Chain Guards -- What Size Chain?

   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain?
  • Thread Starter
#21  
I find a 60" chain guard for King Kutter for $240. I don't know anything about King Kutter but don't have a great impression of them from comments here. Any thoughts?
 
   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain? #22  
Check German bliss (store.germanbliss.com/bush-hog-286-rotary-cutter-parts ) for parts drawing and price. I was looking for replacement skid shoes a saw the chain guards. Made my own skid shoes

I don’t have the front chain guard on my either of my 286 cutters. Opening 72”, overall 78.5”. Think it would be good addition to the mower.

The rear of my Woods 7200RD finish mower similar chain guard has held up well for 23 years. Has horizontal instead of vertical bolt on attachment.
 
   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain?
  • Thread Starter
#23  
Thanks, Smokeydog.

I hadn't realized that 286 was a six-foot mower. So what I'm looking for is the one for the 285.
 
   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain? #24  
The rod idea is fairly simple. That's what is on my mower. It's a 1/2" rod, the chain just swivels, 1" long x 3/4" spacer, another chain, spacer, rinse and repeat across the length. The spacers are nothing more than a tube over the rod.
I learned the hard way that they will instantly slide off the rod and leave a pile of chain links and spacers!
 
   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain?
  • Thread Starter
#25  
Thanks, LS Owner. That's what Toolslinger suggested and provided photos of in my original thread. That's the approach I'm leaning toward at the moment. I'm thinking 3/16" chain would work best for my flail rather than the 1/4" more typically used on rotary cutters. It's a bit finer and lighter and should let those weeds through better I think, which is my issue.

I've bought a sample, and find it fits on a 7/16 rod, so I'm now working on mounts. I think it needs to be supported every foot or so. I like Toolslinger's steel blocks but have also though of using little pieces of angle iron. Cutting 75 spacers by hand is daunting, so I'm thinking finding someone with a power hack saw would be good. I'll go talk to our local welding shop tomorrow.
 
   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain? #26  
Vertical bandsaw for the spacers. Most power hacksaws would do a real number on pipe that small.
I made enough blocks for every foot. I think I ended up with around 16", and could have gone further. The 7/16 rod is pretty robust.
 
   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain?
  • Thread Starter
#27  
Thanks, toolslinger.

My error - the 3/16 chain fits on a 5/16 rod, not 7/16. I looked at the existing holes for the belt guard, and they are a bit under 10" apart. I think that should be plenty even for the 5/16 rod.
 
   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain?
  • Thread Starter
#28  
I got a quote from our (only) local welding shop for $140 and change for materials and fabrication, excluding the chain. I told them to go ahead.

That's a design based on what toolslinger suggested, which I think will work well for my application.

Now I need the chain, about 40 ft. of 3/16" grade 30. It's a tad over $2 a foot at Lowes, the only local outlet. I'm looking around for a better price. Rural King wants 99 cents, but is 35 miles away. Most places I've found with better prices want to ship hundreds of feet. :-(
 
   / Chain Guards -- What Size Chain? #29  
Thanks, toolslinger.

My error - the 3/16 chain fits on a 5/16 rod, not 7/16. I looked at the existing holes for the belt guard, and they are a bit under 10" apart. I think that should be plenty even for the 5/16 rod.
Would like to see some pics of the final results, just starting to look at some guards for a BH 72" rotary cutter
 
 
 
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