Is the Perfect Cutter a Flail Mower, Brush Hog or Finish Mower?

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In this video, we address a viewer's question about the pros and cons of three popular cutter options: flail mowers, rotary cutters (commonly known as brush hogs or Bush Hogs), and finish mowers. They've recently replaced a tractor with one of less horsepower and are contemplating a purchase of one of the three.
🚜 Key Considerations:
1️⃣ Horsepower Requirements: We delve into the crucial aspect of having sufficient horsepower to operate your chosen cutter effectively. Discover why the 25 horsepower of a New Holland TC25 might limit the width and type of cutter you can use.
2️⃣ Maneuverability in Tight Spaces: Maneuvering in tight quarters is essential, especially for those with compact spaces. Find out which cutter offers optimal maneuverability for your specific needs.
🌿 Flail Mowers: Uncover the advantages of flail mowers, which use a horizontal drum with swinging hammers. Learn about their excellent cutting capabilities, proximity to the tractor for tight spaces, and potential challenges, including horsepower limitations and width restrictions.
🔧 Rotary Cutters (Brush Hogs): Explore the economical alternative of rough-cut rotary mowers. Understand their benefits and limitations, including rear protrusion and the possibility of dual spindle or dual gearbox cutters to address space concerns.
🌱 Finish Mowers: Delve into the specifics of finish mowers, known for their low horsepower requirements. Understand their limitations in cutting woody plants and tall grass, making them ideal for a specific type of regular mowing.
🤔 Choosing the Least-Bad Alternative: Ultimately, we discuss the viewer's predicament in selecting the best option among the three, considering maneuverability, horsepower, and cutting capabilities. Sometimes, the perfect solution may be elusive, and compromises are inevitable.
If you're facing a similar decision or just interested in tractor attachments, don't miss this comprehensive guide! Like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments section below. Let's help each other make informed decisions in the world of tractor attachments. 🌾👨‍🌾 #TractorAttachments #CutterOptions #FarmLifeTips
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Copyright 2024 Tractor Mike LLC
00:00 Introduction
02:24 Pro's and Con's of Flail
04:31 Pro's and Con's of Brush Hogs
05:55 Pro's and Con's of Finish Mowers
06:52 This Will Be a Hard Choice

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Опубликовано:

4 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 50

@tomahawkjo8574 4 месяца назад

I have a 60 inch flail mower and i love it. I use it on the back of a 25 hp compact tractor. Before i bought the flail mower i was using a belly finish mower on a 21 hp tractor. My flail mower does everything from finish cut to rough cut.

@aussiefarmer8741 4 месяца назад

I went over to flail yrs ago. However i have it set at the highest adjustment 1 it clears small rocks and stumpy stuff. 2 it breaks up and mulches small branches and debris. I dont want to mow too low personally I like to leave 8'' at least to cover the ground, I use it just to take the top off and encourage growth. Yes it is more manouverable .

@rfb7117 4 месяца назад

Mike I would totally agree with you. I used a bush hog and finished mowers until years ago I purchased a flail mower. Since then I sold every mower I had and have only kept my flail mower. I use if for every thing on the farm. The advantages are as you stated, much less hanging out behind me in the woods making it easier to maneuver in tight areas. There is also NO comparison to the quality of the cut, maybe not a finished cut, but close and it will chop up sticks etc. I would not get the hammer, but get the knife blades as they will give a much better cut. The down side is I have no idea what size he could handle for the HP of his tractor.. Just my thoughts Mike, Bob

@graemetracybradshaw9871 4 месяца назад

I have a flail mower and find that it is the most versatile slasher of all the options and what I really like about it is that it mulches what I cut rather than wind rowing it. I have a Kioti CK3010 with a four foot flail mower and and love it..

@jeffshiner6087 4 месяца назад

I'm watching while proudly wearing my 49ers jacket. Probably not quite so proudly as you can wear your KC jacket. Congrats on the (painful) win.

