I'm new to tractors and am about to purchase a B2601. I need a flail mower and land plane and am a little overwhelmed with all the choices. I have 1.5 acres of grass to mow and also small areas of light brush to mow on occasion. I'm considering the Betstco 48" medium duty flail mower - FH-EFG125. With the small acreage, I probably don't need the top of the mower. The price has gone up a lot on the Betstco, and there are other options out there. I'll pay more if it's worth it. Next, I have a 220' driveway, about 11-12' wide. Do I need a 60" model, or will smaller work for me? Any suggestions on different makers or models? I want one with scarifiers shanks to smooth the potholes. I also want to grade it with a crown for drainage. Any advice from experience folks is appreciated.
Advice on purchasing a flail mower and land plane for B2601
- Thread starter Andy L
- Start date
I have a 72 inch Land Plane Grader/Scraper for my L2501. They are awesome. They can easily put a crown on a gravel road. My dealer preadjusted mine for that purpose. Do regularly check the blade tightness. If you are concerned with having enough power, buy a smaller one, but remember that there is no down force for the 3 pt other than the weight of the attachment.
Grader/scrapers push material toward the center. I think a 60 inch will be slightly short, so I don’t see any disadvantage of going 48 inch other than weight. You’ll still go down and back two times either way.
I suggest only putting the scarifiers down where the potholes are and then raise them back up. They are easily adjustable.
The neighbors are enjoying the passes I’ve put in on the neighborhood drive. So much that they stop and give me money. I try to say no, but they don’t take no for an answer. Our “nonmaintained” part of the road is now better than the “maintained” by the county part. Kind of cool, and I’ve only made a few passes.
One thing to keep in mind, Grader/Scrapers are extremely loud as they scrap the high spots. Wear hearing protection!
I don’t have any experience with flail mowers.
Grader/scrapers push material toward the center. I think a 60 inch will be slightly short, so I don’t see any disadvantage of going 48 inch other than weight. You’ll still go down and back two times either way.
I suggest only putting the scarifiers down where the potholes are and then raise them back up. They are easily adjustable.
The neighbors are enjoying the passes I’ve put in on the neighborhood drive. So much that they stop and give me money. I try to say no, but they don’t take no for an answer. Our “nonmaintained” part of the road is now better than the “maintained” by the county part. Kind of cool, and I’ve only made a few passes.
One thing to keep in mind, Grader/Scrapers are extremely loud as they scrap the high spots. Wear hearing protection!
I don’t have any experience with flail mowers.
I had a B2601 and was able to pull a 60” box blade of gravel down my very long road when grading and it also did fine when I would use the scarifiers, you can pull a 60” land plan with that machine. Make sure you are in 4wd and bump RPM to 2000 to start with. The land plane my association went with is the Land Pride GS1560, I like it a lot. I was pulling that land plane with a Yanmar 324 which is same size machine as B2601. I do plan to fab up something to attach to the back of it that’ll add weight as we have a very hard packed area of road where scarifiers just bounce due to not enough weight to dig in, once it starts to break up after a few passes then it goes quick. Just for reference my road is 3/4 mile long and it takes me maybe 1.5-2 hours to get it looking great. If you have to move a lot of gravel to middle of road to make a larger crown it may take longer but you could always just add to the crown each time you grade the area over multiple gradings as well. Land planes are so simple it makes an amateur like me look like I know what I’m doing.
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I am a little surprised someone would suggest paying a contractor to do something a tractor is perfectly capable of. I just did a half mile driveway yesterday using a 60" box blade.
Andy, I have the HD 48" betstco flail. A few of us here do. I know recently @bird dogger put his through a serious work out in brush. I have very limted time on mine, but am happy with it so far. I bought it because I disliked how the brush cutter was cutting overgrown grass, but still needed to bring it through the woods. The flail does a great job on the grass and gets it done in the brush. Unlike the brush hog, I can't tell the difference where the flail cut (with hammer blades) vs where my landscaper mowed with a finish mower. I think if you wanted to get the next wider size of flail the 2601 could do it.
