BRUSH HOG vs. FLAIL MOWER (for compact tractors)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ส.ค. 2020
- #aritterbitwilldo #keepontractoring #curtiscab #artillian
A brush hog and flail mower reviewed used behind a Kubota sub-compact BX23S tractor. You will see which one cuts better and what advantages each implement has.
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Keep on tractoring and God bless. - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
I have both, and both have pros and cons. Flail leaves a much nicer finish, but struggles on a sub compact through real heavy brush. They require a lot more HO. A brush hog leaves a rougher finish, but goes through the thicker heavier stuff much easier, is a lot cheaper and easier to repairs. Flails can get expensive. That’s why I have both. Brush hog to knock down the unmaintained, overgrown paddocks. Flail for once the the paddock has been knocked down and is manageable to maintain.
Exactly, i often see people do videos of comparisons where the flail comes out on top, but I don't see it that way, bush hogs are not really for grass, of course a flail mower will do better, but stick a flail mower is heavy brush, good luck. I have both as well, they each have their jobs.
I have a completely different experience with my flail, a Maschio 300 12’ with hammers which I know is bigger then most... I run it on a 250HP PTO tractor and I can shred logs 6” in diameter. What I love about a flail is how it cuts, even with hammers if I cut grass my fields look like a golf course. A flail is great for land reclamation because it shreds weeds, brush and grass very fine to break down faster as usable nitrogen. A flail is not great in sage brush, hammers can’t cut it, if you hit a rock, even with a slip clutch and a very heavy duty mower like mine you can bend the drum a lot easier then you think. Replacing the drum is not cheap. If you look on your drum (easy on a new mower) you will see counterweights welded on from where the manufacture balanced the drum. Those counterweights fall off, so when you hit a rock you can do some major damage. A flail also mower only in one direction. I would never back into brush with my flail. That’s where a rotary mower excels. What you’re calling a brush hog is actually called a rotary mower. I mow with a Schulte 20’ batwing as my rotary mower with foam filled tires which is better in deep thick grass. A flail can easily plug in thick fine grass. I back my rotary into thorns for instance and can go through rocks without causing damage. A flail is more dainty in situations like that.
@@zfilmmaker mate you are absolutely right. But what you are running is a different league. With 250hp PTO you'll destroy anything. The size of your flail is comparatively small compared to the power of the tractor. With sub-compacts, 18-20hp pto is really not enough for a 48" flail.
@@danbskyguy I ran mine today again and it was getting grass stuck on the drum and I smoked the belts 3 times and a fourth time because a branch got stuck in the underneath part. Had to stop each time and clean it out. It went through the weeds fine oddly enough, but got hung up with actual tall grass, go figure. Again, it does mulch very well, but tall weeds and small branches, I will not sell my bush hog, but am always on the fence about the flail
I have to say that I get a very good finish on grass using a 5ft Fleming topper. I think the secret is to make sure the blades are really sharp which, with only two to deal with is easy. Like this its just a giant rotary mower which we know can give a good finish.
A brush hog isn't met to leave a nice pristine lawn look. It's for field maintenance
True, but I'm grateful for this comparison as I just recently bought a tractor and likely would have ended up with a brush hog if I haven't seen a comparison like this.
This is 100% true but if you just have a brush hog only you can sharpen the blades to have a better finish but during the process might hurt the heat treat so I use old blades to make into sharps blades for my brush hog. Am not saying this is the fix but it might be ok for a little bit
Appreciate the comparison video, it's answered many of the questions I had. My opinion is both attachments have their place depending on the situation, for me the flail attachments providing I have proper PTO output would work better on my property. We have invasive Scotch broom and this stuff is killer to any attachments that have to deal with it! Thank you for awesome video.
You are driving to fast. Not giving it a chance to cut the material.
Great comparison - Thanks. I've decided on a Flail vs. a MMM for my application when I order my tractor and think I'll be very happy w/it.
You’re right that the brush hog sticks out further and you have be aware of that. However, that can be a huge advantage when cutting under or between trees (reversing in) where you can’t easily get your tractor - especially with a cab.
I’ll also agree with many of the prior comments that you have to go slower with a brush hog. You have to give the blades a chance to hit the same area more than once. I think each device has its purpose.
If I could go back in time, I would have gotten the flail mower instead of my brush hog. Cutting trails would have been so much cleaner I think. Thanks for sharing, Jon!
