Grading Rotary cutter blade sharpen & balance

[DMF]

What is the best way to sharpen and balance rotary-cutter blades. I have touched up the edge with an angle grinder and then just weighed the blades to be sure they were reasonably close. Is this acceptable or is there a better way?

[beenthere]

Sounds like a good plan to me. I don't weigh them, as I don't think the way they work that it is that critical, but then I don't grind a lot off each one either. I never remove them from the cutter, just grind in place. Just my way.

[Highbeam]

I balance the lawnmower blade after sharpening because the driveshaft is also the engine crankshaft. On a brush hog, weighing should be more than enough, I wouldn't even do that unless a major amount of metal came off OR I noticed excessive abnormal vibration.

[BadDog]

I take mine off and sharpen them on a bench grinder. After they are sharp, I continue to remove material from either side until each blade balances when the mounting hole is centered on a triangular piece of wood.

[TonyV]

This had just been discussed at some length in Parts/Repairs.
Here's the link: Bush hog blade sharpener device.

Most (myself inlcluded) seem to favor raising the brush hog on its side using your FEL, or to some extent your 3 point hitch if you don't have a FEL, and then sharpening the blades in place using a hand grinder.

...Tony

[GEB]

Yep I use a 4in grinder 60 grit disk, never take them off.
I do a good job of making the same amount of pass's
on both sides...close enough fur me!
Gene