If the betstco flail is nearing the price of a name brand units might be worth to consider. They may offer more robust configuration and adjustments. There are a lot of moving chinese parts and complications. I think more expensive brands may have better adjustment features for belt / chain tension ect.
On my 2601 I seem to be happiest with rear implements that are 60" wide, box blade, tiller ect. The ones that are 48" (brush hog, flail) I wish they were 60". Except the 60" landscape rake, I wish it were 72"
Andy, I have the HD 48" betstco flail. A few of us here do. I know recently @bird dogger put his through a serious work out in brush. I have very limted time on mine, but am happy with it so far. I bought it because I disliked how the brush cutter was cutting overgrown grass, but still needed to bring it through the woods. The flail does a great job on the grass and gets it done in the brush. Unlike the brush hog, I can't tell the difference where the flail cut (with hammer blades) vs where my landscaper mowed with a finish mower. I think if you wanted to get the next wider size of flail the 2601 could do it.
If the betstco flail is nearing the price of a name brand units might be worth to consider. They may offer more robust configuration and adjustments. There are a lot of moving chinese parts and complications. I think more expensive brands may have better adjustment features for belt / chain tension ect.
On my 2601 I seem to be happiest with rear implements that are 60" wide, box blade, tiller ect. The ones that are 48" (brush hog, flail) I wish they were 60". Except the 60" landscape rake, I wish it were 72"
Jchonline
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Kubota L6060, KX040-4, M7060, RTV X1100C, M62 (sold)
Flail mower - 300 parts. Rotary cutter - 50 parts. Rotary cutters are more dependable and easier to maintain. Do you have a use case for a flail? Your OP didn't provide one.
totally agree ^^^ you cant beat the brute force and simplicity of a brush cutter. but they really make a mess of thick grass. I still keep my brush hog on hand for the gnarliest stuff.
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I would go with a rough rotary cutter if not for my wife who vetoed that idea. She wants a nicely groomed field. So a finish mower might be an option, but the field might be a bit too rough and uneven. Also, I want to cut brush and tall grass at times.
If you cut relatively low to the ground, it’s going to look pretty good with either a finish or rotary cutter. With relatively rough ground, you can’t cut extremely close no matter what kind of mower you buy.
I think you probably can cut closer safely with a rotary cutter because hitting something from time to time will be fine with a rotary cutter and destroy finish mower blades. Of course, a rotary cutter can cut tall grass and brush while a finish mower is a nonstarter for that type of cutting.
Assuming your wife doesn’t want the brush and tall grass in some places, the rotary cutter seems to be the best choice for what you want to do.
On my B2601 I went with a 4' medium duty RCR1548 bush hog and a 5' FDR1660 finish mower. Great combo. I spent a ton of time looking into flail mowers. I'm am constantly backing up into areas with both my finish mower and my bush hog. From what I understand backing up is not recommended / efficient with a flail. Different types of blade types, sharpening requirements, etc. They look like great implements but educate yourself thoroughly.
IMO there is no comparison in the cut between my LP bush hog and the LP finish mower. The 5' FDR1660 finish mower makes my 5 acre yard look like it was cut with a zero turn and the medium duty RCR1548 bush hog cuts "junk" up to 2". I like the bush hog for cutting the nasty stuff but just wasn't pleased with the look when cutting my yard / pasture. I wanted more of a manicured look and the finish mower delivers.......the bush hog didn't.
Not that a flail is not the right answer for you but be aware of the pro's and con's. May or may not be the best option for your. Bush hog and finish mower has really worked out well for me!
IMO there is no comparison in the cut between my LP bush hog and the LP finish mower. The 5' FDR1660 finish mower makes my 5 acre yard look like it was cut with a zero turn and the medium duty RCR1548 bush hog cuts "junk" up to 2". I like the bush hog for cutting the nasty stuff but just wasn't pleased with the look when cutting my yard / pasture. I wanted more of a manicured look and the finish mower delivers.......the bush hog didn't.