I have an old 60" pull behind that we use on fields behind a bx23s. We've kept it down over the summer but started with heavy grass at the beginning. Been reclaiming some back fields inwith it also. We do not go over anything more than an inch thick though. I'll cut those down with a chain saw.
Great video. Might look into a flail mower now.
I’ve pull a 60 inch brush hog before and it’s heavy for a small BX but the BX seems to have to have the power to cut light brush and heavy grass with it.
Keep on tractoring!
Fitting that I saw this one after seeing Tim of TTWT run a fixed flail mower (and a 4' brush cutter in another episode) today. Only thing I'd have to add with mowing heavy brush is possibly needing a brush mulcher. Granted, one of those like what Tim has needs a good amount of PTO power.
Got me convinced that both have their place. Larger brush needs knocked down by the brush hog, then finished to fine by the flail mower. Here in Nova Scotia flail mowers are what we use on blueberry fields. The brush hog, does the heavier alders and such.
Up to now, I’ve had no need for either of these machines as I live in an area where a small hand mower does the job. Now that I’m going to be on property considerably bigger, I need this information to keep from injuring myself because of my lack of knowledge on such things.This type of review is exactly what someone needs when starting out so keep these videos coming, they are appreciated by us amateurs!
I appreciate the comment! Glad my videos help you out.
Keep on tractoring!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm watching from Texas. Enjoy your videos and your family. Keep the videos coming. Blessings for Christmas and the New Year. Stay safe, healthy, strong and successful. ☝️🙏🙌🇺🇸💪❤️🎯
Great comparison!👍🏻👍🏻
Awesome video and did not even think about a flail mower until now and I like that is overall size!
Jon, good points you covered regarding your comparison. That flail mower sounds like the ticket for cutting tall and thick growth. Enjoyed your comparison video. Have a fine week. 👍🏽🙂
Enjoyed the video John...gave me something to think about with my next kubota
I really want to invest in an offset flail mower in the near future. They are pricy though…. i appreciate the comparison, thanks again for taking the time to create this video.
Always enjoy your videos! I will be shopping for a flail mower soon!
Glad I could help you with that decision!
Keep on tractoring!
Thank you, good comparison
Thank you that was very informative, I am learning towards a flame unit now.
A flame unit would be even more fun. I’m sure you meant flail mower however in which case you won’t be disappointed. Be sure to get hammer blades.
Keep on tractoring!
I always wanted a flail didn't know u could move so fast with it. Nice!
Working for the county, I personally always had better luck with bush hogs when it comes to taking a beating. You can mulch up concrete blocks on the side of the highway and have no problems. The few times I used a flail mower they didn’t seem to handle thicker brush the way a bush hog did. They did leave a really clean cut though.
A good brush hog will cut rough and light material If you slow down and let the unit do its work at the recomended rpm range. We have guys that use 15 batwings to mow state right of ways and they do a great job. Slow your roll, or mow it weekly and go faster.
Exactly. I bet that flail mower wouldn't handle actually brush to well. All hes cutting here is tall grass
Yeah I mow with a 15 footer on a ranch and a frail mower won’t mow what I’m mowing with it
The Difference in your Tractor Speed with both Attachments makes the Winner absolutely Clear.👍
Glad I watched this video review. Was just about to buy a Brush Hog but now I will take a look into the Flail Mower. I think it might be a better choice for my application. Thanks for posting
Each has its purpose. I have a brush hog and will get a flail soon enough but from what I can see if you have light tree or "brush" tall grass 8ft or more the brush hog is that way to go. If you have over grown fields and horse pasture type growth the flail will be great. I wouldn't out a flail in the woods to clean them up were as I wouldn't mind with the brush hog.
Another big advantage for the flail is that it's much less likely to launch rocks or sticks. This is a bit safer than a rotary when you're mowing near people, buildings, and livestock.
That is true, that is why on the side of roadways you will likely see flail mowers used for ditches. The brush hog can really throw debris a long ways.
Keep on tractoring!