@brucealvarez9263 4 месяца назад

It is important to note that it doesn't matter what the engine HP is, what matters is the PTO HP. I bought a 5' flail rather than a 6' because my tractor doesn't have the PTO HP for the larger mower. Different tractors of similar engine HP have different PTO HP. My Mahindra has over 4 less PTO HP than an equivalent Kubota, but has 500 pounds greater lift capacity on the loader. Like Doozer, I wanted something with a smaller rear projection especially when moving snow near cars in the parking area. Obviously it also takes less space to store under cover. When not attached, which is rare, I store it under my solar array. My flail weighs 750 pounds so it is "close to the rear" ballast as well as a mower. Dual purpose, much better than a weight box that is useless for anything but rear ballast.

@bmr220 4 месяца назад

Made the switch from rotary to a flail three seasons ago because I wanted the quality of cut on areas mowed as few as twice a year. It does phenomenally well. What I didn’t figure on was what it took from the tractor to spin that flail. Cutting with a rotary the tractor can lope along at modest RPM; even if the PTO doesn’t reach 540 the rotary will chew well enough. With the flail it really needs that 540 so my tractor ends up being at max HP, which means max noise and max heat. On an open station tractor that means a far harsher day out than with the rotary.

@Noah_E 4 месяца назад

How many PTO HP does your tractor have and how wide a flail are you running? My Yanmar YT347 (39.5 PTO HP) has no problem running a 72" side-shift Del Morino with hammer blades. It has A/B mode so the PTO can run the flail at 540 RPM while the engine is only at half throttle.

@kooldoozer 4 месяца назад

Thanks a bunch Tractor Mike ! I really appreciate it. I really like that twin-spindle Bush Hog (the red one), but yes it looks too big for my tractor. I did not show it in my video, but I mow a grass field out front, so a finish mower may be the choice for me. I still have the 33hp Shibaru engine in the old tractor that should still be fine. I may swap the larger engine from the crushed tractor in place of the 25hp engine in the newer tractor. We will see. Also thank you for promoting my video from my channel Doozer's Shop. So nice of you to do that. Your wisdom is always appreciated, and thanks again. ----Doozer

@steven8735 4 месяца назад

I have a 25 horsepower tractor and I run a 5 ft it has no problem

@kdegraa 4 месяца назад

We have a finish mower for our tractor. It’s probably not the best choice but I wanted a mower with side discharge to throw grass up to the trees in my orchard. The issue is I rarely get up to my farm and when I do the grass is head high. I can cut the grass with the finish mower but it takes time with two passes. I’ve taken all the guards off the mower so it is both a rear and side discharge. This is needed to reduce the clogging up of cut grass. Two meter tall grass produces a large amount of material. In the future I hope to spend more time on the farm. I will be able to mow the grass more often. This should keep the grass lower when cut and also encourage other species of grass that doesn’t grow half a meter a week in summer.

@SouthernGround 4 месяца назад

Many years ago I worked for our city park district and was I was responsible for mowing 60 ac. total in 5 parks alone , it took five to six day's to mow it all. this was done with a Case tractor with a finish belly mower 60" or bigger, (it was along time ago can't remember 😉) but a few time's I would fall behind because of weather and the grass would get out of hand in some of the bigger park's, that's when the hammer mower would shine, it was mounted on an old David Brown and made easy cutting on that extra tall grass even damp , sure it looked like hell but at least it got cut. to this day I hate mowing lawns because of that experience. But now here in Missouri where I just moved it's out in the country and my lawn is pasture and I don't mind cutting it with a hog, but when you are retired who cares about time. Yes I do use a zero turn around the house and builds to keep the grass super short for snake control, But to this guys issue with a smaller machine gonna need smaller attachments to fit his tractor. I run a massey ferguson gc 1723e and everything is 48"

@jakeschisler7525 4 месяца назад

Price wise and what i cut are mostly tall weeds so i chose brush hog and after I'm done looks good

@mmerian 3 месяца назад

Hey Mike, love your channel. I have an RK25 Tractor and I run a 62" Flail mower with Hammers. I use it on my Property in N.E. Tennessee. I only get down there 3 times a year and the fields are usually about 3 - 4 feet tall. I run the mower at about 3200 rpm and about 2 mph. It completely mulches the weeds down to nothing. It will also cut up to 2" brush which I have not done much of yet but it will clear it out if I go slow. I am very happy with the performance.

