!

[@michaelcox1071]

@@3535gt good luck!

[@eddief3326]

I USEF A FLAIL MOWER IN THE 1970;S . IT KNIFS HAD A NOTHER 45% BEND TO MAKE IT AT A 90% THAT CUT THE GRASS . BEST GOB EVER . I THANK THOSE MOWER ARE STILL BEING USED BE SCHOOL.

[@andysmith5220]

Where was the sickle cut. I didn't see it. And it's great at large areas as well

[@kipcudd7253]

Would a rear discharge finish mower do a better job than side discharge? Plus would the ZT discharge better with the chute up so it would kick the grass out better?

[@MessicksEquip]

hit and miss. They tend to do a great job in light grass, but will still clump when it gets thick.

[@erikrunas226]

Maybe it's just me but I think a 3 point rear discharge finish mower would have possibly been a better choice than the zero turn mower. Just my opinion. What say you?

[@wildbill23c]

I wonder this as well. But would it have given the same results as the zero turn since it works the same way? Or do the PTO powered finish mowers have more power for the heavier stuff?

[@erikrunas226]

@@wildbill23c I was just curious how a rear discharge deck as wide as the side discharge deck would have compared.

[@Cst-dh7hn]

I have a LP three point rear discharge finish mower and it does not do well in tall grass at all. If the grass gets over 5/6 inches tall will need to make two passes raising the mower to the highest setting then dropping an inch for a second cut. Second issue is on the highest setting the wheel yokes bend easily.

[@erikrunas226]

@@Cst-dh7hn thank you for your insight.

[@jbcowherder6210]

first: your rotary wasn't adjusted right. should be higher in the front than the back. lower the tail wheel a couple inches and raise the front up more to make a more level cut with it slightly tilted up. second: when using the flail mower, keep the new grass on your right. the offset of the mower is such that you'll get a better and faster cut if you keep the tall grass on your right and follow the edge of your uncut grass with your left front tire. the real test is what it looks like a week later: how much uncut grass stands back up; the advantage to the flail is that it "picks up" the grass just before it cuts it with the whole width of the cutting head, vs. the rotary that basically has one half of the mowed area being cut against the direction of travel and one half being cut with the direction of travel- which if the grass is wet can cause much of it to not be cut to expectation.

[@justinstevens2773]

Also, the grass from the zero turn was being discharged into the uncut grass. If this guy knows what he’s doing then he set the rotary and zero turn up for failure…or he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

[@dougrandolrandolenterprise9922]

Thanks for this video that actually really shows the cut of all 3 mowers

[@APBT-Bandog]

I would like to see how the flail mower would have done this with the hammers instead of the Y knives.

[@augustinpicard4042]

What company makes the best mid and upper end flail mowers? What specifications should I look for?

[@MessicksEquip]

Del morino for compact tractors. There's much higher end stuff for roadside mowing or orchards. There's no specification, mostly cups down the build quality.

[@gguuiittoo]

Thank you for the video! As a side note, what is typically done for fields once this cut is made with all the clippings. I have a similar pasture that if I take a while to cut, can get similarly high and it just leaves so many clumps and clippings that I feel it suffocates everything underneath; how do people deal with that aspect next? Thank you!

[@MessicksEquip]

Clippings are not normally a concern for a field. A flail will do a better job of spreading them out than a rotary mower. A finish mower would be a step better, but you need to make frequent cuttings.

[@ric572]

These Important points were passed over. 1. GROUND SPEED??? 2. TIME FACTOR??? 3. EQUIPMENT COST??? I see others commented about cutting too fast also. It is called CLIP RATE and the higher the clip rate the better the cut. Slow down and you will have different results.

[@8nfolly502]

Neil, I’m looking into the new lx2610 with a cab. Just wondering how the b2650 did running the mowers while the AC is on during warm weather? Did the engine struggle to keep up or would you recommend the lx2610 with cab for running a rotary cutter in thick grass like you were cutting? Thanks man.

[@MessicksEquip]

It would bog some with the rotary cutter, not with the flail. As long as you don't have hugely horsepower dependent implements, the 2650 does great.

[@8nfolly502]

@@MessicksEquip thanks for the reply. I think I need to go bigger because I’ll use the rotary cutter often, not a flail. Appreciate the videos.