I have a 7' pull behind Bush Hog, a 6' John Deere 25A flail mower with rough cut hammers and a Mott 6' flail mower with fine cut blades. Each one has a distinct advantage over the other. The brush cutter is what I use for very heavy brush with trees. The John Deere with the rough cut hammers is great for briers and brambles and small sapling trees and does a passable job on pasture fields. The Mott with the finish knives is perfect for grass and pasture fields but it is soon overwhelmed in heavy brush. If I could only pick one machine, it would be a heavy duty flail mower with the rough cut hammer knives. That machine would be the best all around in my opinion. But having all 3 is perfect ;-)
One other comment is that with a rotary cutter, like the brush hog, the blade does it's best cutting when the blade is moving forward (assuming forward travel with the tractor) from the 90* to the front center of the mower. This is where the blade speed is fastest with regard to tractor speed. The worst cut is from the front center of the mower to the rear of the mower where the blade speed is slowest in regard to tractor speed. If the brush cutter is set up properly and the front of the cutter is lower than the rear, the rear portion of the blade really doesn't cut as much as it just moves the clippings around, therefore, the windrows while cutting. (This was explained in a John Deere publication many years ago.)
Great information. I like the fail the best for my use
Thanks for sharing this. I will be getting a compact-subcompact tractor hopefully sometime next year and will need either a brush hog or flail mower
You will find so many things to do with your tractor you’ll wonder how you made it this long without it. 😁 thanks for watching!
Keep on tractoring!
Beautiful review 👍
Thank you! I appreciate your comment!
Keep on tractoring!
I was already considering a flail mower especially if I can get one with more of an offset for the ditches in front of my property.
You pretty much sold me on it.
Nice video
For ditches, pond banks, and fence rows you might consider a flail mower that has hydraulic cylinders. One cylinder will kick the mower out to the side of the tractor. The other cylinder will be for the tilt up and down. I think it's 90* up and 65* down. Of course as with any attachment if there are cylinders involved they will be much more expensive, plus you would need rear remotes to operate them.
@@joebarrett9830 I got a maschio flail mower. It has manual offset
Great video. I was leaning towards the brush hog. Now I am pretty sure the fail mower would be better for me. Thanks!
That is exactly why I made this video because a lot of people right now are thinking whether they should get a brush hog or a flail mower. I’m glad I could help you make your decision.
Keep on tractoring!
Great video thanks for the info.
Tools have a purpose, the flail to flatten, the Bush hog to maintain a leveled field.
Just what we did at a golf course. Our Bush hog was a maintenance "fairway mower" of course we mowed 40+ acres of rough weekly behind a 50 hp JD. A 12' wide three bottom Bush hog, 9 blades with14 tires, required twice weekly maintenance.
The flail was used for heavy grass around our ponds monthly.
Destruction! I love it!
Mr Ritter, great comparison! Thank you. I love my flail mower, I have the exact one as you do. Honestly ( I’m kinda ashamed to say this ) but the damn thing chews up just about everything, and I have a lot of rocks here in New England, lol. Thanks again great job for sharing!
I’ve hit a few rocks before, it’s makes an awe full noise but spits them out and continues to keep on going! Glad your enjoying it!
Keep on tractoring!
Hi Jon, great video. Although I agree that the flail mower leaves a better cut, one thing you have to take into consideration in heavy brush is rocks. The brush hog is better suited for heavier obstacles because of blade density and it’s easier to sharpen 2 blades instead of 20 or so. Both implements have their positives and negatives, just depends on your individual application, IMHO. Keep on tractoring!
I've hit a few rocks with the flail before and it handled them well. When sharpening the flail it only took me about 20 minutes or so. I would agree however the brush hog handle heavier brush better.
Keep on tractoring!
On the flip side, I recently sharpened my Y-blades on the flail using the bench grinder, and it took best part of 3 hours to get them all off, sharpened and re-assembled. Don't own a brush hog / topper but would guess it's more like sharpening a normal rotary mower blade in about 10 minutes!
Next time you do it just flip you flail upside down leaving the blades on and use an angle grinder. Took me about 20 minutes to sharpen all my hammer blades with that method.
Keep on tractoring!
I reckon it takes even less than 10 minutes. I use a 5ft Fleming topper (hog) and I just hold it up on axle stands and grind the blades in situ as there is plenty of room to get an angle-grinder in to do the job. This also means I'm not renewing the nyloc nuts every time I sharpen. Maintenance of the topper is trivial - nothing to do but check the gearbox oil and grease the PTO. No belts to tighten or change.
@@ritterjon Yeah, but he's got Y blades, not hammer cutters. I haven't sharpened either, but looking at them I'd bet the Y blades take a lot longer to sharpen.
Great filming!
I got flair mower with hammers! No complaints at all! It’s a beast!
