I was a mower deck engineer a million years ago. This thread conjured up a memory I forgot all about!
I was at the test site in the cut quality plots making cuts with a prototype mower i was working on (proto'd in fiberglass before ordering $600k stamping dies).
An engineer one plot over was running his latest build commercial 7-iron deck prototype on a front mount mower. He'd make a cut then get off and swear.... alot. I could hear he was having trouble so I walked over there. "Look at this cut!" he said. He fired up and took a pass. I'd never seen anything like it... it was 'combing' the grass not cutting! WTH? A moment later I saw the drive sheaves spinning down as he shut off the PTO... CCW! Experimental assembled the deck using the wrong gearbox! Hilarious!
Back in the office I quietly 'borrowed' one of his drawings and stuck it back. He was less than thrilled years later at his retirement party when the drawing came back out! Engineering gold!
