[AT] Flail mowers

Mike meulenms at gmx.com
Fri May 15 20:03:00 PDT 2015


I've actually thought about a subsoiler, I think my 40 HP tractor could 
handle  a one shank. If I were to subsoil to the "ditch" I could pump 
put the added water.

Mike M


On 5/15/2015 8:49 PM, jtchall at nc.rr.com wrote:
> How about a subsoiler? If you’ve got any grade at all you can use them to
> create water channels underground. Be advised that wherever you stop at the
> low end, the water will try to blow out.
>
> Sickle mowers should work fine, but if you let it get too tall, you may have
> to play with the tailboard so it will keep a clean enough streak to make the
> second pass. Also, if there is a bunch of thatch on the ground you may have
> to twist the blade so the guards point up some or they will choke up. Before
> bushhogs, folks used to mount clipping wheels on the end with the tailboard
> to keep from choking the guards.
>
> A good grooming mower is hard to beat. The one we have is made by Lilliston
> and is about 40 years old. It's only on its second deck, which has been
> resheeted with 1/8 steel, had a few sets of belts, countless sets of blades,
> a few U joints, several spindle rebuilds, but the main gearbox is untouched
> as is the tailwheel.  Considering the heavy use it has been through I dare
> say it is one of the toughest pieces of equipment to ever come on this farm.
>
> John Hall
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Spencer Yost
> Sent: Friday, May 15, 2015 7:34 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Flail mowers
>
> Someone else will have to comment on the grading.   I know zip.  But i'll
> share the only relevant story I know.
>
> In the eastern part of the state (Ahoskie NC) I had an acquaintance who
> decided the only solution was to make his land perfectly flat. He even used
> a surveyor's transit and everything. It improved his situation according to
> him because it would encourage the water to evenly disperse across entire
> property where soak-in and evaporation were both encouraged.   I'd call him
> but he is related to my son's ex-girlfriend. (-:
>
> He had the advantage of access to a bulldozer, no water flowing in and
> fairly sandy soil.  Not like Charlie Hill but definitely sandier than those
> of us on the western side of the state.  Those are all three advantages you
> might not have.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Spencer
>
>> On May 15, 2015, at 15:50, Mike <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>
>> Spencer, this is land that we are desperately trying to turn into
>> pasture, it's always been wet, and making water go where you want it to
>> go is tough when you have the slope of a pool table. The previous owner
>> tried to make it work by deepening the ditch that runs through the
>> property, thinking that would make it flow. Unfortunately, all that did
>> was make it hold more water that now grows algae by the ton and takes
>> forever to dry out. My next attempt will be to fill in the ditch and
>> only leave a 2" or 3" deep channel for the water to flow through. When I
>> walk down the ditch to my neighbors property that's all it is; a little
>> trickle. It doesn't need to move large quantities of water.  I know
>> there are a lot of guys on the list who have experience with this type
>> of thing, so if you're reading this, I'm all ears.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Mike M
>>
>>
>>> On 5/15/2015 2:20 PM, Spencer Yost wrote:
>>> If it's that bad what about a sickle bar mower?   At least it will lay
>>> flat and not windrow on you.   By pastures do you mean literally, or are
>>> they fallow,  fenced-in fields?   If these are pastures you need more
>>> animals!
>>>
>>> Seriously though, you might want to see if a neighbor has a sickle bar
>>> mower you can test and see if you like it.
>>>
>>> Spencer
>>>
>>>> On May 15, 2015, at 11:34, Mike <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Mowing infrequently is a huge part of the problem Charlie, and it's not
>>>> because of not wanting to. The land is wet until around June, and I
>>>> can't get on it to mow. I am working on solutions to get it to drain
>>>> better, but it's a slow, trial and error process. Now that I have a 4
>>>> wheel drive tractor, I could probably mow it sooner, but would make a
>>>> mess in the process. Last year I couldn't mow until the grass was 6 feet
>>>> high. I think I would have been better off leaving it alone and burning
>>>> it off in the Spring.
>>>>
>>>> Mike M
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On 5/15/2015 4:00 AM, charlie hill wrote:
>>>>> Mike, if you are cutting it infrequently enough that you have a problem
>>>>> with
>>>>> large windrows of grass then a finish mower is NOT going to stand up to
>>>>> the
>>>>> task.
>>>>> Or at least the ones I've been around will not.   A good bush hog with
>>>>> good,
>>>>> sharp
>>>>> blades on it will mow a pasture to look almost as good as a finish
>>>>> mower but
>>>>> you
>>>>> can't let it get so high or mow in wet conditions.  Also some bush hogs
>>>>> have
>>>>> removable
>>>>> discharge panels so that the grass can blow out the rear or to one
>>>>> side.
>>>>>
>>>>> I always try to mow pastures in a pattern such that I'm cutting back
>>>>> over
>>>>> any windrow
>>>>> I leave with the next pass of the mower.  In other words, if my bush
>>>>> hog is
>>>>> leaving
>>>>> the windrow on the right side I work around the pasture so that the
>>>>> right
>>>>> side of the
>>>>> bush hog is always toward the uncut grass.  On the next pass I'm
>>>>> re-cutting
>>>>> the windrow
>>>>> along with the next portion of grass.  If you are getting a lot of
>>>>> windrow
>>>>> it's because
>>>>> you are cutting more grass than the bush hog is able to disperse, just
>>>>> the
>>>>> same as with
>>>>> your lawn mower.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've never used a flail mower but a friend of mine used to use one to
>>>>> mow
>>>>> his mobile home park.
>>>>> It does a fine job.  However, they are a bit more of a maintenance
>>>>> challenge
>>>>> than a bush hog or
>>>>> finish mower.  Still even with a flail, if the grass is too high and
>>>>> thick
>>>>> it has to go somewhere and
>>>>> it will pile up.   The key is to keep the pasture mowed more often.
>>>>>
>>>>> My two cents worth.
>>>>>
>>>>> Charlie
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Mike
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 10:11 PM
>>>>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>>>>> Subject: Re: [AT] Flail mowers
>>>>>
>>>>> ?? so yes on the flail or keep the hog, or go with a finish mower?
>>>>>
>>>>> Mike M
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 5/14/2015 8:54 PM, Spencer Yost wrote:
>>>>>> A tough finish mower used a few more times a year than I would a bush
>>>>>> hog
>>>>>> does great in my 4 acres.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Spencer
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On May 14, 2015, at 20:11, Mike <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have about 5-7 acres of horse pasture that i mow, and have been
>>>>>>> using
>>>>>>> a brush hog, John Deere 513? What I don't care for is how it leaves
>>>>>>> windrows and clumps of the taller grass. I would be interested in
>>>>>>> getting some opinions on flail mowers.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>> Mike M
>>>>>>>
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