I sold my Brush Hog and bought a Flail Mower (Hammers), I already have a big Finish Mower (which does as good a job on lawns as my Husqvarna ride-on, but a lot faster).
I think the Flail Mower and the Finish mower are a perfect combination for achieving a nice finish.
The Brush Hog is fine if you aren't concerned about a nice finish. Basically it knocks stuff over but it was a pig to manoeuvre around big trees and I'd always wish I had a flail mower when I looked at the results. The huge clumps of grasses the brush hog left took all year to rot away and made further mowing an issue when they got soaking wet.
Both two different types of mower , I run a garden contracting company in oxfordshire England and we use flails for very long grass and vegitation and the flails work very well everytime , to keep maintained grass down we use rotorary mowers and they work perfect for that task
I don't know how I missed this. Great video, my friend.
I guess so, where ya been. 😂😂
Thanks for the comment friend!
Keep on tractoring!
I chose a 62" flail over a brush cutter primarily due to the smaller footprint and therefore easier storing inside (limited space available). In addition it is my 750 pound rear ballast, much more convenient than hanging a long brush cutter off the back plus it is an additional 300 pounds. The instructions say not to mow in reverse because you can damage the roller but I THINK that concern refers to running the mower in backwards somewhere you don't know what you will find. Not a problem in a known field. Something you didn't mention is that a brush cutter is a fair bit cheaper than a flail mower.
I'm not sure I'd want to run over those trees unless I had a full underbody skid plate. Too many things that could be damaged.
I agree with you about the mowing in reverse, if you know what you're running over it's not going to hurt a thing. I do have a underbody skid plate from BX-panded that works really well and is very easy to install and take off.
Keep on tractoring!
Yeah I really do need to get a flail mower. Great video and comparison.
They are pretty nice, you would have fun with it in your property!
Keep on tractoring!
A brush hog is just that, rough and tough cutting of heavy growth and small trees. Windrows are good for raking up hay or straw for animals. A flail mower is for nicer cuts of light to medium wild grasses and only very small brush type of saplings. Parks and townships use these mowers because of safety. Less chance of sticks or stones being thrown. For a truly nice lawn a reel mower is used like on golf courses. But the rotary mulching or straight blade mower works well for 1" to 5" grass.
Thanks for the comparison Jon. I have been wanting a flail mower. I presently have 2 mowers. One is a 3 pt. mount brush hog made by SouthEast Mfg. The other is a tow behind brush cutter made by International Harvestor (Farmall). Both are 60 inch and do a good job for my needs. I have 110 acres of timber/ pasture that I have to mow every year. I bought my Kubota L2501 for the wide front end and 4 wheel drive. My land is pretty steep in spots. I would have to agree with you. The flail mower gets my vote. Perhaps next year I will be doing a video of my very own flail mower. Bucket list. Thanks for sharing Jon. I will have a video coming in a couple weeks of Big Bud. The worlds largest farm tractor. Bet that would pull my 60 inch mower, for sure.
Hi Gary, I’m glad that you found this video helpful. Sounds like you have quite a bit of work to do and could really use a flail mower. I look forward to watching your next video. Thanks for the comment.
Keep on tractoring!
Great video, and I was guessing those results. I need to turn and back into corners and tight spaces, so the short reach of the flail mower would work best. I've been thinking about buying a 60 inch Bestco flail mower for my John Deere 4310 tractor, but my land is full of rocks, so I'm guessing the roller will be thrashed on the irregular, hard surface. I was thinking that a flail mower with 2 wheels, instead of a roller, might work better. I'll be cutting tall grass, weeds and small shrubs (Lantana). Anyone have an opinion?
On the taller stuff, have you backed over it, rather than have the loader and tractor push it over first? I'm mainly talking with the flail mower but brush hog also... many people use the brush hog backwards. Just wondering how the flail works backing up into stuff. Also can you adjust the cutting height on the flail? Yea, I'm in the market for a mower.
Great vid, you deserve a larger sub base
Interesting post. The task outcome has alot to do with the size of tractor pulling the implement. For folks who have a smaller machine, they'll have to think about where their going to use a cutter before spending money and money may be the biggest factor because of the cost differences in buying and maintaining the two machines is considerable. Good post though.👍👍👍
I have both, haven't used the slasher (brush hog) once since I got the flail mower. There is no competition at all, the only benefit the slasher has is simplicity in design and construction but i've had zero issues with my flail. I wouldn't be running the slasher without a slip clutch though, $150 is a lot cheaper than gearbox repairs if you hit something...
