Need Ideas On How To Make A Mulching Plate

   / Need Ideas On How To Make A Mulching Plate #1  

Cabinholler

Silver Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2005
Messages
171
Location
Central Kentucky
I own a 1993 LX178 John Deere lawn tractor with a 38 inch mower deck on it. At the present time, I have gator blades on the mower deck, and I am wanting to make a mulching plate to go on the discharge side of the mower deck, so that I can mulch grass and tree leaves. Anyone have a idea on how this can be made, and what kind of material would be best to make it out of. I checked with John Deere, and they make a plastic mulching plate for the deck for my lawn tractor. The price of the plastic mulching plate is around $30.00. I thought that was kind of a high price for a plastic mulching plate. If possible, I would like to make a mulching plate out of a thin piece of metal, or some other material, that would be better than plastic, and would cost less than buying the plastic mulching plate for $30.00.

Any ideas that anyone would have on making a metal mulching plate out of thin metal, or out of any other material would be most appreciated.

Cabinholler
 
   / Need Ideas On How To Make A Mulching Plate #2  
You can go to John Deere website parts lookup and plug in your model number and navigate to the mulching kit for a picture of what theirs looks like and you should be able to form one close from sheet metal. I'd say 3/32" thick should be enough.
 
   / Need Ideas On How To Make A Mulching Plate #3  
Ive made them out of anything from3/8s ply wood to sheetmetals. Ithe one on my finish mower is made from a 3/4 inch section of marine plywood.
 
   / Need Ideas On How To Make A Mulching Plate #4  
For $30 I'd buy the JD plate. You'll "spend" that money just scratching your head to come up with the design. That said, if you enjoy tinkerin' then go for it for the "hobby" value.

Check out JD parts, they will give you a picture of what their plate looks like, so you can copy.

PS, if JD offers factory mulching blades, they probably cut a little better than the gators do. Something to think about when you wear out the gators. Although gators tend to do nicely in the leaves (my experience anyway)...
 
   / Need Ideas On How To Make A Mulching Plate #5  
I like the design on the Dixie Chopper, it uses a handle reachable from the drivers seat to tilt down a perforated plate over the discharge chute, slick design. This way you can drop it down to keep from shooting grass or an errant rock into the street and lift it back open for regular mowing...

picture here

<font color="blue">Edited large in-line picture to link </font>
 
   / Need Ideas On How To Make A Mulching Plate #6  
My neighbor used 1/2" hardware cloth to cover the discharge chute. I'm not sure how he attached it.
 
 
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