Export thread

Hi all

I was out tilling with my front tine tiller and the tines are so dull that it just bounced on top of the ground and bounced me around to.So what i need to know is what degree do i sharpen those tines at and what is the eases way to sharpen them, any tricks or ideas anyone has would be really nice. I know they haven't been off that shaft for a while so this could be fun.thanks

If you have roots , grass or tree, you need them a bit sharp.
A 4 1/2 angle grinder will reach in there and put an edge on them, don't thy to get mower blade sharp, the edge will just fold over...
A more blunt edge will allow your tines to last longer... :smile:KennyV

Actually you must be trying to plow hard ground, and it's probaly going to bounce util you get through the top layer. The more you use your tiller the sharper the blades will get. It has been my experience that they sharpen themselves. As they till through dirt it's like constantly sanding them down. I have never had to sharpen tines. I say just keep plugging away and as you get through the top layer of compacted soil things will get easier with each pass.

I agree, I wouldn't sharpen them. Sounds like virgin ground. Might want to rent a heavier tiller this first go around. Then yours should do fine as long as you continue to work that area each year.

My MTD Rally 5 hp front tine tiller is an '89 vintage and the tines have never been sharpened. By chance, did you take the tines off then reinstall them backwards?

Been there, done that....:ashamed:

Initial breaking of hard, compacted ground will tax any tiller, no matter how sharp the tines are. Your machine should have a depth stake, be sure it is at the proper depth. And despiye what KennyV says, forget about using an angle grinder to sharpen tines still on the shaft. Remove the tines, and do a proper job of it (sharpening) on a bench after clamping the tines in a vise.

If the ground is that hard, you need to turn it first either with a bottom plow or a spade......

I ran an old Sears roto tiller for about twenty years and the tines were really sharp at the tip but over the years had worn down so much they were only half as wide as new ones. I was always getting cut when I would clean the tines out. I finally replaced them. So yeah, over time they will sharpen themselves. Poncho, really like the setup on the old ford tractor with the plow on the back. Guarantee you can tear the ground up with that. I need to come up with something like that for my craftsman 2 I just restored. Makes it a heck of a lot easier tearing up new ground. With a tiller you just have to be patient and go a little deeper with each pass. You will get there though.

Hi

Well i didn't get to my front tine tiller today it rained almost all day and had other issue to deal with first. Had a wash machine that had a broken bracket on the tub that raddled like hell when it was in the spin cycle and had to tear that all apart of coarse the front panel was the only one that was removable and it was the back bracket. Was hoping i could just weld it on the machine but that was not the case had to remove tub and motor and transmission to get bracket off, then weld and repair then put it back on that steel is so thin on those machines now day my brother-law helped me to but anyway that job is done and my wife is happy she can use her machine again took it apart about a week ago or so.So back to the tiller now i was tilling grass sod and it was hard but there is no edge on those tines at all it"s like 1/4 inch rounded edge now and i thought it would help if there was a little edge on there to help cut the sod so i"m think about putting a little edge on there tomorrow. Well that" for all the good ideas:frown:

Re: What degree do i sharpen front tines on a tiller ( Found my delmeila)

Hi all again

Well this after noon i found out why those tines need sharpened because i had the out side two on the wrong side so they where backwards and that is why the sharp side was on the wrong way. I notice it after i took the first side off and they where going the wrong way, what a dumb a$$ why didn"t someone else tell me that? they must have been on there the wrong way since i used it last year to go through the strawberry. Well it all works better now i did sharpen the outside one a little bit and i use it all the time in the flower garden and that soil is pretty soft soil.:thumbdown:

Re: What degree do i sharpen front tines on a tiller ( Found my delmeila)

noma said:

Hi all again

Well this after noon i found out why those tines need sharpened because i had the out side two on the wrong side so they where backwards and that is why the sharp side was on the wrong way. I notice it after i took the first side off and they where going the wrong way, what a dumb a$$ why didn"t someone else tell me that? they must have been on there the wrong way since i used it last year to go through the strawberry. Well it all works better now i did sharpen the outside one a little bit and i use it all the time in the flower garden and that soil is pretty soft soil.:thumbdown:

Click to expand...

I did inquire if the tines might possibly be on backwards at the beginning of my post #5.....:laughing:

I'm not sure that all Tillers Tines are sharpened by just useing them? I have a small tiller and when I sharpen the tines with a grinder it does work much better. Again my Tiller is a small one and the Tines are not made out of Iron their Steel, and that might be the difference.