Mulching blades that can still actually lift grass?

[StarTech]

Have tried using the mulch blades with side discharge? Yes I understand it won't fully mulch the leaves or grass but provide some mulching while still having a place for air to go.

 

[bullet bob]

Have tried using the mulch blades with side discharge? Yes I understand it won't fully mulch the leaves or grass but provide some mulching while still having a place for air to go.

I did several years ago. Just wasn't impressed with the cut. Went with some sort of high-lift from Oregon and was very pleased. So now I'm trying to get high-lift, plus mulch. Don't think there is such an animal.........

 

[StarTech]

I haven't seen anything like that due how it has to recycle the cuttings. They have to first lifted and allow to fall back through the cutting area; then repeat over and over until they can't be lifted anymore as you move the cutting deck. Now some walk behind uses double blades (X pattern)but that add quite deck load to the engine.

I have learn to accept that there are limits to each style blade. Mulch blades are low to medium lift so you don't have deck blow out while mulching. Too much deck pressure will cause clippings to blow out.

But at least the Gravely uses 5/8 round so welding a pair of blades in a X is easier than a MTD and Husqvarna star holes. But will take time to get them in balance after doing so.

 

[MParr]

I haven't seen anything like that due how it has to recycle the cuttings. They have to first lifted and allow to fall back through the cutting area; then repeat over and over until they can't be lifted anymore as you move the cutting deck. Now some walk behind uses double blades (X pattern)but that add quite deck load to the engine.

I have learn to accept that there are limits to each style blade. Mulch blades are low to medium lift so you don't have deck blow out while mulching. Too much deck pressure will cause clippings to blow out.

But at least the Gravely uses 5/8 round so welding a pair of blades in a X is easier than a MTD and Husqvarna star holes. But will take time to get them in balance after doing so.

Ballard sells an X shaped blade adapter. This allows the operator to mount 2 blades on the spindle in an X pattern. I don’t like adding that extra weight to the spindles. Meg Mo has a product that has four stubby blades mounted on a circular plate and the blades can swing on that circular plate. Again, there is extra weight on the spindles and more horsepower is desired.

https://www.ballard-inc.com/x-blade-triple-pack

 

[nbpt100]

The OP isn’t talking about a walk behind mower.
My mower and his are similar in deck construction and the blades are interchangeable. I’m describing my experience.

Yes, I know. I was making a point that riders do not have the features that a walk behind that is designed to mulch has. I may be wrong so someone correct me. Also, the wetter and taller the grass the harder it is to mulch. Hense wet or a lot of leaves may not mulch well at all. I was drawing correlations from walk behinds to riders and from grass to leaves. I dont think riders are as well designed to mulch as some walk behinds. That is why I recommenced calling the Gravely dealer to see what type of blade they would recommend to meet his needs with his machine.

 

[MParr]

Yes, I know. I was making a point that riders do not have the features that a walk behind that is designed to mulch has. I may be wrong so someone correct me. Also, the wetter and taller the grass the harder it is to mulch. Hense wet or a lot of leaves may not mulch well at all. I was drawing correlations from walk behinds to riders and from grass to leaves. I dont think riders are as well designed to mulch as some walk behinds. That is why I recommenced calling the Gravely dealer to see what type of blade they would recommend to meet his needs with his machine.

There is only one type of blade that will work with the Gravely mulching kit and that is the Gravely mulching blades that came with the kit or a direct aftermarket replacement blade. Gator style blades are designed for side discharge. The manufacturers of the Gator style blades even state this in their product literature. I have tried just about every blade style available for a 60” Gravely. I use mine weekly. I have two different sets of blades for fall leaves. One set is Oregon Gator G6 and the other is the Gravely OEM mulching blades. One or the other will go on after the leaves start falling. I side discharge and cut in a square, throwing the discharge to the inside. It takes several passes to get the desired results.
I wished that I had gotten a video of the landscaper mowing the neighborhood church yard. He was using a Gravely Pro Turn 260 with Gator style blades. Man, that was a mess. There is no telling how long it took to clean that mess up. Clumps of wet grass everywhere. Piles of wet grass clippings that fell from the deck. I use either high lift Dixie Chopper blades or standard Gravely blades and don’t leave that sort of mess.

 

[Honest Abe]

how high is the grass your cutting; and, what cutting height do you have the deck set at ...???

 

[hlw49]

Dixie Chopper makes blades that you can put 2 blades per spindle on. 30227-60X and 30227-60H. Don't know if the lengths are the same or not but can probably look the lenghts up.

 

[mark abby]

so, we mulch all summer, then once a year de-thatch the lawn, removing all the dead mulch we put down all summer?

 

[barny57]

Gravely 60" ZT HD, 2017. Every fall I install https://www.gravely.com/en-us/part/zero-turn-mulching-kit---60-in-decks-79105900 the mulching kit, mainly because without it, the leaves blow out the side chute w/o ever being cut up. So again this year I tackle the project. Sharpen & balance the blades, set the height to 4" (from 4.25") and have at it. And once again the cut just isn't 'even', not like the Oregon high-lift blades give me during the summer months. So my question is, is there such an animal as a high-lift mulching blade that would work with this kit?

Put a cover over the shoot, that will chop them up