Opico Skidster or sherpa mini loaders

[dumper]

1 minute ago, Ty Korrigan said:

Ah, I get that with my tractor running adze profile rather than Y profile flails.

Even putting a fresh edge didn't change matters.

My old flail mower had Y profile and was excellent.

   Stuart

  

Look at the front of your mower, most loader flails are reverse mounted tractor designs, and the leading edge is too low for the foreward speed think how a forestry mulcher looks also look at rotation grass cuts better upwards with a sharp edge 

[Dan Maynard]

1 hour ago, doobin said:

Roller fed chipper (new)- £2500

What chipper did you get?

 

I have thought about a loader but would also be useful to lift an ibc of firewood, so compact tractor would maybe be better. Hadn't thought that it could also be my bigger chipper, that makes a lot of sense financially.

[doobin]

6 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

What chipper did you get?

 

I have thought about a loader but would also be useful to lift an ibc of firewood, so compact tractor would maybe be better. Hadn't thought that it could also be my bigger chipper, that makes a lot of sense financially.

Rock machinery. The 125 model. I’ll let you know what it’s like when it gets here, but their pto stump grinder is seriously impressive, especially considering the purchase price. 
 

 

We are not really tree surgeons, so our only chipper currently is a wee chipper. Tractor mounted made a lot of sense for the larger jobs we do, but it’s still overall a small chipper. I could have gone for the larger model but wanted to be able to run it on the 26hp compact. 

[Dan Maynard]

1 minute ago, doobin said:

Rock machinery. The 125 model. I’ll let you know what it’s like when it gets here, but their pto stump grinder is seriously impressive, especially considering the purchase price. 
 

 

We are not really tree surgeons, so our only chipper currently is a wee chipper. Tractor mounted made a lot of sense for the larger jobs we do, but it’s still overall a small chipper. I could have gone for the larger model but wanted to be able to run it on the 26hp compact. 

I also only have a mini chipper which I run into a muck truck rather than dragging stuff about. I then hire a Timberwolf if the jobs big enough, sometimes roller fed makes sense.

[Mick Dempsey]

2 hours ago, doobin said:

To be fair, your machine should have the flow to be reasonable. I'd take a look at your choice of flails, as this can make a big difference. The flails are probably light L-shaped flails? Try some heavier swinging paddles.

Agreed, there was a guy who changed for the swinging hammers on the MO FB page. There was talk of the welded lugs failing. Can’t remember the details. 
I should try heavier paddles, got to get the plug in bit changed fro MO to Avant first though!

[dumper]

Changing to hammers will require new lugs I found out the hard way, best flail I have used was converted twose hedge flail would cut anything with a good selection of flails very much regretted selling 

[Dbikeguy]

You'll get a second hand compact tractor and flail for less than the cost of the loader flail.
 
I don't know why people insist on using a loader for tasks that could be acheived with a compact tractor. A hydraulic PTO is so inneficient, and 3-pt linkage attachments are way, way cheaper. Even secondhand, an Avant flail commands strong money due to rarity- probably £2.5k You can pick up tractor flails for £1k all day long.
 
My Kubota compact has been a great purchase, way more useful than I dreamed. In the last two years I have bought:
 
Flail collector- £800
Second flail collector plus scarifier blades- £1200
Vacuum grass collector to pick up from the mid mount deck- £250
PTO driven deep aerator- £500
Topper (new)- £800
Stump grinder (new)- £1800
Mole plough- £400
Firewood processor- £4500
Heavy roller- £250
Fertiliser/seed spreader- £250
PTO generator- £400
Roller fed chipper (new)- £2500
 
 
All those attachments are available to fit a loader, but you'd be very lucky to find them second hand and they would cost five to ten times as much new (really not an exaggeration, £8k for the Avant flail collector!) I can provide a huge range of services with gear that cost me peanuts. A loader is to load and carry (and they are great at it). A tractor is to run implements requiring power efficiently.
 
 
You won't run any sort of flail on a Sherpa or Cast. Even the 22hp option only puts out 28l/min. A 1.5t mini digger puts out 30l/min, some claim that their 1.5t runs a flail great but lets be honest, they don't really. They can only slew- any other movement robs all the flow. You need very expensive piston motors on the flail to get even a reasonable performance. As the little loaders have hydraulic drive, you simply won't be able to drive and flail, it'll be like tracking and flailing on a mini digger which is widely acknowledged as impossible.
 
In your circumstances, I appreciate that a compact tractor won't work (width). I'd get yourself an engine driven flail like they use behind or in front of quads, and fit loader brackets to it. That would be very effective. You could also consider a two-wheel tractor with flail mower, or a Scag/Ferris self propelled pedestrian flail.

That’s kinda my point, a mini loader if possible can do multi roles with one machine, clear then move material or auger ground screws in, storing, transporting another machine takes up space (loader will go onto my pick up leaving my trailer empty.

The flailing is maybe 10 days work a year and i don’t have any plans to do more grounds maintenance.

Kinda like the self powered flail option, easy enough to fab up some mounts

[Mark Bolam]

How would the self powered flail mower work backwards, so to speak?

They are obviously designed to be pulled, not pushed.

Or am I missing something?

[doobin]

18 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

How would the self powered flail mower work backwards, so to speak?

They are obviously designed to be pulled, not pushed.

Or am I missing something?

You’d mount the brackets and reinforce as necessary to make it work. Or if easier you could just mount the engine the other way around on the other side to spin the shaft the other way. 
 

piece of cake 😉

[Mark Bolam]

Of course!

 

With my fabrication skills I would probably end up with something that would make the scrub taller!