Mini digger flails- are they worth it.

[Matthew Storrs]

Just wondering about getting a flail for my 2.8t Takeuchi. Main jobs being flailing areas of brambles on soft or awkward terrain and odd jobs like knocking a hedge back prior to stock fencing etc.

 

they aren’t mega money IMO at £3k or so but does anyone own or operate one on a 3 ton size machine and how do you find it.

 

cheers

[LeeGray]

In exactly the same situation here, does anyone actually run one commercially or is flow too low to do a good/quick enough job to make worthwhile. Mines a Yanmar B25v. Read lots of poo pooing but also occasional good feedback from smaller machines. Tempted to hire before buy from approved.

[Matthew Storrs]

Iv spent the last hour trying to find good you tube videos. But can’t find much that really makes my mind up either way.

 

im not expecting a mega mulcher- just something that can undertake thick brambles and other light scrub more efficiently than if I was having to brushcut it.

[Matthew Storrs]

Didn’t realise Approved hired out- that may be well worth it. A 3 tonner could be a good carrier- sneaking through woodlands etc and being able to do public footpaths and stuff

[LeeGray]

https://www.approvedhydraulics.co.uk/collections/flails-light-duty-mulchers/products/te-80-lt seams like a good option, they’ll knock off the hire charge £350 if you buy one. like you not expecting massive power but could make life easy in places potentially. Looking at getting a saw head for the heavier stuff, in hedge trees etc  but can’t find any prices online. Slanetrac hs 55 looks viable but probably miles out on price.

[Matthew Storrs]

▻

If it could easily get through brambles like In that pic and leave a nice finish I’d be happy with that. 

␡

 

 

[LeeGray]

Would want to be in a cabbed digger though, given old farmers round here propensity to staple barb onto hedge/tree/anything remotely solid and vertical I might even be tempted to get a bit of margard!

[aspenarb]

We run a couple of these seppi`s on 3 tonners, as above you need a cab :). Worth getting a version with boot flails and one that either matches the flow rate of the machine or like the seppi comes with a variable displacement motor than can be adjusted to suit . Not the easiest thing to master because of the flow share with the machine but with patience will out perform half a dozen guys with brush cutters. 

 

Bob

 

Edit, for obvious reasons you need to be careful where you point them, a broken flail could do some serious damage or even kill someone.

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2018 by aspenarb

[LGP Eddie]

Simple fact is they’re down in money big time now and still some quality about at the price.

Forget all that Tracking and Flailing, trying to emulate a Tractor on Hedgecutting etc, or the fact one of the new Robotic types literally eat the job.

They are simply a great bit of kit to have in the armoury, will tidy up a lot of stuff to a very respectable finish and add another string to a carrier machines bow.

Just use them as intended, do the section you can reach and move on.

If you’re on a 5 tonner or up there’s some more reasonable priority valve solutions about now to eek a bit more out of them.

 

I’m not doing the whole plug thing, if anyone in the job wants a Femac I do them at right money and have been awaiting for their latest big fixed tooth to mount under the Engcon on my Liebherr.

 

 

Eddie.

[LeeGray]

4 hours ago, LGP Eddie said:

Simple fact is they’re down in money big time now and still some quality about at the price.

Forget all that Tracking and Flailing, trying to emulate a Tractor on Hedgecutting etc, or the fact one of the new Robotic types literally eat the job.

They are simply a great bit of kit to have in the armoury, will tidy up a lot of stuff to a very respectable finish and add another string to a carrier machines bow.

Just use them as intended, do the section you can reach and move on.

If you’re on a 5 tonner or up there’s some more reasonable priority valve solutions about now to eek a bit more out of them.

 

I’m not doing the whole plug thing, if anyone in the job wants a Femac I do them at right money and have been awaiting for their latest big fixed tooth to mount under the Engcon on my Liebherr.

 

 

Eddie.

I’d be interested in a price on the biggest femac you think would be worthwhile on a yanmar b25v Eddie. As above, bit of tidying up before fencing, ditching or drain work mostly but if I could take my time doing some of the hedges and possibly verges that the tractor flail mower can’t get too at home that would be a bonus. Double fenced 400m ditch last year and replanted hedge on one side, thought it was great till the strimmer had to come out! Strimming is bad enough on the flat ground but going along either in the water or lop sided is a killer.