@coypatton3160 4 месяца назад

Mike, I have limited experience with a finish mower, extensive experience with rotary cutters and no experience at all with fail mowers. Personally, I have ran 5’ rotary cutters on a similar size tractor. It can be done with good results, but you must not allow thick growth stuff get away from you. You do not have to stay after it like finish mowed grass, but much over 12” in thick material will require keeping RPM’s up and speed slow, 8” or so and shorter you can cut pretty much normal speeds. It is also my experience that if you mow grass keeping it short, you can use a 6’ finish mower much the same, but again you must stay on top on your mowing.

@ProductiveRecreation 4 месяца назад

I use a 5ft Woods BB6030 on my 25hp Ford 1700. That’s a heavy cutter and the tractor handles it just fine, even in really tall grass. It’s gear drive and 23hp at the PTO though. I bet a hydro 25hp tractor is 20hp or less at the PTO. It would still work if driving slower. For me a narrower cutter wouldn’t cover my tracks! My rear wheels are set for about 60” width for stability.

@wildbill23c 4 месяца назад

Yeah the hydro models would be in the 20HP range for the PTO....good point with the covering your wheel tracks too....many people don't think about that part....what my dealer told me when I bought my little tractor is anything 4-5 feet wide is perfect, it'll cover the wheel tracks, you don't want an implement/attachment any bigger than 5 feet behind my sub-compact tractor.....my mid mount mower is 5 feet, as well as my rear grading blade because when you have it fully angled its just enough to cover the tracks. Those old Ford tractors are great tractors...my neighbor has a couple 4000 series Ford Tractors that he farms with. They never give him problems.

@jg2480 4 месяца назад

Flail mower all the way, couldn't imagine using a brush cutter. Yeah it's true it takes hp but if you have it ... boy it's the best.

@lloydcrowder1283 4 месяца назад

I have a flail mower that I run with a kubota bx23s. I bought a 4ft flail mower 2 years ago for $1900. My only regret is not buying a 5ft model. Really like it. Horse power is not a problem. The bx23s is rated at 19 pto HP.

@wildbill23c 4 месяца назад

I'm thinking of the 4 foot model for my applications just due to space limitations mostly for storage, but yep, I don't see where the BX would have an issue running the 5 foot flail mower because it'll run a 5 foot (60") mid mount mower without any problems which actually uses more HP than the flail mower due to the side discharge design of the mid mount mower decks, they use more power pushing the clippings through the deck at the same time its trying to cut grass, its trying to blow the clippings out of the deck, and is re-cutting the clippings several times in the process as well. The flail does a great job, I used a tractor with one last year a couple times, which showed me that I need to buy the flail mower rather than a rotary cutter/bush hog. The flail mower is a much more compact implement than a bush hog or even the finish mower. I have the BX2680, plenty of HP, I run out of traction before I run out of power LOL. I don't have enough use for the backhoe to justify the cost, so I got the BX2680. Those little BX23s machines are extremely versatile because of their size. Which is why I got my BX....it fits where other tractors can't. Granted it takes a little longer to do the job because its smaller, but it beats a wheelbarrow and shovel LOL.

