Flails - what did the forum decide?

[Sebastian]

I have a Bomford flail mower and the stock whale tail flails will need replacing next year. I recall a few threads on this in the past. Was it Y tails that were deemed the best as all rounders in grass, rushes and an occasional bit of bramble?

 

[scrubbuster]

That's what I use on an Orsi. Not quite as clean a job as the whale tail but not bad and much more resilient when hitting foreign objects. Much safer too, big ones can act like golf clubs

 

[DrDunc]

A pair of J shaped flails with a centre "fan" finger is the best combination for grass, rushes, and occasional dense stuff.

I found travel speed was more than double that of the whale tail flail I had been using. The swinging J blades chop the stuff up better, and it composts down faster too.

 

[Andrew1983]

A pair of J shaped flails with a centre "fan" finger is the best combination for grass, rushes, and occasional dense stuff.

View attachment 415840

I found travel speed was more than double that of the whale tail flail I had been using. The swinging J blades chop the stuff up better, and it composts down faster too.

That's same machine as we have, I often wonder if whale type flails would leave a better finish?

 

[DrDunc]

That's same machine as we have, I often wonder if whale type flails would leave a better finish?

In grass whale tails won't leave the slight corrugations that the J type does.

However i found the whale tails needed to be kept razor sharp for topping shot grass. The forward speed is half what's possible with theJ type flail (I'll happily top grass at over 10mph). Also the J flail picks up the tyre wheeling better, hardly leaving a mark, unlike the stripes the whale tails left.

 

[Sebastian]

Hmmm. I think I am going to give the j flail a go. I find that my whale tails are more beating the grass into submission than cutting, but then again, I haven't kept them sharp.

 

[John 1594]

either way, flails direct will probably be the best and cheapest place to get them

Ive got 2 sets for our trimmer now, Y flails for summertime ditch mowing and a pair of sharpenable "twist" flails for winter hedge work

 

[Sebastian]

either way, flails direct will probably be the best and cheapest place to get them

Ive got 2 sets for our trimmer now, Y flails for summertime ditch mowing and a pair of sharpenable "twist" flails for winter hedge work

Cheers. Will check them out.