I agree, I need a slip clutch and gauging the popularity of this video I will probably be doing that. Enjoy your flail mower!
Keep on tractoring!
Great comparison video! I'm still drooling over your Artillian tool rack - love the basket! Have you hit your hed on it while hooking up the PTO shaft?
That is a nice accessory isn’t it. I haven’t hit my head yet, it doesn’t seem to be very bothersome to hook up the three point attachments with it on. It comes off super easy however.
Keep on tractoring!
60" Mid mount mower, brush hog, flail mower, and a sickle bar mower. The sickle bar mower would be great to use to mow my irrigation ditches. Can't really think of anything better to mow ditches and ditch banks than a sickle mower.
They do make offset flails but they aren’t very suitable for sub compacts because of the extra side weight.
Keep on tractoring!
@@ritterjon I kind of wondered about that, thanks for the heads up. Probably would make the BX pretty tippy by trying to do an offset flail mower that way, especially on a bit of a hill around an irrigation ditch.
I really like the power rakes they have now and am wondering if you could use a flail mower the same way, perhaps with a little modification so it could get a couple inches lower? Thoughts? Thanks for sharing.
Get your self a little John Deere it will give you a cut more like a lawn mower. I have an MX6 it dose have a clutch. My Mother-in-laws mower went down and I used the Deere, she thought I used her mower. I know you will pay a lot more for the Deere. I've never used a flail mower, but I do want one that's an off set for my ditches. Thanks for the comparison 👍
I can't afford a deere
@@realityhurts8697 I know the feeling the one I have was given to me it had a bad gearbox on it, I found a set of gears for $425.00 and rebuild it myself. John Deere wanted $1800.00+ for the box.. Like I said before I still want a thrasher type mower just can't justify it right now. Thanks for the reply.
Great video!! And great comparison. I have had both a brush hog and a flail mower, and I no longer have the brush hog... The flail mower does a much better job, unless you are actually cutting down small trees. I have heard the same thing about not backing up with the flail mower, and i make an effort to not do so. One thing I did notice is it seems you were going a little fast with the brush hog. Slowing down a little will improve your cut as the blades have more time to chop the cuttings. The flail is still far superior. I have the same one as you (although 60 inches). I also bought it based on a recommendation from GP Outdoors. Thank you for your videos.
I'm sure slowing down would have helped but I wanted to compare what each would do at relatively the same speed. You're right, flail mower for in win!
Keep on tractoring!
Good review
Great evaluation Monsieur le Professeur 👍😊👌 Have a great family week Cheers !!!
Thanks for watching! Hope your roof is holding up well!
Keep on tractoring!
@@ritterjon Yes it is in deed, three down poor in 3 days !!! Cheers !!!
Good job Ritter. This is a good reference for those who do large yards of grass or heavier materials. I would not suggest a brush hog.
There may be little rabbits in the grass. Be careful. Great work👍
I wish I saw your video before buying my tractor. I did not know about a flail mower. It does left a nice cut when you don't have trees
It is a great option especially for sub compacts. I hope you get a chance to find one and give it a try.
Keep on tractoring!
Looking at the Betstco medium duty FH-EFG125 48” or possibly the Woodmaxx FM54 - would get either with hammer cutters. Currently use a 48” Howse rotary mower behind my MF GC1705. Great job 👍🏼💯
I had it narrowed down to those two options as well. I think either would work well for you.
Keep on tractoring!
You're not supposed to "brush hog" at 80 mph. Just a tip.
Yeah but where's the fun in not doing that? Fast and the Furious 20 : Tractor drift
If your just cutting grass with a brush hog sharpen those dull blades of yours and it will give you a much better cut . I mow grass with a brush hog and it does a pretty decent job . It won't be as good as a finish mower or your flail mower though , and yes slow down so it has time to make the cut . You will find you will have more maintenance with flail mowers .
@@hc7190 Would the cut quality in this case have anything to do with the lack of PTO Horsepower that the BX is putting out? I was thinking of getting a 42 or 48 inch brush hog when I get my BX2680 in the future it has slightly more PTO Horsepower than the BX23s used in this video, but is it really going to work very well with this size tractor? Thinking maybe the flail mower would be a better way to go...there isn't much in the way of heavy brush, mostly pasture grass and weeds that I'd need to be cutting, so I think a flail mower might be a better option anyways and probably less horsepower demand.