@redneck5356 4 месяца назад

We had a flail mower and a bush hog. Flail mower was never my favorite thing. Break a bolt and the hammer goes flying out of the back of the mower. But they are nice for being offset and getting under trees

@billymorton102 4 месяца назад

Mike, I've had a 69" flail for 3 years. I mow 4 acres in front of my house each week. North Mississippi. I run it on a 1958 841 Ford diesel. Great matchup. I mow rather close, about 2 1/2 " .looks like a lawn and the grass is spread evenly. I love it and get regular compliments on the job. I have extensive experience with a brush hog which is great for rough ground, but, can't compare to the flail. I had a finish mower, but, it seemed to take more horsepower than the flail. ( It was older and seemed to be underbuilt, I couldn't keep a belt on it, even a kevlar!) I'll never try that again. I set my flail so it extends to the right side about 10 "s so I can get closer to a fence, ditch or tree. Love it!! Thanks for your channel.

@jerrygilliam7349 4 месяца назад

I bought a 84 inch flail with hammers for my 45hp tractor and have had no issues. The mower's owners manual recommends at least 45 pto hp, where my tractor is rated at 38 pto hp, and it handles it just fine. I bought it for similar reasons, needing manueverability in wooded areas and wanting a cleaner cut than the rotary cutter I had before my flail. I opted for hammers because of the woody, heavy brush I have on most of my property. But it also gives a nicer cut than the rotary mower in grassy areas. My flail can also be outfitted with an optional side shift kit, giving it an additional 18 inch offset in either direction. I haven't needed that option yet but nice to know it's available. More money up front, yes. But well worth the extra expense!

@rustynail7866 4 месяца назад

I have a flail ditch bank mower and a brush hog. The flail has a better cut, but it doesn’t cut backing up. So they both have their advantage.

@jamesmorrison1884 4 месяца назад

Enjoyed your video Mike. Have a good day.

@Gilikemail 4 месяца назад

I have found that my flail mower does a much nicer looking cut than my brush hog, but I have to go slower with the flail so it takes longer to mow. But, to me, the flail is a lot easier to get closer to things like trees and fences because you can see the sides easier.

@patrickcorbett8361 4 месяца назад

Good job Mike ...Thanks ! pc

@MrExlege 4 месяца назад

My understanding is flail mowers mulch the material more than a rotary cutter.

@fhuber7507 4 месяца назад

Rotary cutter leaves the grass intact enough to bale hay. Not as good for hay as the sickle bar or other types made for laying the grass down without chopping it up, but it works. Flail as mentioned can mulch it. Not much left for hay. Finish mower also chops it up and can have mulching blades. (not as common in tractor size, but they exist) Disc mower is the current big thing in cutting hay and it's a set of blades with little recirculation of the grass after it has been cut. The rotary cutter chops and throws to get the cut stuff out of the way for the next pass of a blade. Very little recutting.

@ericjohnson9080 4 месяца назад

How does the flail compare to Bush hog on 2" to 3" brush?

@richardsplker303 4 месяца назад

Great video Mike ty a lot of great feedback. I have a new RK 25 can someone recommend a flail for it

@waynederby4684 4 месяца назад

Congratulation on the win Sunday.......

@TractorMike 3 месяца назад

Belated thank you! It was an ugly season but they woke up in the payoffs and ran the tables. I sure wouldn't have predicted it, but we'll take it!

@craigmcclure1819 4 месяца назад

Hi, I am running both Flail and slasher...horses for courses. Flail is more expensive to maintain in my experience

@chrishorton6605 4 месяца назад

There are two types of flail type mowers. Flail mowers have cutting knives or hammers that cut towards the rear. Shredders have knives or hammers that cut towards the front. Flail mowers use less hp than a shredder because they do less recruiting. Flail mowers are better at picking up and cutting grass that's been pushed down by the tires. A shredder uses more hp because they recut (shred) the grass, sticks, prunings, or brush repeatedly, turning material into pulp, especially if equipped with collection rake teeth (which can be removed to reduce recutting). For either type, choose flails for best cut of grass, hammers for sticks, prunings or brush.

@VineV-Dutch Месяц назад

Aan offset dual spin finish for grass, or a flail will be best for this man. A brush will be a nightmare since the guy doesn't have much space.

