Mower Blade Sharpener

[Maker102]

OK I guess I am Mechanically Engineered Deficient but I am trying to figure out a way to build one of those Rotary Mower Blade Sharpeners. I thought about mounting a grinder upsidedown under some sort of support but have not totally figured it out. Has anyone built one. I know you can sharpen them on a grinding wheel or use a 4" angle grinder but I have not had much luck with either method. And to be quite honest I am just to cheap to spend 450 big ones for a Fowley Belsaw or similar grinder. Having a 5 ft deck and two riding mowers is alot of blades to mess with so sure would like a good reasonable fix. Ideas?

 

[OkieG]

It sounds as though you are trying to sharpen your blades while they are still mounted on the deck. My advice is remove the blades to sharpen them. They are much easier to work on that way.

Sorry if I misunderstood. After rereading your post it sounds like you are looking for a sharpening machine or jig to sharpen the blades once they're removed??

Maybe my yard is just tough on blades, but my personal exerience is that blades don't stay sharp very long. An exquisite sharpening job is hardly worth the effort for me.

Sharpening by hand with your 4" grinder should work just fine. Put the blade in a vice and go after it. Take off about the same amount of metal on each end of a blade for balance. Try to keep the original bevel angle more or less intact. Proper technique would have you only grinding on the bevel. Sometimes I may cheat and back grind a little, especially at the ends of the blades. Hope this helps.

OkieG

 

[rlw]

Not sure if this is what you're referring to, but there is one on ebay: sharpener

 

[Molerj]

I probably sharpen at least 100 blades a year with my 4 1/2 angle grinder. I used to use the 6" table top grinder but with the shape of the high lift blades it was too hard to keep an even edge against the wheel. I was at the JD shop a few yrs. back & I saw a Wall brand blade sharpener sitting there. I asked the fellow how he liked it & he said, "We don't even use that, we just use an angle grinder".

 

[ns_in_tex]

I have found the easiest way for me to sharpen/change the blades on my finish mower is to install an eye on the rear center of the mower, back in under a winch, disconnect the top link & pto shaft, leave the two lower links attached to the tractor. Winch the rear of the mower up till it is vertical, which puts the blades at just the right highth to stand there with a impact wrench. I zip the blades off, put in vice & sharpen with a 4-1/2" grinder.

 

[Maker102]

Well thanks guys. That one on eBay was what I was wanting but I have a feeling it will go for better than $150.00, and to be honest that looks a little on the ragged out side. Guess I am going to have to get good with the 4" grinder in the future. Thanks for the replys.

 

[djradz]

I've recently gone to a 7" for my brush hog blades and will probably be doing the same for the mower blades. So far, this is definitely a case of "bigger-is-better". /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif