Archive through August 23, 2011

[kweaver]

Well I found the pdf file and they're the same style blades but made by Oregon.

It took so long because a buddy had to stop by and show me a pic of a catfish ... 51 pounds !

 

[dfrisk]

KEN - Gator makes blades for the 44" & 50" decks since all three blades are the same length. But on the old 38" & 42" decks the center blades are the same, just the tiny outer blades change length which it seems like the out blds on a 38" deck are something like 9 to 9-1/2 inches which has to be the shortest blade on ANY mower deck. I'm like you, ain't walking out to the shop to measure.

I kept seeing ads in FARMSHOW magazine about some sort of blade that was a round disc that had four sickle mower sections bolted to it. BEASTLY expensive too. Somebody across the tracks put a set on another brand tractor. Last word I heard was, "They're GREAT, Bolted right on fine!" But he never got back after the mower cut any grass.

I find that if I keep the blades really sharp, and try to have the tractor running straight when mowing both my decks do a decent job. I think the 38" deck mows just a bit nicer than the 50" deck but it takes a lot longer to mow with it.

 

[kweaver]

38" deck outer blade is 10.25" according to Oregon.

My back yard has developed what my Grandfather use to call "Dog Hair" grass which is super fine. It's taking over the back behind the garage. I mowed Tuesday with the 2082 50C and the front roller just lays it down and half arse cuts it. I have to mow from the other direction a second time to maybe get it all cut. I've got a good windrow in the middle of the yard now. Need to hook up the sweeper ... but again "This Chair" feels sooooo good !

I can't figure out why the 50C wont cut while turning left. I mean just a slight turn to the left , the blades are sharp , the baffle circles are in good shape , the underside has no grass clogs ...

I've always wanted to make a disc with 2 - 4 disc mower blades on it and try that for a deck blade. The 11" would be a pain though.
I think the Speed Up Pulley™ will be my next step.

 

[stanner]

Ken,

Jacobsen push lawnmowers from the late 60's had the 4 small blades on a disk... Mowed good, tall grass not so much... The disk acted as a flywheel for the Briggs & Scrapiron engine, as it had a light flywheel.. FWIW..

 

[dfrisk]

KEN - I agree with the speed-up pulley. I know the lower HP tractors have a difficult enough time running mowers, etc, but to run the blades faster would help.

I never realized how hard the 38" decks pulled until I got the 129 & 44A deck. Those little blades run 2-3 times faster than the center blade so they'll cut. And stepping up the speed of them with the belt & pulleys takes power.

A local IH dealer built a custom deck for mowing their lot about 6-7 yrs ago, think it was a 42" deck with a forth spindle added to the left side for trimming under their fence around their lot. I'd like to have something like that to trim under all my pine trees. Not sure how wide a cut it ended up taking but it was wide.

 

[kmcconaughey]

 

[gcoleman]

Ive always wondered why IH decided to design the 38&42 inch decks with a large center and two "winglet" blades as I call them (stupid nickname but thats not the point). Personally I like the small outer blades because (correct me if Im wrong) they spin much faster than the center blade, so theyre good for edging around my yard where it meets the wood line, and the large center blade may turn slower but has more rotating mass so it plows through sapling trees and grass thats taller than the tractor with no issues (mowed a friends field the other day so we could play paintball in it, they all wanted a 149 after they saw what mine could do haha). I want to eventually get the larger 48 inch stamped steel deck like the one posted a few days back with the bolt on chute extension and the like and outfit it with gator blades since it has three of the same blades like the newer pressed steel decks the QL's use. My uncle has a newer 50" deck on one of his 149s and it always leaves two stripes of uncut grass between the blades, no matter how sharp or what kind of blade he runs. Its got all new spindles and everything, headscratcher

to say the least. My smaller off topic has the same issue when the blades are dull, which makes sense.
Oh and Kraig, Thats a nifty lookin deck, what dont you have pictures of?

 

[kweaver]

Glen - Streaking is a simple answer = Not enough overlapping of the blades. Spindles are to much in-line.

Kraig - Kool!
Shoot me the big pics if'un ya gots 'em

 

[dfrisk]

Figures that Kraig would have a picture of that modified mower deck... I forgot it was mounted on a 125!

THANKS KRAIG!

 

[kweaver]

I need to work on that stinkin 125 GIF ... it's time he had his tongue pierced !