Ford Flail Mower

flail mower

The big metropolis of Trenton, Missouri had its first annual city wide garbage sales today so the MRS. and I piled in the econobox Escort for a short drive to haul home more stuff we don't need, don't have room for, and can't afford. I found this Henderson flail mower and was intrigued as I have not seen one before. I asked the fellow if it was a flail mower and he said "a what?" It was marked $35 so I let it be but as the day wore on I couldn't get it out of my mind. I generally don't mess with items that don't have a seat but this one is different. About 50 garbage sales later we still had room in the hatchback so I went back by and it was still setting there. I told the ole boy I'd give him $20 for the flail mower and he took it so fast I figured I left about ten bucks on the table! He then proceeded to tell me he didn't think it was a mower but it was to rip up the yard for reseeding. With some redistribution of items there was room in the car AND the MRS. could still have a seat for the ride home. I was a total gentleman and took the side with the engine and the MRS helped load. On the way home I realized I didn't even ask the seller if it ran! Once home - smelling gas the entire way - we unloaded the car and I checked the oil and gas. Both were full so I gave her full choke and let her rip. It started first pull and would run OK if the choke was on. After cleaning the fuel line from a very stubborn blockage and adjusting the carb it runs perfect. I wonder if the engine has been changed since it is a different color. I mowed until it was too dark to see. Life is good! I added a couple more pics. The width of cut is 20 inches and there are six rows of knives with eleven knives per row so by my calculations thats 66 knives on the roller. I'm not even sure I am using the right terminology on the parts. The quality of cut is somewhat poor but some of the knives have obviously hit something and are rounded off at the tip. With a 45 degree angle on the cutting surface I don't see how it could have a good quality cut. It looks to me as if the knives need to be at a 90 degree angle. I have no idea how fast to spin the knives [RPM] but it cuts virtually the same at fast idle or wide open. In heavy grass it misses a lot and I was having to pull it backwards and go over heavy stuff a couple of times. Since the design doesn't throw clippings as they are cut I think it is clogging up under the "deck' in the heavy grass.

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