Using a balancer on a mower blade

[Lawnranger]

The only place I have seen derogatory things said about the decades old method, nail or fixed pivot, is in manufactures marketing of their 'better idea'...

No matter how you do a 2 dimensional static balance it will be equally good...
If there were any benefit to a perfectly balanced blade you would find dynamic blade balancing ... As far as I know, no one has came up with that unnecessary service ... YET... :smile:KennyV

Here's a dynamic blade balancer for ya - Magnetic Blade Balancer, 7-05987, 9788, 42-016-0, 95-2002, 42-016

Unnecessary? Hardly! Works way better than the cheap stepped-cone level static balancers and holds the blade perfectly centered on a smooth tapered cone instead of a stepped cone. The cheap level balancers won't work with all blades since some blades have a star pattern and the tips of the stars don't sit in the center of the steps. This balancer also has a moveable arm to check for a bent blade. Laying a blade on a flat surface doesn't always work but with this balancer you can slowly rotate the blade and the arm can be set to just touch the tip of the blade as it passes and then you can compare it to the other end of the blade.

Just for grins, I balanced a blade on a cheap stepped-cone balancer and got it balanced to the point that it couldn't get any better and then I checked it on the dynamic balancer. Guess what? Yep, out of balance enough to set up a vibration so I'm sold on dynamic balancing and nothing anyone says could change my mind.

I fully realize the price is out of reach for most homeowners but I own one of these balancers and sharpen/balance blades for others as well. It pays for itself.

 

[KennyV]

Here's a dynamic blade balancer for ya
...
Unnecessary? Hardly! ...
...
... I'm sold on dynamic balancing and nothing anyone says could change my mind.

I fully realize the price is out of reach for most homeowners but I own one of these balancers and sharpen/balance blades for others as well. It pays for itself.

It would have to pay for itself... Because That is Not a Dynamic Balancer... That's still a static balancer, tho with magnets and spring loaded cone....
But like I said any static balance will do an adequate job. There really is no need for Dynamic Balancing Mower blades.
There are a few gimmicky balancing systems available, Some handier to use than others, some very pricey, But they are all static balancers... I have Never seen a Dynamic (mower Blade) balancer.

But we are in a system where marketing will provide the Need for a product... so I'm fairly sure that eventually someone will market it, (needed or not), and like most everyone, I will have to check it out. Till then Pick the system that works Best for you & be happy that no one is trying to sway you into thinking you Need to Dynamically Balance a Lawn Mower Blade... Yet.... :smile:KennyV

 

[Lawnranger]

It would have to pay for itself... Because That is Not a Dynamic Balancer... That's still a static balancer, tho with magnets and spring loaded cone....
But like I said any static balance will do an adequate job. There really is no need for Dynamic Balancing Mower blades.
There are a few gimmicky balancing systems available, Some handier to use than others, some very pricey, But they are all static balancers... I have Never seen a Dynamic (mower Blade) balancer.

But we are in a system where marketing will provide the Need for a product... so I'm fairly sure that eventually someone will market it, (needed or not), and like most everyone, I will have to check it out. Till then Pick the system that works Best for you & be happy that no one is trying to sway you into thinking you Need to Dynamically Balance a Lawn Mower Blade... Yet.... :smile:KennyV

Actually, the magnetic holder, tapered cone and blade spin on a bearing so in fact it Is a dynamic balancer. If you haven't had a chance to try them yet, I highly recommend them as they are far superior to any other method of blade balancing.

The large flat base mounts on the wall and the cone points out toward you, this balancer does not sit flat on a table such as the stepped cone static balancers. By mounting the balancer on the wall you will be able to watch the blade rotate and the heavy end will rotate down as the lighter end of the blade will rotate up-the beauty of dynamic balancing.

Here is how Webster's Dictionary defines static: 1 exerting force by reason of weight alone without motion, 2 of or relating to bodies at rest or forces in equilibrium, 3 showing little change, 4 characterized by a lack of movement, animation, or progression, 5 standing or fixed in one place.
In layman's terms we could say "not moving"

Here is how Webster's dictionary defines dynamic: 1 of or relating to physical force or energy, 2 marked by usu. continuous and productive activity or change
In layman's terms we could say "moving" or in this case, rotating since the blade rotates in order to check for an out of balance condition.

So you can see that since the blade on the balancer I made reference to spins it is now defined as a dynamic blade balancer.

Back in the day we used to use a static bubble balancer for balancing automotive tires but the problem is that you could not dynamically balance them and as a result the tires could still be out of balance even though the bubble indicated they were in balance. Enter in the dynamic (spin) balancers and a whole new world of tire balancing was opened up and the service people were now able to better balance the tires on an automobile providing better service and this is what this dynamic blade balancer provides for lawnmower blades.

I've heard it said "you get what you pay for" but I don't agree with that statement as much as I agree with "you don't get what you don't pay for"....:smile:Lawnranger

 

[MBTRAC]

I employ the same method for my ride on & push mower blades as I use for my farming mower blades (multi blades of 3ft+) used in tractor slasher (bush hog) combinations where the slasher can cost upwards of $8K & is subject much greater potential torsional/imbalance loading due to size/power transmission of 100hp+ :-

Check blade horizontal & vertical balance after sharpening by centering blade on bolts of a similar dimension to those used for securing on the implement (i.e. static balancing) - I've gone a little further creating simple jigs with the various specific mounting sizes derived from free spinning bearings mounted on bolts with balanced steel templates to handle my single/dual/tri/quad blade combinations (in all using scrap + a few purchased bits cost me less than a set of blades & far less than any single balancer marketed which would handle my blade range), to date after many years of 300 -1400hrs+/yr experiencing no adverse effects due to my lack of "dynamic balancing".

