Turner Flail Mower

[Baker9]

I am looking for a flail mower to control rushes, whins etc. I have seen a Turner 88 flail mower for sale. I know that Bomford own them now. Does anyone know anything about them, are it suitable for my job.
I know that it is a fair age of a machine but I will not be using it much, just as and when I need to.
A new machine is not feasible.

 

[Warp Land Farmer]

@Dave W has a few toppers for sale I believe

 

[8100]

Turner were big on the council in their day they seemed robust flails

 

[Dave W]

@Dave W has a few toppers for sale I believe

No flails but have a proper heavy duty rotary that will chomp rushes and be indestructible

 

[Johnny Deere]

No flails but have a proper heavy duty rotary that will chomp rushes and be indestructible

What rotarys have you

 

[Dave W]

What rotarys have you

Got a 7ft opico bushhog. Serious heavy duty bit of kit

Also got a twin blade 6ft Wessex. Good strong built thing. Not Chinese crap. More of a finishing Mower

 

[Jameshenry]

In my experience rushes are hard going with a flail ! Unless you can open up the back so the flail can get rid of what it's cutting , rotary toppers are ok if the rushes aren't too high , if they are they seem to bog the machine down , an old twin drum mower will make the easiest work of heavy rushes ,

 

[Boohoo]

No experience of a Turner 88 but I've used a Bomford Bandit, which I'm assuming is similar, on rushes and it wasn't up to the job. I'm sure they're great for verge mowing but they're too enclosed for cutting rushes. An old single chop or double chop is hard to beat for rush cutting on a budget and because they're offset you get a clean cut.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

In my experience rushes are hard going with a flail ! Unless you can open up the back so the flail can get rid of what it's cutting , rotary toppers are ok if the rushes aren't too high , if they are they seem to bog the machine down , an old twin drum mower will make the easiest work of heavy rushes ,

Would have to agree with you there!
Over here there's a drum mower under most hedges, UFO ones handle decent sized gorse and rushes pretty well.

 

[PuG]

Agree'd flails bog down on reeds even with the back open! I think its because they absorb the impact so well leaves you with a bundle of semi cut still sticking up from the ground. Apart from that prefer my flail mower.