Grading Brush hog blade sharpening

DCS · Oct 3, 2006

It's time to sharpen the blades on the KK brush hog however, I have noticed there is a tack weld on the nut and bolt that is holding the blade on. Is this normal?

Farmwithjunk · Oct 3, 2006

DCS said:
It's time to sharpen the blades on the KK brush hog however, I have noticed there is a tack weld on the nut and bolt that is holding the blade on. Is this normal?

I wouldn't think so. But you needn't remove the blades to grind them. Most folks just block the mower up off the ground, making sure it's SAFE to work with your arms under it, then grind the edges of the blades with a 4-1/2" grinder.

DCS · Oct 3, 2006

Farmwithjunk said:
I wouldn't think so. But you needn't remove the blades to grind them. Most folks just block the mower up off the ground, making sure it's SAFE to work with your arms under it, then grind the edges of the blades with a 4-1/2" grinder.

I thought about that, but it didn't look like there was enough room. I'll take another gander at it. Thanks.

GaryE · Oct 3, 2006

DCS said:
I thought about that, but it didn't look like there was enough room. I'll take another gander at it. Thanks.

Using a couple of chains, use your FEL to lift it on it's side. You will have plenty of room! Just make sure it is set so if the chains or the FEL fails it will fall away from you.

Gary

BB_TX · Oct 4, 2006

What Gary said.

N80 · Oct 4, 2006

I did it this way:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/2539/size/big/sort/1/cat/500

UncleBuck01 · Oct 4, 2006

Farmwithjunk said:
I wouldn't think so. But you needn't remove the blades to grind them. Most folks just block the mower up off the ground, making sure it's SAFE to work with your arms under it, then grind the edges of the blades with a 4-1/2" grinder.

Do the same with mine, never leaves the tractor.
Raise it all the way up, use jack stands for safety, done in five minutes, hardest part is locating my grinder. as far as the tack weld, it should not be a problem if you really want to take the blades off.
Buck

scott_vt · Oct 4, 2006

Mornin DCS,
Your gonna need a angle grinder to do either of those jobs

Either sharpen the blades or grind the tack weld off to put new blades on, you cant lose with one tool

MrJimi · Oct 4, 2006

I recently purchased a Howse model 500 RC/ 5 foot and when I sharpen my blades, I will balance them smooth is a good thing.
Jim

N80 · Oct 4, 2006

DCS, you probably know this but since no one has mentioned it I will. But when we talking about 'sharpening' rotary cutter blades, you don't really grind them to a sharp edge. I just take the nicks and dings out and leave a smooth rounded cutting edge.

djradz · Oct 4, 2006

N80 said:
DCS, you probably know this but since no one has mentioned it I will. But when we talking about 'sharpening' rotary cutter blades, you don't really grind them to a sharp edge. I just take the nicks and dings out and leave a smooth rounded cutting edge.

I think that is subject to each ones use. If you're mowing mostly fields and trails that have had all the rocks picked, and there's no more to hit, someone might sharpen theirs pretty sharp. After all, many blades come fairly sharp right from the factory. Obviously however, if you're hitting rocks, stumps, dirt on a fairly frequent basis, sharp blades would just be a waste of time and it would be a toss-up as to whether the rocks, or sharpening, remove more metal. As our fields and trails are now faily clear, we get the blades pretty sharp and get a near-RFM quality cut.

3RRL · Oct 4, 2006

I agree with Djradz,
Once a field is cleared from shrapnel you can sharpen them up. My Howse came with what looked like a 1/32" flat or so....not dead sharp. Of course now it's about a 1/8" flat with several dings and chips, so I will sharpen them back up.

BB_TX · Oct 4, 2006

The main reason I raise mine up is my blades tend to stick over the winter. Raised up I can unstick the blades and sharpen them easily.

DCS · Oct 4, 2006

Got it done.

Since I had the tractor on the trailer, I just raised up the deck and had plenty of room. I gave it a quicky this morning since I had a pasture to finish up. I am going out now to really work on it. I have been mowing with it for 2years now and never have sharpened them. Those T-post, concrete blocks, piles of bricks, etc, that you never see until it's too late can really do a number on the blades. Thanks for the help.

john_bud · Oct 4, 2006

djradz said:
I think that is subject to each ones use. If you're mowing mostly fields and trails that have had all the rocks picked, and there's no more to hit, someone might sharpen theirs pretty sharp. After all, many blades come fairly sharp right from the factory. Obviously however, if you're hitting rocks, stumps, dirt on a fairly frequent basis, sharp blades would just be a waste of time and it would be a toss-up as to whether the rocks, or sharpening, remove more metal. As our fields and trails are now faily clear, we get the blades pretty sharp and get a near-RFM quality cut.

Yes, you are correct, BUT --> when cutting brush and trees a DULL blade will shatter the plant and kill it. A sharp blade will slice it off, leaving it alive and eager to sprout 10x more branches.

Sharp blades are for grass, dull blades are for brush and trees.

Ever look at what the highway dept uses for blades on those monster mowers that whack EVERYTHING from the right of way? It's a 1" x 6" steel bar. No edge at all. And man, you they shatter the trees!

jb

firemanpat2910 · Oct 5, 2006

sharp blades make tire eating spikes

Soundguy · Oct 5, 2006

Yep.. fireman pat beat me too it.. but I agree.. a Dull-ish blade.. or a flattened blade edge will make a shred or shattered stump out of small brush. This shattered brush is less likely to poke tires.

As we all know how spendy rubber is.. gotta make them last as much as possible. I just knocked a hole in one of my front 10-16 tri-ribs.. It was a bad hole.. but a boot, patch and new tube has salvaged it for now.. but it's on borrowed time.. I gotta get new front rubber for it before next mowing season.

The hole deffinately looked to be sharp woody debri damage.. I guess i can't complain.. It's the first tire I've lost on that pasture in almost 6ys..

Soundguy

N80 · Oct 5, 2006

The other issue with a sharp blade is that even if you are just mowing grass and weeds, its going to lose that sharp edge very fast, unless it is just a lawn or something in which case a rotary cutter isn't the tool of choice anyway. And if you put that edge back on every time you wear it off, you're going to be using a lot of your blade edge up. And if you do hit anything of substance (rock) with a sharp edge it is going to cause more of a nick.

I lost a new mud terrain radial on my truck a few years back after some folks did some some path clearing with machetes and brush hooks. Left sharp stubs all over the place. Went right through the sidewall, no way to repair it.

RalphVa · Oct 5, 2006

There are usually 3 bolts/nuts holding the blades on a brush hog. The middle nut holds everything to the shaft. You shouldn't ever had to touch this one. Bet it may be the one that's tack welded in place.

The other two are at the ends of the blade in the middle and usually have their nuts facing upwards. They are usually accessed via holes in the top of the brush hog body. On mine, you remove the tail wheel to get to the access hole, rotate the blade (or PTO shaft by hand in neutral) until the nuts are below the hole.

I was able to get these two nuts off easily with a 3/4" drive and 6' pipe over the end of the drive. Getting them back on required a couple clamps to hold the stump jumper and nut and swing blade in place. I just proped the brush hog body up on a couple jack stands in order to reach underneath or to crawl under there to attach the clamps.

I just sharpened the blades with my big bench grinder but not very sharp.

Ralph