Being a "bush mechanic" having maintained/rebuilt/manufactured all manner of tractors/trucks/vehicles/equipment (also with a little engineering background working for Auto/Capital Equipment OEM's), I am a little sceptical of the need for dynamic balancing on mowers as ultimately all the effort is out the door once the blades are installed as the deck, spindles...etc are not operating consistently in a perfect world due to the variables such as machine &/or terrain conditions- the blades in use experience individual wear rates also influenced by the variables of grass density, moisture content, centrifugal force, hard object impact, travel speed..etc...each rotational cut......I'd suggest on a mower there's a far greater chance of false brinelling occuring under idle conditions than any consequential wear/damage from lack of dynamic balancing....

 

[KennyV]

There are several ways to use a static balancer... and there are various types available... any of them will give satisfactory results, I have yet to see a Dynamic, Mower blade, balancer, rotating looking for a heavy end is still a static single dimension balance system. Like I said some methods of finding a heavy end 'seem' to be more sophisticated than others... but it is still the same single plane principal, just using a different pivot for the same static results...
If you are happy with it, that is the Most important part...
A dynamic balance is Not needed and is impractical to achieve, (for a mower blade)...
For various reasons including those As MBTRAC pointed out...
There Are times when "good enough", is exactly that... good enough. and that is not just a short cut from the possible.... It is achieving a good functional & operational limit.
We are all "usually" mowing with a rotational speed under 4k RPM, static balancing by any method, will be good enough. :smile:KennyV

 

[Lawnranger]

There are several ways to use a static balancer... and there are various types available... any of them will give satisfactory results, I have yet to see a Dynamic, Mower blade, balancer, rotating looking for a heavy end is still a static single dimension balance system. Like I said some methods of finding a heavy end 'seem' to be more sophisticated than others... but it is still the same single plane principal, just using a different pivot for the same static results...
If you are happy with it, that is the Most important part...
A dynamic balance is Not needed and is impractical to achieve, (for a mower blade)...
For various reasons including those As MBTRAC pointed out...
There Are times when "good enough", is exactly that... good enough. and that is not just a short cut from the possible.... It is achieving a good functional & operational limit.
We are all "usually" mowing with a rotational speed under 4k RPM, static balancing by any method, will be good enough. :smile:KennyV

You're right.....:smile:Lawnranger

 

[Abrahamm]

...and for a different perspective - Until today, I was completely unaware of blade balancing.

I've always just taken the blades off, hand filed til the edge is adequate, and tighten the blade back on the mower.

My little Honda self-propelled 5.5hp is over 15 years old (I can't recall precisely how much over) and never had a perfectly balanced blade except when I installed a new one. Over it's history it's had four blades in total. And, I've used the same method for my 46" lawn tractor with two blades.

Am I advocating using an unbalanced blade?

No, but not having perfectly balanced blades hasn't caused me any problems.

Though, now that I'm aware of balancing blades, I'll see what I can do or not...depends...

 

[motoman]

...and for a different perspective - Until today, I was completely unaware of blade balancing.

I've always just taken the blades off, hand filed til the edge is adequate, and tighten the blade back on the mower.

My little Honda self-propelled 5.5hp is over 15 years old (I can't recall precisely how much over) and never had a perfectly balanced blade except when I installed a new one. Over it's history it's had four blades in total. And, I've used the same method for my 46" lawn tractor with two blades.

Am I advocating using an unbalanced blade?

No, but not having perfectly balanced blades hasn't caused me any problems.

Though, now that I'm aware of balancing blades, I'll see what I can do or not...depends...

Crud accumulates at uneven rates on the blades throwing them off. I do note that the three bagger baskets fill better after sharpening and balancing. Guess I'll have to either sharpen or balance next time to see which is having the effect.

 

[LakeRat1]

I am 74, been cutting grass just about for ever, started cutting with the old Reel type push mower, then after the war, my Dad built our first power mower, had a round metal disk wit 6 mowing machine blades riveted to it, i guess it cur about a 24 in. path, then as years went on i started to sharpen the blades on my different mowers, before the 4 1/2 in grinders came along i used a 7 1/2 grinder, have never to this day tryed to Balmce a Blade, now days i have 2 Mowers, a JD LT 166 & a JD LT 445, the LT 166 was bought in 1999 & the LT 445 was bought in 2000, we use both to take care of about 4 ac. of grass, I changes the Spinal Bearings on the LT 166 when it was 9 years old, and Changed the ones on the LT 445 last winter when i was checking then out while replacing the drive belt, so not messing with trying to Balance the blades dont seem to have effected the mowers very much, This is just this Old Mans View

LakeRat1

PS: i would give just about anything for a Pic. of the mower that my Dad built, the deck was built from wood 2x6s the motor came from our old David Bradly garden tractor, that had tires that looked like Jeep tires, Dad was a Machinist, he build the spinal in side of a pipe, best i can remember it came up above the deck about a ft. had a pulley about 6 in. best i remember, once you crnked the motor, you had to jump the belt on to get the plade turning, the belt had to run with a twist in it, he hung chains down on the back, to knock down anything flying back on the person pushing, I Dont think OSH would allow that today!! LOL

 

[KennyV]

I...
Balance the blades dont seem to have effected the mowers very much, ...
...

I have to agree with you, it will not make much of a difference...

I recall seeing more than a few mowers home built, that used wood...
and a twist in the belt was common for reversing engine rotation.... :smile:KennyV