I have sandy soil and mow about 100 hours per season. In fall after leafs are done I do a complete service on my ZD and replace the blades.
How many working hours before you sharpen lawn cutting blades?
- Thread starter ctfjr
- Start date
I keep a set ready to go and when changed I dress them up with a 3/4' double cut rotary file on a Milwaukee die grinder, I never sharpening to a point.
Those of you that are sharpening your blades, are you then re-balancing the blades? Any concerns of spindle damage due to running unbalanced blades?
I am (since the new zero turn.) Oregon precision blade balancing tool. It’s almost too delicate but the end result is ZERO vibrations.
I mow my lawns twice a week in season (about 40 minutes). I mow the road side, local public reserve, and another section 2km down the road once every 2-3 weeks, that's about 2 hours of mowing.
The road side has quite a bit of gravel, and sometimes I mow a bit of dirt that I didn't mean to. It's hard on the blades.
I used to sharpen with an angle grinder. The result was reasonably poor. It turns out that removing the blades isn't hard, and the bench grinder does a much better job. I do them probably 3-4 times a season. They're pretty dull when I do them, and in OK shape when I'm done (nothing flash). I never balance them, and never worry about it. The B2601 has a reasonably heavy duty deck, it doesn't seem to vibrate or otherwise have issues.
If I didn't sharpen I'd have to replace the blades quite often.
The road side has quite a bit of gravel, and sometimes I mow a bit of dirt that I didn't mean to. It's hard on the blades.
I used to sharpen with an angle grinder. The result was reasonably poor. It turns out that removing the blades isn't hard, and the bench grinder does a much better job. I do them probably 3-4 times a season. They're pretty dull when I do them, and in OK shape when I'm done (nothing flash). I never balance them, and never worry about it. The B2601 has a reasonably heavy duty deck, it doesn't seem to vibrate or otherwise have issues.
If I didn't sharpen I'd have to replace the blades quite often.
I inspect my blades periodically as well as look at the cut of the grass. In addition to cutting my own yard, which has many trees which drop seeds and leaves/small branches (sweetgum and pine), a few times a year I mow a field which has tall clumpy grass and plenty of tall ant hills.
I use an angle grinder with an all american sharpner to sharpen all of my blades (tractor, push mower, riding mower). It's not cheap, but keeps the perfect angle and makes quick work of sharpening blades (I use standard blades these days, no gator type blades.)
Dan
I use an angle grinder with an all american sharpner to sharpen all of my blades (tractor, push mower, riding mower). It's not cheap, but keeps the perfect angle and makes quick work of sharpening blades (I use standard blades these days, no gator type blades.)
Dan
I balance them on a nail inserted through the center-hole. It’s not a dynamic balance…. but it sure stopped my frequent/expensive spindle-failures since I started doing that.
When I used to sharpen, that was my preferred balance method also. I recently replaced all three spindles at 1500 hrs of use in my dry sandy conditions.
I used to do that, then I bought an actual cone balancer. As well as a tool to make sure blades same height which is more so issue with riding mower.
Dan
When they start leaving uneven patches or doesn't cut every blade of grass, and I find it easier and less time consuming to keep a spare set or 2 on hand and take them to someone with a machine to sharpen and balance them, much better blade life and results on my lawn.
Cheers
Samantha
Cheers
Samantha
I have 2 sets of blades for my mower - I swapped them to take the old ones to get them sharpened then it skipped my mind and never did. Then before the blades in use needed sharpened, I bought the sharpening jig. I have 3 Pieces of equipment with blades that I usually sharpen at least once a year at a cost of $15 each (assuming no inflation), it'll ONLY take me 7 years to recoup the cost of the sharpener jig
(in year 2, so only 6 more to go!). As an added bonus, I sharpen some friends blades as well.My angle grinder is one of my most used power tools.
Dan
When you figure time and fuel to take the blades somewhere and pick up you recovery time is much less than 7 years!
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
$33 for a new set of 3 (48" deck) blades (I just bought 3 Oregon blades).
How much does sharpening of 3 blades cost?
Last time I paid for blades to be sharpened, was set of 3 for 48" mower (2 years ago) and it was $15. Now, it takes about 15 minutes to sharpen 3 including the time to get out the sharpener, clamp in bench vice, get out the angle grinder, install the disk, sharpen the 3 blades, then put it all away.
The guy that I used prior is a local (retired) independent guy who works part-time (mon-fri I think 8a-1p). He used to be a one man shop, but now that word got out, he's been busier and as of last year, had at least 1 guy working for him.
Dan
We have a couple of places here and they both charge about $5.00 per blade.
I don't make a run out for just 1 item or task or thing anymore unless it is a "has to" case, these days I complete many things when I go out, (gas prices are just stupid).
Anyway when I have a dull set of blades I tie them together and put them in the car or truck and the next time I have to go out toward one of the shops I just drop them off, and then the next time I am out that way I will pick them up, thus why I have 3 sets of blades.
Cheers
Samantha