@SundryTalesOfConstance79WESTY 4 месяца назад

Nooice! 😎 STOC

@hoyks1 4 месяца назад

I just picked up a 1100mm wide flail mower for my Deere 1025R. It weighs in around 250kg and covers the width of the tractor. The 18 PTO HP spins the mower up just fine, although in thick grass you do have to go slow or it bogs down. The grass I was cutting was a bit out of control though. Sticks and branches it just eats. It doesn't work well in reverse, but if you back into what you want to mow and then drive forward on the same line, then it works as advertised. I too got it because its compact and the weight out the back of the machine doesn't throw you around when turning sharp. It also does a much better job than a slasher, the clippings just disappear. A quick clip of it in action, as you can see the grass isn't exactly short. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pnxBRp13eGQ.html

@wildbill23c 4 месяца назад

I'd go with the flail mower. Sticks out less than the other types of mowers....actually in grass conditions it don't use anymore HP than a rotary cutter, and if you hit something with a flail mower, you replace the hammer or flail if needed, rather than a more expensive blade on a rotary cutter or finish mower. A Flail mower comes in 1 of 2 configurations....hammers or knives....the hammers are great for cutting saplings, and other heavy brush type mowing conditions....the hammers are for grass and weeds, they'll take some light brush, but they are more for finish type mowing applications. A Flail mower will chop up whatever you are cutting and disperse it more evenly rather than leaving a windrow like other mowers do. A finish mower is in either a rear or side discharge configuration....avoid the side discharge option if you can as it uses more HP as its re-cutting the clippings several times by the time it passes the clippings to the discharge chute. A rear discharge cuts the clippings and immediately throws them out the back of the mower similar to what a bush hog, or rotary cutter does. Something else to keep in mind....a flail mower doesn't throw materials out the back like a bush hog will do if it hits a rock, or something of that nature...same with a finish mower....the flail mower's swinging hammers or knives just fold up out of the way as they aren't in a fixed position...the blades on a bush hog can swing freely as well, but their mass at high speed still tends to throw objects quite violently, in comparison to a flail mower. I have a sub-compact tractor, I can run a 42-54 inch flail mower but I'd rather stay around the 48 inch size due to space limitations where I mow. Which is one reason I'd go with the flail mower, is it don't stick 5+ feet out the back of the tractor like a bush hog does...even the finish mowers stick out 3-5 feet behind the tractor depending on the size of the mower deck and configuration.

@johnmessinajr.2591 4 месяца назад

Bush hog is best if you have very tall grass and saplings. Have you boys in the Midwest heard a a Sweet Gum tree!? They are all over the mid atlantic. Evil things and come up like weeds! A flail mower on those is like peeing in a fan! If you just have tall grass under 2 feet tall it's flail mower no questions asked. 🙂

@fhuber7507 4 месяца назад

Each of the types of mower works for different purposes. Else, they'd rapidly go to only selling one kind.

@Butch-fn2xr 4 месяца назад

Mike, this isn’t about mowers but can you tell us what happened to the Summit tractors that were supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. My Atwood’s store doesn’t seem to stock them anymore and one of your fellow RU-vidrs told a pack of lies about why he ended his relationship with them. I’d like to hear your take on the subject.

@TractorMike 3 месяца назад

I'm not sure what happened. I'm a little out of the loop on that one.

@hugostiglitz8465 4 месяца назад

Finish mower takes less hp and therefore you can get a wider finish mower than rotary or flail.

@Properganda5.0 Месяц назад

For my plantation, only brush hog works.

@gregkocher5352 4 месяца назад

Maybe your writer should buy a chainsaw. Poor guy.

@hornett22 4 месяца назад

Flail will be better for ballast weight as well.

@wildbill23c 4 месяца назад

Definitely, without compromising the overall length of the machine as much as it would having a 4-5 foot bush hog hanging off the back LOL. Great point on the ballast aspect.