Just wondering what type of stone you use out there for sharpening lawnmower blades? Just one stone or multiple? I have a lawnmower with 3 blades.
Regards,
Buzzsaw
Just wondering what type of stone you use out there for sharpening lawnmower blades? Just one stone or multiple? I have a lawnmower with 3 blades.
Regards,
Buzzsaw
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Replies
Buzz,
I just did mine two weeks ago. Three blades on a 48" deck.
I use my benchgrinder. Takes about 45 seconds per blade.
Buy a blade balancer, a little jig, looks like two inverted stacked cones. Cost about $1.50 at the hardware store.
Sharpen the blade, balance it on the jig, see which side is heavier, and take a bit more metal off that end.
Keeps the deck running smoothly, no shivers and shakes.
I used to sharpen them in place, but it's faster and I get a better edge by removing them.
I have a 52" deck and I never look forward to removing the blades as it is a pain. I've been bringing them to be sharpened for the big mower but I decided to just use the bench grinder myself. Do you just use the stone that it came with? Also, can you get this blade balancer at any HD or Lowes? I can't picture what they look like but I'll do an internet search. Thanks a lot...Regards,
Buzzsaw
It's easy for me, as I pull the mowing deck in the fall to attach a 44" snowblower for winter work.
When I pull the blower off the garden tractor (JD235) in the spring to reinstall the deck, that's when I do the blades.
I've seen the blade balancers at HD. Don't frequent Lowes. Lemme see if I can find a picture...
The wheel on the grinder isn't original, it's a Norton 40 grit. I don;t touch the blades up afterwards. I've never seen a need. They hold an edge quite well throughtout the mowing season. I think the original wheel on the grinder might have been 36 grit. The 40 is somewhat coarse, but at 1750 rpm it does the job and leaves a nice edge.
I'm sure you're aware, but don't overheat the metal. I move the blade at a nice pace across the wheel so it desn;t overheat, and then do a secondary bevel to set the cutting angle.
Thanks Mongo for your input...I have an old Bunton lawnmower (52" cut)...Regards,
Buzzsaw
Did a quick google for "mower blade balancer", here's a version of the balancer that I use:
http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-8316.html?mv_pc=Froogle
The steps on the inverted cone fit the various bolt openings on various blades, so it's a "one type fits all" balancer.
There is a base that you can't see that the inverted cone sits on. It allows the cone to tip left or right, indicating if the blade is heavier on one side or another.
A simple yet worthwhile investment to keep your 52" deck running smoothly.
Ah!Bring back memories. When I was a todler I was down at Bunton Seed many a times picking up seeds with by dad.Then later I had a summer job which included running a Bunton trimmer. I don't know when they got into and out of the mower business, but the seed business is still going on after 75 years.I like to use a 4 1/2 hand grinder to sharpen my blade (22 walk behind). I has a couple of twist to it and I can get in a lot better with the hand grinder.I have heard of people doing the blade on the mower with a hand grinder. Requires that you can tilt the deck or whole mower enough to get access.
I can't even picture what hand grinder looks like. I'll do a search.Regards,
Buzzsaw
I think that some call them angle grinders.http://www.northwestpowertools.com/grinders/hand/hand1.htm
try looking at Lehman's ....I don't know how to attach a link here!
but they have a hand grinder listed under hand tools. or send them to me,and my wife will sharpen them for you using multiple stones and stumps, and deadfall, and who knows what else......uh-oh, here she comes, gotta go maddog lehmans.com
I've got a 50" mower, and it's really no problem to access the 3 blades. I just hook a come-along to the back, and hoist the back-end up till the deck clears. Put a couple of stands under it in case it falls, and remove the blades. I use the beam in my shop, or the beam in the carport.
Interesting solution! Thanks.Regards,
Buzzsaw
I use a file, takes longer to clean the blade than to file the blade.
mike
I sharpen mine with a bench grinder or a hand held one - Whichever is convenient and not covered with junk at the moment.
The point about not overheating the blades is a good one.
I also got a spare set for my riding mower. That way I can swap them out and sharpen the set that's off the mower when I get around to it.
Belt sander with the blade in a vice. 50/80 grit. Fast, efficient, easy, and no loss of temper.
I just by new ones every year. Can't remember where all the rocks are at.
Dane
I will always be a beginner as I am always learning.
Related question from a dumbazz city slicker...
We have a Toro walk-behind mower and have been cautioned not to turn it upside down because the oil will soak into the oil filter, something like that. However, I definitely want to flip it over so I can take my angle grinder to the blade. What gives?
If it's not part of a house I can't deal with it. I barely even change the oil in my truck myself.
