changing my mind daily

[Blue76]

Decided I want a flail mower. The ditch bank models look cool and attract me like a magnet. But is it the best choice for ME? I do have a couple of areas where this would be perfect, but I mow those maybe twice per year? (check that... cut with string trimmer) Heck one of them isn't even on my property, it is the back driveway to a church that joins my property. I mow an area for them and keep it looking good. (No one from that church has ever said thanks or even acknowledged I do it for free.) Thats ok... I will keep doing it.
But... I also want to mow a few trails in the woods and around the property line that runs through some wooded areas. I have a couple of acres of thinned out trees around the house I want to keep the undergrowth knocked down. Doing it with a ZT now and it is rough on it. So, a ditch bank might not be the best choice for those areas and with my tractor being on the smaller side I couldn't get a very big DB mower without it being unstable according to the research I have done.
So now I am torn... do I stick with the DB flail or go with maybe a larger flail with hydraulic offset to help with getting under trees and fence lines?

Anyone ever had this dilemma and regretting going one way or the other?

Not made of money so buying two isn't an option.

Greg

 

[GeoHorn]

…. (No one from that church has ever said thanks or even acknowledged I do it for free.) Thats ok... I will keep doing it.


Greg

If they’re like our church members…they likely don’t know you’re doing it for them. Our church has a hired-team who mows and after awhile, no one pays any attention….. the members probably think it’s part of what they’re paying-for.

You should send them an Invoice for $1000K for the year’s-worth of mowing…. mark the invoice PAID/Donation…. (ask for receipt)…. and deduct it from your taxes…. might pay for a ditch-mower.

 

[Blue76]

If they’re like our church members…they likely don’t know you’re doing it for them. Our church has a hired-team who mows and after awhile, no one pays any attention….. the members probably think it’s part of what they’re paying-for.

You should send them an Invoice for $1000K for the year’s-worth of mowing…. mark the invoice PAID/Donation…. (ask for receipt)…. and deduct it from your taxes…. might pay for a ditch-mower.

Hey... I like the way you think. However, many do know the pastor sees me doing it and one of the Elders is a friend of mine. It's OK I don't do it for recognition anyway... it just looks bad if I don't.

 

[Russell King]

As I understand the question, you are trying to decide between just horizontal offset and the ditch bank rotation to also angle the mower up or down.

@McMXi should be along to comment since he has a ditch bank flail mower.

I think the ditch bank would give you the most versitlity but also be the most costly and more updates to the tractor would be required to control the hydraulics. If you have flat ground and can drive on the bank safely then you would not need the ditch bank, the offset would work fine.

But you say you trim that by hand so you must not feel comfortable on the slope when on the tractor. Is there enough time in the trimming to make the cost of the ditch bank mower and tractor modifications worthwhile?

 

[McMXi]

@McMXi should be along to comment since he has a ditch bank flail mower.

I think the ditch bank would give you the most versitlity but also be the most costly and more updates to the tractor would be required to control the hydraulics.

I think you nailed it re ditch bank flail mowers, but I would add safety to the "pros" column and size to the "cons" column. You're weighing safety and versatility against cost, size and complexity.

 

[Blue76]

I think you nailed it re ditch bank flail mowers, but I would add safety to the "pros" column and size to the "cons" column. You're weighing safety and versatility against cost, size and complexity.

I have a grasp on what is required on the hydraulic side of it thanks to people on this site.

My concerns are these...
Can my L2501 handle a ditch bank Flail without damage to the tractor as I have seen in some other images.

Will the offset make the tractor even more "tipsy" than it already is. Even with fluid in the tires it feels way tipsier than my L3600 with no fluid.

I "think" I could handle a conventional flail around 68" wide, on a ditch bank probably more like 48" at best.

Will the BD flail be frustrating to mow in the wooded areas... my brush hog is terrible in those tight areas. The DB would be similar even when folded in behind the tractor as best I can tell.

And to answer the other reply above... the bank area is too steep to mow with a tractor. I tried it with my ZT and I slide down the bank into the ditch. Right now, it is maintained with round up and a weed eater, but my wife hates the round up look.

1st world problems for sure.

Greg

 

[McMXi]

I have a grasp on what is required on the hydraulic side of it thanks to people on this site.

My concerns are these...
Can my L2501 handle a ditch bank Flail without damage to the tractor as I have seen in some other images.

Will the offset make the tractor even more "tipsy" than it already is. Even with fluid in the tires it feels way tipsier than my L3600 with no fluid.

I "think" I could handle a conventional flail around 68" wide, on a ditch bank probably more like 48" at best.

Will the BD flail be frustrating to mow in the wooded areas... my brush hog is terrible in those tight areas. The DB would be similar even when folded in behind the tractor as best I can tell.

And to answer the other reply above... the bank area is too steep to mow with a tractor. I tried it with my ZT and I slide down the bank into the ditch. Right now, it is maintained with round up and a weed eater, but my wife hates the round up look.

1st world problems for sure.

Greg

There are ditch bank models suitable for smaller tractors, but as I mentioned above, the cutting head width is reduced due to the offset weight. On those occasions when the cutting head is tucked in behind the tractor you might find yourself wishing that you had a wider flail. But this is the trade off. When the cutting head is all the way extended it will certainly change the balance of the tractor. Increasing rear tread width or adding weight to the tractor in the form of liquid ballast and/or wheel weights will help.

Ditch Bank Flail Mower For Tractors Del Morino Funny Super

Mow safely away from fences or treelines, or even angle to mow along roadsides, ditch banks, or ponds with the hydraulic controlled Del Morino Funny Super!

www.goodworkstractors.com

I don't know what you're dealing with in the wooded areas or what your objectives are, but an hydraulic offset flail offers more options than a typical rotary cutter. I'd sell the RCR1884 before the Del Morino flail simply due to the versatility of the flail.

These banks are steeper than they look, and not something that I could cut without the ditch bank flail. And when you want to use it as a mower, it works for that too.

 

[Survivor]

I've done some stuff like that with my RCR1860 on my L2501.

They will lean quite a ways getting your outside wheels right down into the ditch bottom. It gets scary as heck! But the cutter is very heavy down low and you keep the bucket way down low. The hard part is the back slope because you're tipping back into the road.