[@JonsDailyHustle]

This was a great video 🤙👍

[@borrislagette5833]

Great info, i would like to know what size flail mower that is? looks big for a b2650

[@MessicksEquip]

63". I would not go any smaller.

[@dwoodog]

So I'm a little confused, was the rotary mower considered a finish mower or more a brush hog type?

[@MessicksEquip]

Brush hog

[@IMViewer8]

What I need is a way to put a flail mower or rotary cutter up front to cut down the heavy stuff, then have the belly mower finish it off. I'm not good at driving backwards for extended lengths of time.

[@willsinger2945]

Curious if you could time doing a section with one vs another with say 12" grass instead of 4-5ft. The Zero turn dealers try to tell you that you could cut even a pasture faster than you could with a rotary etc. Also set you Rotary mower closer to level or lower in the rear for a better cut.

[@jeromelittle7075]

Wish you would have show a finish mower also

[@NYTROeast]

The show fail mower and they tell you a fail mower can cut brush as long as you have hammered on the mower. The grass cut isn't as clean-looking as it is with the Y on the with hammers but you stand a better chance of not damaging something.

[@brianpritt4154]

Where's the sickle bar mower???

[@wildbill23c]

They give a pretty good cut with tall grass, but if you hit an obstacle like a rock with it, it'll really tear up that bar. If you are mowing down an area you know is clear, it'll be great, otherwise I'd go over it with the brush cutter. Course the sickle mower will just cut the grass and lay it down, but it gives a nice clean cut, and of course you could always go over it with a finish mower after you get it cut down. A friend of mine uses a sickle mower for cutting hay, it works great.

[@richardpoe2461]

Did you try a flail mower with the hammers?

[@JoeSmith-im1su]

Bro… I finish cut with my 5 foot brush hog from like 1980. And I go at a decent speed too. Idk ur blades must be dull or mower isn’t low enough but I leave a very clean cut weather the grass is 3ft or just 6 inches. Best of luck to u

[@williamjames3304]

I'm not a big John Deere fan but I would put my MX6 up against all 3 of yours. That being said I still want a Flail mower that has a side shift and can cut vertical as well.

[@Joe-ky3ii]

Neil I have to really disagree on the fail mower and the foreign object comment. The rotary cutter will throw very far but the flail doesn't, it throws it down. And like others, you should go a little slower on the flail. It takes more time but the finished product is a fully mulched field.

[@davidsoldiron]

Okay. Let me ask you a question about the flail mower. With the "grass" blades installed, how would it do on pasture grass and or Grass/Hay mix to be baled for livestock feed?

[@MessicksEquip]

you could not be able to rake the clippings after cutting, they are too mulched.

[@Ryan-ws4rs]

Flail is the best way with brush!

[@travislee273]

Zero turn you hit it high and debit it at desired height. Will come out dang near perfect

[@johnhershey4010]

Good job

[@phalanx3803]

yea small Flails dont do so well with FOD but Big one will eat any thing that goes in there we have one with normal knives and it eats vine pruning's no problem with the right knives they can literally eat tree branches the other day i was using a MF135 with a 2.5m flail mulching orange tree pruning's even tho the 135 is way to under powered and light for that massive flail it still got the job done.

[@randyborders7855]

I've used my rotary cutter for mowing my lawn and outgrown fields and mine does alot better cut than that and this is my opinion but i think that rotary cutter wasn't adjusted right in my opinion it looked like the back end of the mower was sitting higher than the front so it wasn't making a full contact swing all the way around from front to back and side to side so it mulches it up and it will leave alot better cut quality than you have there and I've used a bush hog to mow the lawn with at 3.5 inches high with sharp blades and being set up right it does good

[@MessicksEquip]

Having the rear higher than the front is the proper way to setup a mower. They should not be level.

[@rtz549]

They make a specific machine called a dethatcher. I'd like to see one specifically for mulching. Example being take it over that field and get it looking like a front yard or golf course.

[@prjndigo]

I think it'd be awesome to run a commercial land-care 5 segment park reel over what's left.

[@tonybrown8574]

How about a belly mower

[@jasonsechrist1]

Raise the deck on the zero turn and you will see a huge difference, and also if you mow the field with a zero turn before it gets that bad you can go full blast and it will blow the doors off the flail mower

[@wildbill23c]

He said in the video they let it get out of hand on purpose for this demonstration. However, yes when mowing something like that raise the deck up as high as it will go and then mow it again at your finish height and it'll look great. I've done that several times on properties with my lawn tractor. I think it would look better too if they did a second pass with the rotary mower and the flail mower.