@@wildbill23c I had a woods 5ft. cutter for my B2650 and it would cut grass , not a hayfield just fine but I always thought it was a little to big for the tractor ( 19 pto hp ) . I bought it because it would cover my wheel tracks and the dealer said it would be fine . I wish I had bought the the 4 ft. one . The 2680 should handle a 4ft. just fine , you just have to match the speed to what ever you are cutting . If I were only going to have one I will choose the brush hog . If you keep the blades pretty sharp they will cut your field just fine . I have a 6ft. on my larger tractor and mow 50 acres of field with that and it looks fine to me . A flail will do a better job they say and yes maybe a little less HP required . A brush hog has fewer moving parts and easy to maintain .
@@hc7190 Thank you for the reply. I was leaning towards a 4 foot I think the BX would do fine with that, but nothing any larger at least I wouldn't want to try it. I think I'd go with a brush hog for the few times a year I'd need to mow a field...I plan on getting the 60" mid-mount mower which should handle everything else anyways, no need for a flail mower for what I'd be doing I don't think...either mowing grass or light brush so mid-mount mower and brush hog will do fine for me.
drone footage is awesome! this was a great comparison, makes me kind of regret buying the brush hog over the flail.
Thanks for watching, hope you get a chance to find a flail mower to use.
Keep on tractoring!
I went back in time and watched this video! I have some areas on my property that are extremely overgrown with vegetation and saplings. I have been debating whether to get a rotary cutter or flail mower. I see advantages to both. I think the rotary cutter would be better for my first reclamation, then the flail mower would be better for maintenance. I recently tried hooking up a 4' rotary cutter to my MF GC2610, I agree with you that it is a lot for the little tractor to handle. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Happy seat time to you! - Rick
Yes your thinking is correct. If you have a lot of big stuff knock it down with a rotary but then a flail mower is going to be the best way to maintain.
Keep on tractoring!
Good video,, brush hog heavy stuff then finish with flail mower, neat and even
That would be one way of doing it, however not everyone can have both. Just showing the pros and cons of each to help people make that decision.
Keep on tractoring!
Beautiful very beautiful machines ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Now I know what to buy, thanks
Thanks for the comment today on the bx group, my free stuff from kubota 🤫😊
I’m impressed! I would love some free stuff from them. Just a new hat would be nice.
Keep on tractoring!
Good comparison Jon. I think I would get the flail
Great video. By the way how is the hearing protection working out for you? Yes I mowed weeds today and did some trimming and I wore mine. Keep up the good work and tractor on.
I love those 3M worktunes! They are so comfortable and provide the right protection I need.
Keep on tractoring!
I'm in the process of thinking which would be better for cutting bullrushes that are very old. It's either a flail mower,bushhog,or a topper. Any ideas which is best also got brambles thanks
Thanks
I bet you he owns a bass fishing boat because he's balls to the wall with the tractor like he's trying to get to that one spot!
I have a bass boat and even I think he was going too fast.
Love my flail mower, it can handle up to 2.5 in. Mulching is the key, I only stop for logs, unless they are rotten then fair game. Great informative vid.
Glad you enjoy your flail mower, I wanted to make this video so people can see that a flail mower can keep on with a brush hog and get a better result.
Keep on tractoring!
Brush hogs have their place, I have watched vids that make me cringe for the poor tractor with what people put them through. My flail mower, even with the hammer blades will produce a manicured cut, just keep those hammers sharp. You can grind out the dings and dents from rocks and other debris. The best part is (as you stated) the maneuverability by not having 7+ ft of implement hanging off the tractor. Again, thank you for your time making this great video and you have passed better, getting to a Ritter great!
@@miken8336 but what if you have an area such as a creek bank where you actually need the extra reach of a rotary cutter so you can back up and safely cut farther out?
I’m leaning towards a flail mower when the time comes to get one. I see you were backing up with the flail mower.. this must be ok to do? I would need to be able to cut backing up sometimes with whatever I get. Thanks for the comparison, enjoyed it. Weather looked good there. Nice to see a tractor out working under the blue sky 🤠. Weather starting to get a little cooler here in Vermont. I’m looking towards to fall, my favorite time of the year to get in my woods and and cleanup my trails 💪
I love fall as well. I had great weather for this video. Yes backing with the flail works however it cuts better going forward.
Keep on tractoring!
