[tom314]

Hi,

So I've got about 2 acres which I cut 3 times a year, the ground is flat but a bit bumpy/ruts etc and I currently cut it using a John Deere LTR180 modified to allow side eject, the problem is the deck just doesn't cope if it's anything other than bone dry so I was thinking of buying a flail mower as that'll also deal with some of the more robust plants around the edges.  I've had a look around and come across https://www.jansen-versand.com/agriculture-forestry/mowers-mulcher/89/atv-flail-mower-jansen-at-120-with-15hp-petrol-engine?c=80.  I was wondering if anyone has any better ideas and/or experience with Jansen equipment.  I was going to use the LTR180 to tow it, it copes with a trailer with more weight in it so it should be fine.
I'd prefer to do it myself rather than get someone or animals in.

[arobwk]

Hi [member=198784]tom314[/member]: 
I don't know much about towed flails and so I went to have a look at the Jansen you linked.  £1,860 odd is quite a lot of money me thinks. (It would seem to be built well enough for a small flail, as far as one can tell from pics/video, but it is quite pricey I would say.)

Options:
A.  Perhaps you should run the LTR180 around your 2 acres more often to keep growth in check more routinely (if you can find the time) and save a lot of money.
B.  While a robust traditional scythe for the rough field edges might actually do the job, I would also suggest that a self-propelled pedestrian scythe (sickle bar) mower might be a good option for a lot less £s than the Jansen.

I don't know - just some thoughts.

P.S.  A wheeled strimmer type cutter would be even cheaper. (Again, I would only go for a self-propelled version personally).

[arobwk]

What did you decide in the end [member=198784]tom314[/member] ?

[tom314]

Still cogitating, there's a bit of me that knows that it'll get the job done but I also don't want to spend that much.  Luckily affording it isn't a problem, it's just the self justification...
If I buy a piece of equipment it'll be a flail mower as it'll definitely do the job plus break down the grass nicely.  I can't use a traditional scythe as my back is sensitive to twisting actions and I just know i'll abuse a sickle bar far too quickly...
The other slight thing I'm tempted by is to try and get hold of another cutting deck and remove the back of it so it can always clear very easily, that should do what I want as well....

[tom314]

For anyone reading this, so I finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a flail mower, MDL Powerup ATV 150 and pull it with the ride on mower.  Only used it once so far but it works beautifully, I can tow it without a problem and it cuts through the long grass (thick and about 2ft so far) without really noticing it was there.  I can update again once I've used it to do the big late summer cut if anyone is interested.

Some quick initial thoughts of the flail mower, it's well built and won't break unless given serious abuse.  It's obviously designed for more agricultural use and as such should last me a long time.  Places where they've obviously saved money are the engine and the flails.  The engine on the model I purchased was a 15hp loncin, there is a 22hp version but it's ~£900 more and given my usage it'll do absolutely fine.  The flail options are either Y or cup and not the more expensive hammer.  You can buy the hammer flails and fit them after if you wish and they're not too expensive.  With my so far minimal dealings with the company they seem very friendly and helpful.

[tom314]

So to add another update, flail is still working perfectly, it's great and I've done some mean stuff with it.  The lawnmower isn't doing so well, I'm rather using it above it's design criteria so I'm not too surprised.  It appears that the hydrostatic transmission on the lawnmower is overheating under constant high load, I've had to rebuild it once so far due to the abuse. It's probably not helped by dragging around sleepers and pulling out hedges....  So I'm now in the market for a sub-compact/compact tractor partly to tow the flail but also to do a whole series of other jobs the mower can't even start.

[ZacB]

Good to hear the flail is working well & a shame about the mower…………the list never gets any shorter

[SallyintNorth]

Thanks for the updates, very useful to have this sort of firsthand review. 

Question...  what are the available height ranges for the Powerup flail mower? 

If we got one, I would use it for topping for livestock, so would want a high cut, just taking off the seedheads on our meadows; for managing rushes, so again a higher cut is probably best, at least at first with very well-established bushes; and our tourism businesses would want a lower cut for the camping field and holiday cabins lawns.  (They have a super-duper ride on they use at the mo, which won't cut high enough for me, but when that eventually wears out I expect they would switch to the towable if I have one by then.) 

Also, what is the cut stuff like?  For me, leaving the cut stuff relatively intact is fine, the animals love to eat cut nettles and thistles and it means none of the grass cut off gets wasted.  But the tourism businesses want a very fine mulch so they don't have to worry about raking up afterwards.  (Which is why we didn't try to get one thing that worked for us both already.)