Flail Mowers / Hedge Cutters For Sale in United Kingdom

These units often feature a flail mower attachment. The flail mower, as the name suggests, uses flails attached to a rotating drum to cut the vegetation. The flail mower is better suited to cutting tough vegetation such as hedges. Damage can be caused to a standard mower if it strikes a foreign object or thick vegetation it cannot cut. In the case of the flail mower, however, the flails, which are attached to the drum by chains, simply bounce off the object. The hedge mower is usually mounted to the tractor’s three-point hitch and takes its power from the tractor’s PTO.  There are many factors to consider when choosing a hedge cutter. One important consideration is the nature of the mounting. They can be mounted to the front, rear or even middle of the tractor. The rear-mounted configuration is probably the simplest.

A front-mount system has some advantages, however. Chief among these is visibility. Working from the front, the driver has a great view of operations and can easily keep his eye on the road ahead while performing cutting operations. A mid-mounted system, meanwhile, offers greater stability and is useful for hedge mowers with a longer reach.

Hedge cutters have their mowing units attached to the end of an articulated hydraulic boom which can extend and manoeuvre to be correctly placed on the top or side of the hedge, while the tractor remains safely and securely positioned on a flat surface.

Booms can extend to 8 metres or more for the greatest reach and operational capability. This places stress on the tractor, and the boom will have both a minimum tractor power rating and a minimum tractor weight in order to counterbalance the extended boom and remain safe and stable.

Hedge mowers also feature some useful options, such as lift floats and angle floats. These will follow the contours of a verge or hedge in the vertical and horizontal planes automatically, reducing the need for manual inputs and increasing both the accuracy and efficiency of the cut.

Parallel arm geometry, meanwhile, allows operators to change the reach of the boom without having to constantly adjust the lift service to compensate for head pivot height changes. Some hedge cutters also feature a system to allow accurate vertical cutting close to the tractor — ideal for working in tight country lanes.

Others have safety breakaway systems which protect the mower in the event that it strikes an immovable object. Still further enhancements involve automated cruise-control systems, which allow faster and more efficient mowing operations.

Popular manufacturers include Bomford, McConnel, Massey Ferguson, Spearhead and Twose. The hedge mower is quite a complex piece of equipment, and care should be taken when selecting a used version.

The hedge mower needs to be properly sized in terms of its reach, power and tractor weight requirements. The site of the mounting needs to be decided and the crucial hydraulic system needs to be in good order. Before buying a used hedge mower, then, a thorough trial should be completed.