Not that a flail is not the right answer for you but be aware of the pro's and con's. May or may not be the best option for your. Bush hog and finish mower has really worked out well for me!
Andy, I vote flail mower. I looked for my thread with pics I posted but just can't find it at the moment. I purchased the Betsco heavy duty flail with the hammer cutters and it does an unbelievable good job so far. I don't abuse it....but I certainly don't baby it either. I've been establishing trails through my woods and whatever feels comfortable driving over with the B2650 goes through the flail and comes out chopped and diced. It is very noisy! Ear protection a must! And it still cuts the grass in my windbreaks extremely nice. Only time will tell when the blades need sharpening/replacement.
As far as uneven ground is concerned: I had the flail set very low for cutting height. The trail areas were certainly not smooth to start with. The flail hammers had no problem cutting through the high spots in the ground, clumps of dirt, old uprooted small stumps, etc. It's almost like a roto tiller set at ground level or just above. You just adjust your speed according to whatever your feeding into it. (Within reason, of course!) I wouldn't run over multiple fresh cut 3" oak branches at the same time, etc. My rough cut bush hog mower couldn't even come close to leaving the same conditions behind after multiple passes. You'd have no trouble mowing your uneven grassy areas with it and it would only get smoother depending on your cut height. A flail with the "Y" blades may not do the same as the "hammer" blades as far as smoothing out ground.
From my experience, once you've established your trails and rid them of brush with a flail, then a rotary cutter will do just as well. But for starters, a flail can strip that brush down to ground level and leave a mulched trail behind it. If you'd like some pics, I can take some for you.
Each implement has its own strengths and weak points. I think you'd find the flail mower much more handier, useful, and do a better job in your brush and grass areas. And your wife would be much happier with the results! My wife now uses our trails for cross country skiing in the winter and wishes I would have bought the flail mower years ago!
Congrats on your "soon to be yours" new B2601 tractor!!!!!!!
As far as uneven ground is concerned: I had the flail set very low for cutting height. The trail areas were certainly not smooth to start with. The flail hammers had no problem cutting through the high spots in the ground, clumps of dirt, old uprooted small stumps, etc. It's almost like a roto tiller set at ground level or just above. You just adjust your speed according to whatever your feeding into it. (Within reason, of course!) I wouldn't run over multiple fresh cut 3" oak branches at the same time, etc. My rough cut bush hog mower couldn't even come close to leaving the same conditions behind after multiple passes. You'd have no trouble mowing your uneven grassy areas with it and it would only get smoother depending on your cut height. A flail with the "Y" blades may not do the same as the "hammer" blades as far as smoothing out ground.
From my experience, once you've established your trails and rid them of brush with a flail, then a rotary cutter will do just as well. But for starters, a flail can strip that brush down to ground level and leave a mulched trail behind it. If you'd like some pics, I can take some for you.
Each implement has its own strengths and weak points. I think you'd find the flail mower much more handier, useful, and do a better job in your brush and grass areas. And your wife would be much happier with the results! My wife now uses our trails for cross country skiing in the winter and wishes I would have bought the flail mower years ago!
Congrats on your "soon to be yours" new B2601 tractor!!!!!!!
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I agree. Some only want the "destination" and they want to get there immediately. I like the "journey" and even learning a thing or two along the way! LOL! Time spent on the tractor while figuring out how to best do the project at hand is fun, even if it has taken a few tries. Seeing the finished project is so much more rewarding when you've done it yourself!I am a little surprised someone would suggest paying a contractor to do something a tractor is perfectly capable of. I just did a half mile driveway yesterday using a 60" box blade.
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I have cut a LOT of grass and fields. I would never call a brush hog finish "nice" on grass. It is actually quite gross compared to a flail. It is a ripping tearing motion vs cutting/clipping - totally different.
Anything over 3' and my brush hog leaves a big windrow of long grass pieces. The flail is a much more uniform and mulched finish.