[@DustySmalls]

The zero turn discharge chute was pointed towards the grass he hadn't cut yet. Should have been pointed towards the grass he already cut. Didnt give the zero turn a fair test.

[@paullund9386]

I agree that the flail would be the best for that height of grass, but is the ground is semi smooth and you know there is no debris persay... The zero turn would be the best overall... Or a belly mower on the Kubota...

[@2009rummell]

I'd like to see this done with the new wright 104 inch rear discharge zeroturn

[@zfilmmaker]

None of them are single pass. In deep thick grass my Maschio Bufalo 300 (with hammers) behind a Fendt 722 would still need a second pass at the speeds you ran. Flails like to run slower to process debris finely. I’ve plugged my 300 and stalled my Fendt in really deep thick river bottom grass a couple times. I also have a Maschio 20’ flail with knives pulling behind a Fendt 936 and it’s never plugged cause it’s a shredder but it also prefers a slower speed. The zero turn could ultimately cut better because it’s faster, two passes in the time a flail or rotary could in one pass. I have hit A LOT of rocks with the Bufalo 300 and it’s fine, I’ve had to replace blades on my batwing hitting the same rocks. The heavy duty flails seem more durable in rocks.

[@bank80]

The only thing the would be damaged on the flail mower by a big stick would be the Y blades.

[@markwicker2664]

Yes, but if I recall correctly, it took Neil several hours to remove the branch he ran over. For many people, time is money.

[@fibreguy1971]

He was not using hammers. I use whale tail hammer flails and that stick getting stuck was a joke. My blades would have shredded it.

[@prjndigo]

You can twist the mounts a little and you can lift solid things up against the housing and damage that, the sprockets, chain and even the shaft. That's why the rotary is preferred for unknown terrain and debris. You can detach the blades and pull them right out of a big bight of twine, rope, wire and fence mesh. I once saw an experienced operator cut 10 feet of chain link off his rotary in a few minutes and be back at it.

[@fibreguy1971]

@@prjndigo I have a flail hedge trimmer and three point teagle. Never ever had a blade bent and I have rolled in wire. Yes you need to cut it out but no its doesn't do damage

[@bank80]

@@fibreguy1971 I had 15 feet of barb wire wrapped up in my flail mower. I had to cut out a little and the rest pulled straight out in seconds. Took about 3 minutes total. I keep wire cutters on my tractor.

[@Gnomoleon]

Flail mower with hammers ftw

[@Ausfahrt]

Until you hit a rock and throw a hammer. DAMHIK.

[@fibreguy1971]

Never ever seen a hammer come off unless not maintained. Also flails are enclosed so hammer would be sent to ground pdq. Side discharge and rear discharge rotary blades now that is a different storey. That is why hedge trimmers mainly use flails. Debris is pushed down into hedge and mulched better.

[@jeffrentsch4318]

Flap needs to be up when mowing tall stuff in open field

[@rollling7523]

Bro, gotta put the flail mower in the front of tha tractor:

[@kdegraa]

I guess an out front mower like a Kubota F series would have a similar outcome to the zero turn. However it might be a little more pleasant sitting a bit higher and behind the mowing deck.

[@christopherstamm893]

Similar outcome, I know as I have one. If the grass is tall like in this video, you have to make two passes to get it cut clean. It leaves windrows of cut grass though, not evenly spread clippings like that flail. Perruzzo makes flails for the F series mowers, I'd love to have one.

[@kdegraa]

After three years of this comment I end up buying a flail mower for my Kubota MX5200.

[@Cst-dh7hn]

Those flail mowers look nice, how well do the work with uneven ground

[@freedom1028]

You will love it. Flail mowers are the best option. I have cut thistle 4' high and it knocks it down and mulches it up beautifully.

