Rotary blade replacement Cancel The title field is required!

1. Glenn Sigmon

   

   0 posts
   
   4/7/2016 8:04 AM

   At what point do you replace rotary blades? When 50% of the blade width has been ground away? When the grinding stone is grinding into sail fin? We just got a Foley 465 blade grinder & while grinding a few blades the grinding stone started grinding into the sail fin & the cutting edge of the blade is about 50% of the total with of the blade. I contacted both Foley & Toro & neither one could give me a definite answer. My main concern is safety as I don't want the operator hitting something & the end of the blade snapping off.

   
   
   
   
2. Karl Harris

   

   0 posts
   
   4/7/2016 9:04 AM

   If ground properly the blade tip snapping won't be of any concern. Only time I would worry is if someone ground it back straight in where it left a 90 degree turn into the unground part of the blade. I grind mine (GM4000 and GM3500) till about to the sail out on the tip but I keep 3 sets for each mower and when they get worn down past 50% or so I only put those on for our "bad areas" like mowing around the perimeter of the golf course or backyard of clubhouse where the blades are sure to get destroyed by rocks or debris. I notice as the blades wears down the quality of cut isn't as good and I've seen where it might miss a few blades of grass in turns so that's why I only put the best blades on the golf course. But I also use just a 4 1/2" hand grinder to grind my blades for better control and grind. You might not be able to grind that far on a blade grinder.

   
   
   
   
3. Kenneth Meals

   

   2 posts
   
   4/7/2016 10:04 AM

   What angle are you grinding your blades? We're doing an 30 degree angle which matches the blades when new. Also from research ( can't remember which University) that's been done on what angle give the best cut versus blade wear, 30 degrees was their conclusion. We just did purchase the Foley 460. I'd have to say it depends on what blades you're using too if you were to put a percentage of the blade. On our 3500, 4500, and 4700's we use the combination blades and I plan on going back about 25% of the blade due to the one side it would come close to hitting the sail on one side but not close to the sail on the other side.

   
   
   
   
4. Glenn Sigmon

   

   0 posts
   
   4/7/2016 1:04 PM

   We have a Toro 3500 & 4300 which use blades 107-0235-03 & 114-0435-03 respectively. These are mulching blades. Foley in their owners/operators manual says to match the factory grind angle which in the case of the above blades is 36 degrees.