Borrow/rent a brush hog to do the first mystery cutting and then BUY a flail to do all your maintenance.
Anything over 3' and my brush hog leaves a big windrow of long grass pieces. The flail is a much more uniform and mulched finish.
Borrow/rent a brush hog to do the first mystery cutting and then BUY a flail to do all your maintenance.
Jchonline
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Kubota L6060, KX040-4, M7060, RTV X1100C, M62 (sold)
I would get a finish mower over a flail. Much simpler and less prone to failure.
Ok, for Andy's decision making benefit, you shamed me into going out and taking some pics too.
Here's the first trail, now 2 years old with the most passes with the flail mower. It's wider than it looks but the edges are covered with wild flowers (phlox and ?) so we're going to let them go to seed before I mow again. Two weeks ago they were in full bloom and very pretty.
Another trail through the woods with a few less mowing's to date.
Here's two before/after comparison pics:
the taller junk trees (mostly buckthorn) were cut just above ground level and hauled away and burned. Then the area mowed with the flail mower. The 3" diameter stumps were either ground up or turned into a stub of bristles that resembled a barber's brush for shaving cream. If they were in the walking area of the trail as "toe stubbers" they were removed with the stump grinder, although that was more the exception, rather than the rule. A few more mowings over the next year may have eliminated them altogether too.
This last pic shows a swath I cleared along a row of pines planted against a dying shelter belt of brush/trees. It was time to clear away from them to the inside. First larger brush (buckthorn) cut and removed. Then, any toe stubbers and larger stumps were ground out. But the flail turned the rest into basically mulch.
For cutting under trees with the flail: You just raise the flail up; back under and lower; then drive forward. Works great. You just can't reach as far under a pine or more lower branched tree as you could with a 3 pt rotary cutter. But because it's short coupled....its much more maneuverable.
And even after all this brush/trail cutting it still cuts grass extremely nice!
Each mower type has their advantages. This is how my flail works for me. Hope this helps!
David
Here's the first trail, now 2 years old with the most passes with the flail mower. It's wider than it looks but the edges are covered with wild flowers (phlox and ?) so we're going to let them go to seed before I mow again. Two weeks ago they were in full bloom and very pretty.
Another trail through the woods with a few less mowing's to date.
Here's two before/after comparison pics:
the taller junk trees (mostly buckthorn) were cut just above ground level and hauled away and burned. Then the area mowed with the flail mower. The 3" diameter stumps were either ground up or turned into a stub of bristles that resembled a barber's brush for shaving cream. If they were in the walking area of the trail as "toe stubbers" they were removed with the stump grinder, although that was more the exception, rather than the rule. A few more mowings over the next year may have eliminated them altogether too.This last pic shows a swath I cleared along a row of pines planted against a dying shelter belt of brush/trees. It was time to clear away from them to the inside. First larger brush (buckthorn) cut and removed. Then, any toe stubbers and larger stumps were ground out. But the flail turned the rest into basically mulch.
For cutting under trees with the flail: You just raise the flail up; back under and lower; then drive forward. Works great. You just can't reach as far under a pine or more lower branched tree as you could with a 3 pt rotary cutter. But because it's short coupled....its much more maneuverable.
And even after all this brush/trail cutting it still cuts grass extremely nice!
Each mower type has their advantages. This is how my flail works for me. Hope this helps!
David
Attachments
That's great advice. Thanks for the info, and I think I'll go with the Betstco 48". All the other flails also have gone up in price.I am a little surprised someone would suggest paying a contractor to do something a tractor is perfectly capable of. I just did a half mile driveway yesterday using a 60" box blade.
Andy, I have the HD 48" betstco flail. A few of us here do. I know recently @bird dogger put his through a serious work out in brush. I have very limted time on mine, but am happy with it so far. I bought it because I disliked how the brush cutter was cutting overgrown grass, but still needed to bring it through the woods. The flail does a great job on the grass and gets it done in the brush. Unlike the brush hog, I can't tell the difference where the flail cut (with hammer blades) vs where my landscaper mowed with a finish mower. I think if you wanted to get the next wider size of flail the 2601 could do it.