A RITTER BIT WILL DO thanks 😊
which equipment handles buried rocks, roots, uneven ground, etc better?
Hammers with carbide tips would be cool.
Hi Jon, enjoy the content
I wish you could have included maintenance between them, cost and ease of hooking and unhooking. Thank you
I wanted to but the video was already over 20 min, maybe next time. However I can tell you that other than the flail being a few hundred dollars more the maintenance is very similar.
Keep on tractoring!
It's been a long time since I've seen such a one-sided argument on YT!
Listen, it's right there in the names: BRUSH hog and flail MOWER (as in "lawn mower").
Intentionally slowing almost to a stop when the flail hit the heavy stuff while maintaining a speed with the hog; lifting the flail to help cut while keeping the same height on the hog.
Oh, and I don't agree with your description of the blade operation on the hog. The blades are spinning so fast that the opposing blade cones along and also cuts the same spot long before you leave it, no matter the position. As to the front/rear center position, the difference is two directions: left-left-left; stump jumper; right-right-right. If the blades only have time to cut the media once, your tractor ground speed is too high.
True enough, the massive momentum of the heavy spinning blades are far more suited to larger tractors. A man has to know his limitations...
So you agree the flail mower did a better job?
Keep on tractoring!
Dude loves his flail mower, I’ll give him that. I’m in the process of buying one myself and even I see that the brush hog is superior in heavy brush removal efficiency, even with the suggestion being otherwise. Looked like he spent an increasing amount of time over every material with the flail mower vs the brush. The heavy brush bringing the tractor to a crawl really showed the disadvantage of the flail in heavy brush.
Nicholas DANNUNZIO I tend to agree with original poster, there was a bit of a bias... in the testing approach. Need to maintain the same speed and passes. If you do multiple pass with one, you do them with the other.
Also, although just six weeks of owning a tractor and brush hog, I have learned that changing the entry height to the exit height at the wheel makes a difference... lower the space at the wheel end and you will mulch more as the material stays in their longer. A real rest would be same exit height between the two of them.
All that being said, a mower will mow better..a brush hog will do brush better. Just makes sense.
I should also point out, I have a 60hp Kubota with a 72” brush hog, so there is amp,e blade and ample power.
Still I wouldn’t mind trying a flail mower one day.
Sorry all but I’m from the UK and live in the USA now , the heavy duty flails we get in UK are 3 times better than this flail and still I think it flail is good. I come from a farming background and whether big or small flails perform much better from cutting brush inc stuff up to 4” in diameter and through to cutting a large lawn..... go for a heavy duty flail any day but make sure they have hammers not Y blades.
The rotary mower your using looks like the blades need sharpening. It’s possible due to the top deck the blade is bent. I would dump the oil and replace it, lift it up with you loader and grind the blade a little. It should cut far better then it did.
The brush hog is good for making fire breaks and lumpy soil with gopher holes?
Great content
hilarious seeing a cab on such a tiny tractor, I am not saying I am not jealous about having a cab but it does look funny to me.
Ikr
Cab looks funny eh? I plow snow in sub zero weather with heat. I clear acreage, haul firewood in 90 degree heat...with air conditioning. Then theres tunes...50's on 5 on sirius. Doesnt look that funny to me, especially viewing the world from inside!
@@docicewalker4764 it just looks a little funny on a lawnmower
Yeah Guy sold me on the flail mower too.
I have a brush hog and have considered getting a flail to shorten the equipment length when doing rocky trail maintenance. Front tires go up on a rock, 3 pt leans back causing it to hit rocks. It's just hard to manage. It also takes up tons of space on the trailer.
Couldn't have come at a better time Jon. My brother just barrowed my 5' finishing mower for his 40 HP John Deere tractor. 5' is just the right size for my 25 HP tractor but a little too small for his bigger tractor. He's planning on buying a 6' finish mower, I was telling him 6' Flail mower might be better. I'm gonna show him this video. I agree, I think the Flail would be my choice, thanks buddy.
A flail will leave a much nicer cut and will still take care of considerable sized brush.
Keep on tractoring!
I meet 2 sets of brush cutter blades. 1 set sharpened and the 2nd unsharpened.
I keep the sharpened blades installed 95% of the time for standard grass cutting. It literally cuts like a lawn mower.
When I need to cut heavy brush (about 2 times a year) uninstall the unsharpened blades.
When I install the unsharpened blades, I use that opportunity to sharpen the "sharpened blades".
