Heavy Duty Woodland flail mower?

[tektoms]

Hey folks! 

Got a mature spruce woodland here's that's coming to the end of an era, dictated by storms repeatedly causing windblow (ever since Storm Arwen where half came down overnight).  The rest is due to be clearfelled this winter.   Plenty of planting has been done already in the new clearings, and gorse, broom and birch are popping up and establishing everywhere.. wild raspberries, brambles and honeysuckle giving it a go too.

 

I'm already anticipating the struggle of keeping paths clear through the woods in order to access the woodland (which is too large to rely on the brushcutter), but also to allow for more activities to occur in them (my community enjoy using my woods, and I plan on running events including allocated camping spots in the future).

I'd be keen to hear people's experience regarding flail mowers who don't mind tackling scrub, as opposed to just grass/meadows.  A quick search on youtube reveals some beautiful beastly machines, but they're typically all in the US...  Example in the link below.  Would love to hear if anyone's got any experience with heavy duty gear here in the UK that could go on the back of a medium sized tractor. 

 

  

Thanks in advance!!

 

Tommy

[Peasgood]

Alpha Variflo XHD+240 MAX Flail Mower

WWW.EBAY.CO.UK

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Variflo Rear door. Grass, brambles, gorse, saplings- variflo will cut and mulch the clippings from coarse to ultra fine. We have been designing and testing for almost 2 years and finally its...

 

[Peasgood]

Run mine off an IH 674 which is probably small rather than medium sized in todays terms.

My flail is actually a 280, so is bigger than the one in that particular link. 

I've abused it to feck and it takes it all, I bought it mostly to pulverise the prunings in my orchards. Claimed to be able to cope with 6" and I'd say it does but if you want it completely gone it might take more than one pass.

 

 

 

 

[woody paul]

If it's only young growth you could get a cheap topper mower 6 ft wide. Easier to maintain the flail. 

That video has been speed up a lot would of taken him days to do that. 

I run a old Wessex scrub master, out of machines I have used before it's an animal. 

[spandit]

14 hours ago, woody paul said:

If it's only young growth you could get a cheap topper mower 6 ft wide. Easier to maintain the flail. 

That video has been speed up a lot would of taken him days to do that. 

I run a old Wessex scrub master, out of machines I have used before it's an animal. 

I have a Scrubmaster too - never worry about sharpening chains!

[Muddy42]

Most flails will tackle scrub with heavy duty hammers rather than blades.  Look for machines that are made with thick metal - some of the chinesey stuff is made from tinfoil.  Dont be tempted to buy a wide flail for paths as this saps power. This type of cutting is hard work and you'll need all the power you can get.

 

I have an ATV flail mower made by Chapman in the UK and its excellent, they also do PTO ones.

 

I think a flail would be better than a rotary mower here.  Felling work can leave the ground uneven and heavily rutted by the forwarders.  A rotary mower won't like this.  Just about worst that can happen to a flail is that the flails break or the clutch or belts give.  

[GarethM]

What do you consider a medium sized tractor, as a flail of any size is around 15hp per foot preferably more if the ground isn't a bowling green.