Where to hire flail Mower?

mikecb

Can anyone help me with info on where I can hire a flail mower. I'm looking for one with at least a 36" cut as the area I want to cut is several acres and filled with briars and four years of grass. A conventional lawnmower won't do it - it's really bad.
From a desperate seeker. Mikecb.

ttm

You might be better off getting a farmer or farm contractor in to do it. Trouble is flails tend not to be for hire as they are very dangerous (pedestrian types that hire shops might have) and tractor mounted units tend to only come with the tractor and driver.

mikecb

Wish I could get a tractor in to do it but the access onto the ground is too restrictive for one. Maybe someone out there has one they might want to sell or even hire it out for a few days.

Sonnenblumen

You could enquire about a SEP 2 wheel tractor with a 1.5m Sickle Bar. Although it has a 13 HP engine and 4 speed gearbox it might be your best option given the access restriction. Still a lot of work to clear a few acres.

Contact Edge Machinery, Athy, Co Kildare he might put you right where you might hire a machine etc

They're great machines, tough and fast and clearance etc.

ttm

So whats the size of the plot?

If you do the brambles with a slasher to get the height down (or brush cutter - my preference) then you should be able to get "jungle buster" type of pedestrian mower. I won't specify a model as there are lots of different ones and again unfortunalty its rare to fine one for hire (they get hammered). So what you are looking for is a large pedestrian rotary mower that has a great deal of depth between the blade and the top of the inside of the deck and a very wide area to allow the cut material out from the deck. Anything that tries to get thick materal up a cute is bound to fail. Then go for the bigest engine on the smallest width of cut.

And there is probably no such thing a a pedestrian flail mower bigger than 36inches (not even sure I've used one that big) as the power required for the flail is so great you end up with a very heavy super expensive unit that no one would buy compared to a tractor mounted model.

You could also look around for a towed rough cutter unit that goes behind a quad bike or mini tractor if you have enough access.

mikecb

Too big a plot and too many briars for a conventional mower. I will enquire about the sickle bar but I would prefer to use a flail mower if anyone could point me in the direction of one. Many thanks for replies so far.

ttm

I have used a pedestrian flail mower in the past, 24 inch I seem to remember and it was of limited use on really big brambles. Because of the guards and the height of the flail you have to get over the brambles before they start to get cut so as you can imagine on 6ft tall brambles you have to flatten them first then the machine can't cut where the guide wheels are and it gets in a tangle. Great though on bracken and stuff up to about a max of 3ft high.

The syckle bar mower can be better but only cuts the bottom of the brambles leaving you driving into a mass of brambles that can still be at head height and then the bramles wind thenselves around the wheels.

With a good professional brush cutter (strimmer type and 3 pointed metal blade - not for the nervous) I used to reckon I could do nearly an acre in a day of really rough ground. Tall brambles would often be quite easy particularily if they were old and dry, so could easily do more.

All in all its either a very easy quick job with a massive tractor mounted "jungle buster" or a long slow back breaking job by hand.

mikecb

I think I'll go for a sicklebar mower instead of a flail mower then. Now the question is does anyone know where I can hire a good one? I tried Edge Machinery in Athy but they only sell them and they're expensive new. Or if anyone has a sicklebar mower for sale second hand I'd be interested.

Sonnenblumen

Was Richard not able to give you details of hire shops he supplies/supplied with Sickle Bar Mowers?

Anyways try Charles Kavanagh at Kellys of Borris Carlow 059-9771741.
www.kob.ie

Received some promo re 3 day sale on 17,18 and 19th Jan.

You could consider buying a base model and additional attachments incl sickle bar, tiller, stone burier , harrow etc etc. Only thing is the more you do with these machines the more likely you'll require the 11.3HP diesel engine which are not cheap. You could get a base model for <€ 3k.

As I said previously they are superb machines. I've seen DIY versions at some hire shops, including Hills Hire (Cabinteely), Rathfarnham Hire, and I think A-Z hire in Walkinstown. Try also Speedy Hire.

Good luck.

mikecb

Thanks to everyone for all your help. I've eventually found a Sicklebar mower for hire. It's only got four horse power with a 30" cut and this might seem small but I've been told they are still pretty powerful. So no more talking, it's action time I guess.