Just how I do things.
60 blades vs 2 keeps coming to mind. Always wanted to try a flail as I dont like the cut of a brush hog...well at least my brush hog.
Try sharpening your blades.
I use a 5’ bmb draw bar with Outside wheels.
I use a 3pt for rough cut. Then I switched over to my bmb after a year of using the 3pt.
Not a finish mower however works fine for my place.
And mine is not a flat property.
A slip clutch will seem really inexpensive when you get the bill to split the tractor and repair the PTO.
There is normally a shear bolt on the input shaft of the gear box to keep that from happening.
@@tomandolina383 if it is a used brush hog make sure the previous owned didn’t replace the “cheap pin” that kept breaking with a grade 8 bolt. 😎. Not that anyone would ever do such a thing.
Did you put a slip clutch or overrun clutch on you flail mower?
Agreed. 90% of low hour repairs are operator negligence. Treat you tractor right and it will outlast you.
The one thing I notice with a lot of videos and comments about the flail mower is the "how to". I absolutely smash the heavier stuff shown in this vid. The flail does cut in reverse but not neatly. By raising it on the 3 point hitch and reversing in it roughly chops at a higher level. Then dropping it down to go forward it tends to power through. The other important part is keeping revs up. When you hear and feel your revs dropping in really thick heavy or wetter areas, just stop your forward movement for a moment and feel those revs increase again. And slow down. The slower you drive the more effective the cut. Awesum and serious piece of machinery if you feel and as importantly listen to your mower. Cheers
What would you use for blackberry bushes?
Will the flail mower work on hill sides? I need to mow on a hill side and I have a 4 foot brush hog and makes my butt pucker everytime I brush hog. Feel like the brush hog is pushing me around on my Bx23s. Curious what you think. Looks mostly flat where you were mowing.
Thanks for the video. Really liked watching. You gained a new subscriber!
I would imagine that it would work slightly better than a brush hog simply because it should be more stable. However there are offset flail mowers that are meant for ditches that might interest you but a hillside is different than a ditch.
Keep on tractoring!
we have a lot of 20 tall scotch broom and similar nastiness. We have a lot of ditches and slopes to be handled. Which equipment handles such problems. especially when the cutting must be done while backing the tractor.
Honest opinion the best there is
Nice comparison. The flail mower looks like the clear winner. I wonder what the cost difference is. That may be the deciding factor for many folks. Cheers!
My Flail new and delivered to my driveway was $1309 and the same brush hog I've seen as low as $950 new. The flails have since gone up a bit in price but the difference isn't really all that much.
Keep on tractoring!
Hi there,
I'm stuck in a bit of a predicament. Got a few acres in alfalfa and can't find anyone reliable to cut the crop for me and I won't spend thousands of dollars on buying haying equipment so thought of using my rototiller to only cut and pulverize the plant portion of the crop without touching the ground. I'd make sure my tiller is lifted at least 2-3 inches off the ground at all times so it's not damaging the root and only mowing/mulching the stalk/plant. I'd do that over the course of the summer 3 times and just let the cut field rot and decompose over the winter.
I know this is not ideal but would you think a HD rototiller can give nearly as good of a finished product as a flail mower or not?
Thanks for your time and hope to get your insights on this.
Well, I gotta be honest I haven’t heard of anyone using their tiller to cut a field. However being that you’re attempting to cut alfalfa it might just work. My only worry would be it might wrap around and tangle up but since alfalfa isn’t all that long or strong it’ll probably just rip and mulch like you want. It’s worth a shot, let me know if it works.
Keep on tractoring!
@@ritterjon My ultimate goal is not baling it or anything, it's only to knock it down and mulch into usable matter and let it decompose over winter. Of course, I'd be doing it X 3 this summer so we shall see how it goes but I'm trying it on a small test patch first.
And ty for the prompt reply!
Hello from my local Minnesota TH-cam Channel. I'm a Brush hog guy myself.
Jon good comparison
God Bless
PaK
Tha is Peter, God bless
Keep on tractoring!
Some people will also use to mow their yard as if it's a finish mower. Apparently, this is becoming more of a common thing with flail mower owners. It cuts well enough to replace a lawn mower. If used for a lawn mower I would suggest the Y blades though as those are meant for more of a grass situation. The hammer blades are meant for more thick, overgrown areas and chopping up small saplings. Just a thought for people considering using them for lawn mowing their property.