[@ingvarleskovar7169]

I bought tow behind gas powered flail specifically because my lower tier property is very uneven. Small hills and valleys. Plus, some of those 3 acre are wetland, very muddy spring time after rains. As the result, two ZTRs I had, were literally killing me on that terrain, ride was so bumpy (I had 2 Hustlers, 54 and 60 decks and I shall NEVER recommend a Hustler to anyone. They are very poorly made). So I ended up, comfort wise, with Pioneer UTV towing gas powered flail. That's as comfortable as it gets and UTV does not care about mud, just pulls mower through. So, how does it do on uneven ground? It depends. Mine has 2 wheels on either deck side and, if they overlap high points, entire deck lifts up and whatever is below the high points, is not cut. There is same flail with 2 wheels behind the deck, that may follow terrain a bit better. Also, flail has heavy solid roller in the back, so if roller is lifted up, it lifts deck/blades up. But, the good part to tow behind is, it floats on the hitch ball. I can't possibly imagine same to happen with a 3 point hitch attachment. So, what I do is I do perimeter pre cut with my rotary Cub Cadet, as I can get very close to the fence with its deck, and use it around trees. Then, I finish it all in one run with tow behind. I have plenty of tight spots and turns and, UTV+tow behind has large turning radius. My last thing now is to debate about adding hammer blades to my flail instead of Y blades, as Y-s skip grass too much to my taste. Plus, it's twice as many blades to sharpen, with Y blades.

[@Cst-dh7hn]

@@ingvarleskovar7169 Good information--thanks

[@strangefruit8776]

I wonder how a rear discharge deck zero turn would do in heavy grass. I feel like a batwing would be one of the best ones because you’re leaving minimal tire tracks.

[@prjndigo]

It'd still be slower and shave some of the stems instead of cutting them. A commercial rider rear discharge would likely work better than a zero-turn.

[@groundcontrol2795]

With the ZTR, areas should be done by spiraling counterclockwise, always discharging and layering to the already cut area, rather than back and forth. This prevents plowing cut grass into the uncut area and having to work through and discharge that, as well. If you want a real clean cut afterward, you can then do the opposite. Start from center, and spiral clockwise, working your way to the outside. It is best if you have other areas to work and can come back to that area after it dries a bit.

[@tomvonkamecke7136]

Mow around 30 acres using a zd1511. If needed I will bushhog the first mow of the year than follow up the next time with the zero turn. Like your Boy says, the only bad part is the bugs. Love my cab on the l6060 but love the finished look from the 1511 better.

[@MLJenkins]

Dumb question 30 acres, why not put a finish mower on the back of your L6060? I've thought about that, I wish @Messick's Equipment would have compared a rear finish mower. I cut most of my fields with a rotary cutter, but have considered getting something to provide a better look especially closer to the house. I thought about a zero turn but a good majority of what I cut near the house is on the hill.

[@tomvonkamecke7136]

@@MLJenkins my hills are the reason I like the zero turn compared to the tractor. I feel much safer on the side slopes. May actually not be any safer but I feel it is. Of course u can’t beat the cut. Just have to stay ahead of it and wear goggles. It is a least 4x faster as well.

[@owenhill4309]

So what about lawncare guys who go an cut neglected properties where it is just to harsh on a zero turn???

[@mainelyelectric]

What is the size of the rotary cutter on the B2650 you were using? I have one for my old 1994 L2900 but not sure if it will work on my B2650!

[@MessicksEquip]

60"

[@mainelyelectric]

@@MessicksEquip Thanks what is the width of the flail mower? I’m thinking about getting one too!

[@MessicksEquip]

@@mainelyelectric 62".

[@mainelyelectric]

@@MessicksEquip Wow I thought that I had read in my manual of my B2650 that the flail mower max width was 48” How are you able to run a 62”?

[@MessicksEquip]

@@mainelyelectric really was no problem at all. in typical grass you may even eek out a 72"

[@swampwhiteoak1]

The nastiest thing that I have ever mowed: Last summer I was using the brush hog to clean up some high weeds in a small field that is next to a county road. I never saw it coming, but I sure smelled after mowing it - a road killed deer that had been there in 90° temperatures for a week or so. Thankfully the smell wore off of the cutter before I was finished and headed for the barn.

[@roflstomps324]

I can top that. Trucker piss. Yep. You heard me. Trucker piss. I was out front cleaning up my ditch this summer and hit a gallon jug of what I had assumed was an empty milk jug. Nope. Hot. Stinking. Trucker. Piss. You taste it more than smell it.

[@melainewhite6409]

I ponder why sickle bar mowers, once a staple, are no longer available. Just a ploy to force purchase of a more expensive flail? But even with a flail there isn't the offset ability (unless you really up the cost) allowing, say, mowing close around a pond.

[@MessicksEquip]

The one I used offsets. Its actually cheaper than a sickle.