Have you ever thought that, "I want a clean mower deck!", but like me you're too busy (or really like me and too lazy!) to go out and drop the deck and do it?
Well, Being both lazy and inventive I decided there had to be a better way to clean out the grass build up from under the deck. A trip to the home center and 4 items were quickly purchased. A 3/4" close connect, a 3/4" brass nut, a 3/4" cap and a 3/4" to hose swivel end adapter. I had to put them all together in the vice and use a large pipe wrench to get the close connect down all the way into the cap. Then used a narrow cutting disc in a 4 1/2" grinder to cut slots in the sides of the cap. Here's the parts laid out ready for installation in the mower deck. You can see where the slots were cut for water to spray out and clean the deck.
Next a hole had to be cut into the deck. Careful eyeball triangulation was used to make sure the blades wouldn't whack it when in place. It's much easier to move holes BEFORE you drill them. Just thought I'd share that little gem of wisdom.
Then the parts were installed with the help of a pipe wrench and a large vice grip pliers.
How's it work? Here's a picture of the head connected to the garden hose. I had to turn the water down so avoid being sprayed. It puts out a nice amount. It doesn't blast off the gunk as it is pretty hard and dry. I may still have to clean it first, but it should do a decent job if used after every cutting while the build up is still soft and wet. At least I hope so! The plan is to connect the hose, turn on the water and then run the deck so the blades can help whip the water around and clean off the goobers.
I still have to buy a male hose end plug to cap it off when cutting. Don't want those precision calibrated cleansing slots to be blocked!
jb
Well, Being both lazy and inventive I decided there had to be a better way to clean out the grass build up from under the deck. A trip to the home center and 4 items were quickly purchased. A 3/4" close connect, a 3/4" brass nut, a 3/4" cap and a 3/4" to hose swivel end adapter. I had to put them all together in the vice and use a large pipe wrench to get the close connect down all the way into the cap. Then used a narrow cutting disc in a 4 1/2" grinder to cut slots in the sides of the cap. Here's the parts laid out ready for installation in the mower deck. You can see where the slots were cut for water to spray out and clean the deck.
Next a hole had to be cut into the deck. Careful eyeball triangulation was used to make sure the blades wouldn't whack it when in place. It's much easier to move holes BEFORE you drill them. Just thought I'd share that little gem of wisdom.
Then the parts were installed with the help of a pipe wrench and a large vice grip pliers.
How's it work? Here's a picture of the head connected to the garden hose. I had to turn the water down so avoid being sprayed. It puts out a nice amount. It doesn't blast off the gunk as it is pretty hard and dry. I may still have to clean it first, but it should do a decent job if used after every cutting while the build up is still soft and wet. At least I hope so! The plan is to connect the hose, turn on the water and then run the deck so the blades can help whip the water around and clean off the goobers.
I still have to buy a male hose end plug to cap it off when cutting. Don't want those precision calibrated cleansing slots to be blocked!
jb