Usually you can turn it over about 90 degrees (keep the gas tank on the high side, usually). If that isn't enough to grind it, it should be enough to remove the blade.Otherwise, build yourself a "lift", so you can work under it like a car on a lift.
Thank you all for the info. Buying new blades every year is an easy option but you still have to take the old ones off and put the new ones on. BreakTime is awesome!Regards,
Buzzsaw
David, take the blade off already !It's not that difficult... You are down there already... And it's safer.BTW: I put the blade in a vise and use a belt sander on it just as was suggested above.Definately balance it. Makes a difference. Especially if it is a push mower, and you are going to spend a significant amount of time holding onto it, and pushing it around with the blade unbalanced...
A person with no sense of humor about themselves, has no sense at all.
My Toro (19 years old and my 19 year old daughter broke it for good yesterday) recommends that the air filter be dipped in oil and wrung out to improve efficiency (my guess, anyway.) So you'd be accomplishing the same thing without getting your hands oily!
I never met a tool I didn't like!
Like the others, I use a bench grinder. I use the finer of the two stones that came with my Ryobi bench grinder. Not sure what the grit is. I have a mulching blade with weird curves so it gets a little tricky. Last December I bought a Dremel. It has an attachment that lets me hold the grinding bit at a consistent angle to sharpen blades. I'll try that first this year and see how it works. My blade is still fairly sharp (gets sharpen about 2x a season) so I haven't had to sharpen it yet.
I agree with the others on removing the blade. Change the spark plug, oil, and filter while you're at it too. A fine tuned mower will mulch and do wonders for the lawn.
My Bunton has no oil filter. I do try to change the air filter, pre-filter, and spark plug though. Thanks for your post.Regards,
Buzzsaw
Sorry, I meant air filter. I don't have an oil filter either. Also, my blade wasn't as sharp as I thought it was...sooo, I went to grind it last night. I used the Dremel and the sharpening attachment. First problem, the attachment seems to be for straight thin blades. The lawn mower blade was actually too thick for the attachement. Oh well, let's try it free hand. Second problem, either the Dremel (on full speed) is still too slow or I need a lower grit grinding bit. It took a long time to get a decent edge back. The edge is nice and smooth; something I couldn't get with the bench grinder. I didn't have as much trouble with the curves (using the Dremel) on the mulching blade as I did with the bench grinder. Dremel - slower, easier to control, better for curved mulching blades
Bench grinder - faster, slightly more difficult to control, difficult to grind curved mulching blades evenly (at least for me.)
I don't have mulching blades, just 3 regular blades for a 52" cut mower deck. I bought a new grinder the other day rather than having to spend $7 for each blade. I bought the grinder for $35 and will keep this one in my shed. I have another one for sharpening and buffing my chisels and handplanes in my shop in my basement. I should look into the dremels. They come highly touted for a number of various tasks...Regards,
Buzzsaw
The problem with the Dremel is that the wheel is so small, so there's very little contact with the workpiece. That's why it takes so long.A little better is a drum in an electric drill, but generally you can only find a sanding drum, and the paper wears out real fast.Probably a die grinder would be the ticket -- Dremel on steroids, and presumably all sorts of wheels/drums are available for it.
Edited 5/18/2005 2:27 pm ET by DanH
Yeah, I was pretty disappointed by the Dremel. I think I need a lower grit grinding bit..that would speed up material removal. The bit I have, while a "stone bit" is so fine it's more of a sanding bit. The bench grinder would've taken me about 15 minutes max (I go slow to maintain control). The dremel probably took at least twice that.
Their are myriad ways to sharpen a blade while it's still on the deck, but I still prefer to pull the blades so they can be balanced after sharpening. Helps minimize wear/tear on the spindles, etc. Don't forget to shoot them with a grease gun.
I don't know if Deere decks are different from others, but I can pull the deck, remove, sharpen, and balance the blades, then reattach the blades and the deck, all in about 15 minutes.
Somebody mentioned hoisting the arse end of the mower to R&R the blades without removing the deck. That'd be even faster.
Since we're sorta on the subject, I bought my mower used. After getting it, I cleaned the underside of the 48" mower deck then painted it with a graphite-based paint, I'm pretty sure it was called SLIP PLATE.
Works wonders for preventing grass build-up on the underside of the mowing deck.
Possible thread hijack:
I'm gonna get some new blades anyway, as the ones on mine are OEM. Looking for mulching or high-lift blades. Are Gator blades all hype? Anyone have an opinion on them?
I tried SlipPlate on our push mower many years ago. Didn't seem to do much good.