If the betstco flail is nearing the price of a name brand units might be worth to consider. They may offer more robust configuration and adjustments. There are a lot of moving chinese parts and complications. I think more expensive brands may have better adjustment features for belt / chain tension ect.
On my 2601 I seem to be happiest with rear implements that are 60" wide, box blade, tiller ect. The ones that are 48" (brush hog, flail) I wish they were 60". Except the 60" landscape rake, I wish it were 72"
dirtydeed
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Before you pull the trigger, maybe check into these two brands...
New Equipment Sales: Browse By Brand & Category | Messick's
Messick's has a wide variety of new equipment, from row crop tractors and excavators to handheld power equipment. Browse by brand and category.
www.messicks.com
WoodMaxx FM-54
WoodMaxx? offers various sizes of PTO flail mower attachments (54",62",78",88",96") Catagory-1 and Catagory-2 starting at ($1,949.00) Engineered in the USA. Free shipping in the USA & Canada. Call 855-966-3629 or visit www.woodmaxx.com for details
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I have the BETSTCO FHM-EFG135 which is a medium duty 53" with hammers. I got it for a steal at $1,100 shipped. I like it, but I don't use it all but 2-3 times/year. That's why I figured a chinesium unit would suffice for me. I really don't think you'd have any trouble spinning one of the same size with your B2601.
Before you pull the trigger, maybe check into these two brands...
New Equipment Sales: Browse By Brand & Category | Messick's
Messick's has a wide variety of new equipment, from row crop tractors and excavators to handheld power equipment. Browse by brand and category.www.messicks.com
WoodMaxx FM-54
WoodMaxx? offers various sizes of PTO flail mower attachments (54",62",78",88",96") Catagory-1 and Catagory-2 starting at ($1,949.00) Engineered in the USA. Free shipping in the USA & Canada. Call 855-966-3629 or visit www.woodmaxx.com for details
I have the BETSTCO FHM-EFG135 which is a medium duty 53" with hammers. I got it for a steal at $1,100 shipped. I like it, but I don't use it all but 2-3 times/year. That's why I figured a chinesium unit would suffice for me. I really don't think you'd have any trouble spinning one of the same size with your B2601.
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Nice photos! Very informative.brush cut gnarliness...
Flail...
OK, that's super helpful. Those really nice looking trails. I like your advice about mowing under trees.Ok, for Andy's decision making benefit, you shamed me into going out and taking some pics too.
Here's the first trail, now 2 years old with the most passes with the flail mower. It's wider than it looks but the edges are covered with wild flowers (phlox and ?) so we're going to let them go to seed before I mow again. Two weeks ago they were in full bloom and very pretty.
View attachment 61905
Another trail through the woods with a few less mowing's to date.
View attachment 61906
Here's two before/after comparison pics:
View attachment 61907 View attachment 61908 the taller junk trees (mostly buckthorn) were cut just above ground level and hauled away and burned. Then the area mowed with the flail mower. The 3" diameter stumps were either ground up or turned into a stub of bristles that resembled a barber's brush for shaving cream. If they were in the walking area of the trail as "toe stubbers" they were removed with the stump grinder, although that was more the exception, rather than the rule. A few more mowings over the next year may have eliminated them altogether too.
This last pic shows a swath I cleared along a row of pines planted against a dying shelter belt of brush/trees. It was time to clear away from them to the inside. First larger brush (buckthorn) cut and removed. Then, any toe stubbers and larger stumps were ground out. But the flail turned the rest into basically mulch.
View attachment 61910
For cutting under trees with the flail: You just raise the flail up; back under and lower; then drive forward. Works great. You just can't reach as far under a pine or more lower branched tree as you could with a 3 pt rotary cutter. But because it's short coupled....its much more maneuverable.
And even after all this brush/trail cutting it still cuts grass extremely nice!
Each mower type has their advantages. This is how my flail works for me. Hope this helps!
David