Lawn mower blades

[rusty ol ranger]

Is there a place that exists that will custom build lawn mower blades?

I have this old yazoo mower. It uses left hand cut blades and the spindle hole is an odd oval shape that probably hasnt been used since 1998.

I found a set of replacement blades by calling this place i know thats really good at finding parts for my obsolete ancient junk, and they found 1 set in the whole country at some tractor place in georgia. I bought those.

But next time around im looking for options.

 

[ryan]

Is there a place that exists that will custom build lawn mower blades?

I have this old yazoo mower. It uses left hand cut blades and the spindle hole is an odd oval shape that probably hasnt been used since 1998.

I found a set of replacement blades by calling this place i know thats really good at finding parts for my obsolete ancient junk, and they found 1 set in the whole country at some tractor place in georgia. I bought those.

But next time around im looking for options.

This ends with you making a forge and creating your own

 

[97RangerXLT]

First of all, I want to see pictures of this beast.

Bladewise, do you happen to have any of your old blades? you might be able to get a set of normal blades that are the same dimensions as the originals. take those and cut a diamond shaped arbor hole that allows 1/8" gap if you place the blade over the oval. take the new blade and have a local machine shop "reverse" the blade by heating and bending the curves in the shape of the originals and sharpen the other side. also have them cut a diamond shape spacer out of the center of the original blade that you can fit in the diamond shape hole on the new blade. put a thick/ wide enough washer to cover that and overlap by 1/4". have the machine shop ballance the new blade.

Another option for the blade arbor... if the part of the shaft that holds the blade is press fit and keyway with a set screw, remove it and see if you can retrofit a more modern arbor to the original shaft, might make it easier to get preexisting blades, maybe even a left hand cut blade.

other than that, I think Ryan has the best method.

AJ

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

First of all, I want to see pictures of this beast.

Bladewise, do you happen to have any of your old blades? you might be able to get a set of normal blades that are the same dimensions as the originals. take those and cut a diamond shaped arbor hole that allows 1/8" gap if you place the blade over the oval. take the new blade and have a local machine shop "reverse" the blade by heating and bending the curves in the shape of the originals and sharpen the other side. also have them cut a diamond shape spacer out of the center of the original blade that you can fit in the diamond shape hole on the new blade. put a thick/ wide enough washer to cover that and overlap by 1/4". have the machine shop ballance the new blade.

Another option for the blade arbor... if the part of the shaft that holds the blade is press fit and keyway with a set screw, remove it and see if you can retrofit a more modern arbor to the original shaft, might make it easier to get preexisting blades, maybe even a left hand cut blade.

other than that, I think Ryan has the best method.

AJ

If the blade is heat treated you would destroy the heat treatment by heating and rebending it.

If it isn't heat treated it would be better off to just start off with new steel and laser the triangle or whatever in the center. If they are heat treated (I kinda doubt they are) you could have them heat treated if you wanted to.

If you can find modern blades the correct rotation I would look into updating the spindles or whatever engages the blades to run modern blades. I wonder if you could find blank blades somewhere you could add your own arbor hole to.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

First of all, I want to see pictures of this beast.

Bladewise, do you happen to have any of your old blades? you might be able to get a set of normal blades that are the same dimensions as the originals. take those and cut a diamond shaped arbor hole that allows 1/8" gap if you place the blade over the oval. take the new blade and have a local machine shop "reverse" the blade by heating and bending the curves in the shape of the originals and sharpen the other side. also have them cut a diamond shape spacer out of the center of the original blade that you can fit in the diamond shape hole on the new blade. put a thick/ wide enough washer to cover that and overlap by 1/4". have the machine shop ballance the new blade.

Another option for the blade arbor... if the part of the shaft that holds the blade is press fit and keyway with a set screw, remove it and see if you can retrofit a more modern arbor to the original shaft, might make it easier to get preexisting blades, maybe even a left hand cut blade.

other than that, I think Ryan has the best method.

AJ

I dont have any pics handy but next time im out there ill take a few. I do have the old blades, and like i said i did find a new set...but next time i dont know.

The deck spindles are all formed as a solid piece. Basically a 3\4 inch solid shaft that rides on a set of roller bearings with threads on one side and a keyway for a pulley then the other side has has the oval and another set of thread for a nut to hold the blade on. When i first got it it needed a spindle and that was hell to find too. Finally found a NOS one on ebay for 150bucks.

I did find oregon makes a left handed blade damn close to the same size...but the holes different. I ordered a set that matched the part number for the originals and while the oval hole fit they were RH cut.

If the blade is heat treated you would destroy the heat treatment by heating and rebending it.

If it isn't heat treated it would be better off to just start off with new steel and laser the triangle or whatever in the center. If they are heat treated (I kinda doubt they are) you could have them heat treated if you wanted to.

If you can find modern blades the correct rotation I would look into updating the spindles or whatever engages the blades to run modern blades. I wonder if you could find blank blades somewhere you could add your own arbor hole to.

The blank blade thing might be an option. The old blades are bent to shit and i didnt know if they were heat treated or not which is why i didnt try to straighten them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I dont have any pics handy but next time im out there ill take a few. I do have the old blades, and like i said i did find a new set...but next time i dont know.

The deck spindles are all formed as a solid piece. Basically a 3\4 inch solid shaft that rides on a set of roller bearings with threads on one side and a keyway for a pulley then the other side has has the oval and another set of thread for a nut to hold the blade on. When i first got it it needed a spindle and that was hell to find too. Finally found a NOS one on ebay for 150bucks.

I did find oregon makes a left handed blade damn close to the same size...but the holes different. I ordered a set that matched the part number for the originals and while the oval hole fit they were RH cut.


The blank blade thing might be an option. The old blades are bent to shit and i didnt know if they were heat treated or not which is why i didnt try to straighten them.

I kinda doubt on the heat treat since they are commonly resharpened.

Like sickle mower and disk mower blades are but they are disposable

 

[bruker]

Looks like there's some on ebay and also oregonproducts.com .

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I kinda doubt on the heat treat since they are commonly resharpened.

Like sickle mower and disk mower blades are but they are disposable

Thats a good point. Maybe ill try to straighten my old ones also...being bent was really the biggest issue. Guess i shouldnt use it for a bushhog lol

Looks like there's some on ebay and also oregonproducts.com .

I looked into those. The left hand oregon ones have the wrong center hole and the ebay ones had a proper center but were right hand.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I looked into those. The left hand oregon ones have the wrong center hole and the ebay ones had a proper center but were right hand.

Just get a slightly longer main drivebelt and twist it so the blades spin the other way... why make this harder than it needs to be?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Just get a slightly longer main drivebelt and twist it so the blades spin the other way... why make this harder than it needs to be?

might work but the deck is shaft driven....so figure out how to run a K582 backwards and get back with me lol

 

[pjtoledo]

carburetor and pre-ignition, it can happen. but they run really crappy in reverse.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

might work but the deck is shaft driven....so figure out how to run a K582 backwards and get back with me lol

Gears…

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Gears…

Hmm...

I wonder if i could turn the deck gearbox around somehow