It really blows now

[chim]

I've often wondered if it would be possible to improve the function of a mower deck by increasing the "wings" on the blades. I now know it certainly is.

My 60" Landpride RFM has always done an acceptable job except when the grass was wet or way too long. It's a side discharge, and I use it to get rid of the leaves in the Fall. Simply start in the middle of the property and mow left-handed (anti-clockwise for the Brit readers). To really get all the leaves took a couple passes. This looked like an opportunity to try out my idea of increasing the wing size on the blades.

I welded some 10ga strips of metal onto the wings to increase the height of each wing by about 1/2". This doesn't sound like very much, but it made a huge difference in the amount of air the blades move. The strips are about 3-1/2" long X 1" wide. They lap over and are welded to the faces of the existing wings. For balancing, I simply welded a few beads onto the backs of the lighter wings - kinda like adding wheel weights. The deck now blows the leaves out like a snowblower. It has been a while since the grass has been mowed, so the grass was getting about 3" trimmed off at the same time. It looked like the lawn had been vacuum-cleaned in one pass.....................chim

 

[Tonester]

Very cool! Got a picture? Love to see this, sounds like one of those simple yet effective ideas that we all love!

 

[chim]

With the time change (early darkness), I was too busy rushing around to stop for a photo-op. Still wrapped up using the lights. Since the leaves are about 80% gone, the remaining 20% will need to be dealt with. I'll get an action shot and one of the mods.................chim

 

[have_blue]

Cha-ching! Into my little box of goodies it goes! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Good one Chim! Wonder if that would work on a 6' 540 RPM rotary cutter, just for cutting and mulching 6" and shorter grass? I suppose it would have to help at least a little.

 

[PineRidge]

Chim you better watch adding wings to the blades of high speed mower decks. My neighbor added some on his deck about a month ago and the last time we saw him he was cruising at 10,000 feet. Now thats what I call "rotating wing configuration tractor". /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

He's going to patent his idea to compete with Apache Helicopters.

 

[TheKid]

My neighbor at the lake modified the blades on his mower for mulching leaves. He welded four pieces of 1/8 steel to the top on each end of the blades. Each piece was about 3/4 high and 1 1/2 long, spaced about an inch apart. Those extra upright pieces really shread the leaves. After a pass or two you can't even tell there were any leaves on the grass.

He's a double amputee so he's always comming up with some innovative way to get things done. He also converted everything on the mower to hand controls.

 

[TOMLESCOEQUIP]

Aren't blades made of heat treated/ hardened steel ??? I think you better know your welding and metalurgy before you weld on hard steel...........You could have several high speed projectiles emitting from your mower deck placing yourself and others at risk..........Just my .02 Tom

 

[Bob85355]

Recall seeing a factory blade with bolt on flaps. Think it was a snapper rear end rider.

Bob

 

[chim]

Thanks for your concern. The first thing I thought about was "What if these things break loose?" Can't say they never will, but I doubt it. I do treat he discharge chute about the same way I do the muzzle of a gun, because I'm always hitting small branches, stones, discarded beer cans people pitch along the road, etc.

They certainly don't appear to be hardened. They cut easily with a file or grinder. I bought hardened blades for an old Cub one time, and they actually had what appeared to be separate segments on the cutting edges.

When I was talking to one of the guys at work about this, he said he picked up a factory-produced mulching kit that had bolt-on things that looked like pieces of angle iron for one of the mowers he had. There are mulching and dethatching blades with clips/springs/etc..................chim

Edited add: I do remember having a problem drilling the mounting hole larger in a set of Gatorblades a few years ago. I can't say if the entire blade was hardened (they nicked easily on the cutting edges). I thought they may have been work-hardened, but who knows. Anyway, those blades didn't do anything special. I had caved in to the advertising hype and got a set of three for the RFM, but shortly went back to factory blades.

 

[chim]

Here's a pic. The add-on is a piece of 12ga that measures 3-1/2" wide X 1" high. Half of it sticks up above the existing wing. I ground the galvanizing off of the new metal, and cleaned the old blade before MIG welding it on. I used a jig and clamps to get all 6 tips on the three baldes positioned the same.....................chim

 

[chim]

And here's the way it works since adding the wings. Sorry I don't have a pic from earlier this week when the first 80% of the leaves fell. There are still a few on the trees, but not many................chim

 

[Old_Hickory]

I wonder how much you would have to add to create a "hovercraft" of sorts ?

 

[KubotaBling]

A lot of people bolt on 2 sets of blades to get added lift.

I've personaly seen blades and pieces of parts be ejected from a RFM and std lawn mower frame unless it's rusted up or damaged it'll hold up the amount of space doesn't allow the piece of metal enough energy to do anything.