How to Balance Lawnmower Blades And Why You Do It

Lawnmowers have been keeping yards trim for several years. Over the years, they have become very important and essential garden equipment in every home and organization. Lawnmowers not only help you to keep your lawn clean, but they also ensure that the work is done faster and the effect lasts longer, which makes everyone happy. However, the problem arises when your mower begins to vibrate beyond the ordinary, and trimming is not done efficiently. Unbalanced lawnmower blades may cause this, and they might be responsible for a lot of problems. While many people don’t understand the importance of balancing their lawnmower blades, many don’t know how to do it.

To Balance Lawnmower Blades you have to follow these steps:

1. Assemble all your work equipment
2. Disconnect the spark plug
3. Tilt mower on its side
4. Remove the blade
5. Remove dust and debris
6. Sharpen blade
7. Mark the new blade
8. Check blade balance
9. Reinstall the blade

Being acquainted with balancing your mower blade is vital in attaining the fresh, clean, and hygienic cut that makes your garden appear great. If your grass is tatty and shabby after mowing or if it turns out brown the following day, then there are chances you have an unbalanced blade causing this destruction. The secret to completing a clean cut every time you run your lawnmower over the lawn is to have a balanced blade.

In an ideal world, you need to balance the blade on your lawnmower twice in the main cutting season. Because of continuous usage, the mower blade can also become blunt over time. If it is laid open to contact with twigs, stones, or other debris, the blade can also become more damaged and dented.

Cutting your lawn with an unbalanced blade, even at the slimmest cut, turns on the risk of you damaging your lawn instead of cutting it, and this will affect the look of your garden, which can, in turn, lead to permanent damage. Balancing your mower blade can be carried out at home by adhering to the advice outlined in this article.

Importance of Balancing Lawnmower Blades

A whole lot of people might not be aware of how an unbalanced lawnmower blade is capable of causing damage to their mowers simply because they do not understand the importance of a balanced mower blade. However, this is a critical situation that should be handled with care. Balancing your lawnmower blades means making sure that the weight of the blade is evenly distributed from one side to the other. Usually, a mower blade is inclined at the center, leaving the two sides even in weight and size. However, mower blades become unbalanced during the blade sharpening process. When you grind more metal off one side than the other side, the blade goes off balance, and one side becomes heavier than the other.

Now when something capable of spinning over a thousand times per minute goes off balance, a big problem can occur. If you feel an awkward vibration when mowing, your mower blades are most likely unbalanced. If your lawn is not trimmed evenly, then the blades are most likely unbalanced. If mowing takes longer than usual, the blades are most likely unbalanced. Therefore, an unbalanced lawnmower blade can cause series of problems like snapping or loosening of internal structural bolts, leaving you with extra work to do or causing a significant amount of vibration, which will, in turn, put stress on the blade shift, the spindle and in most cases, the engine.

The importance of balancing your lawnmower blades is not only about the quality of your trim or cut but also about the wear and tear that it can cause on your mower. So if you want to enjoy your mower for a long time or you want to get more life out of it, keep the blades balanced.

How to Sharpen Your Lawnmower Blades

Sharpening your mower blades is as important as balancing them. A dull or blunt mower blade can give your grass a ragged tear and make your work look untidy. Therefore, for a clean-cut, your mower blade needs to be sharpened regularly. Here are some step by step tips on how to sharpen your lawnmower blades:

1. Assemble all your work equipment:

To ensure maximum safety, you need your personal protective equipment as well as your work equipment. These include safety goggles, ear muffs (if you are using a grinding machine), a Steel brush, a wrench to remove the blade, a bench grinder or a sharpening tool of your choice, and a blade balancer.

2. Disconnect the spark plug:

This is to prevent the motor from accidentally starting. Pull the spark plug wire from the spark plug and tape it back so that it does not fall back to make contact with the plug. This can be a good time to check your sparkplug and clean or replace them if needed.

3. Tilt mower on its side:

Tilt the mower onto its side so that the air filter and carburetor are up. This would help prevent gas and oil from dripping into the air filter.

4. Remove the blade:

Between the blade and the deck, wedge a short 2×4 to clamp the blade. Loosen the nut with a wrench that has a long handle. Twist counterclockwise and remove the bolt and blade.

5. Remove dust and debris:

With your steel brush, dust off the rust and debris on your blade. Inspect the blade carefully to determine if it requires replacing.

6. Sharpen blade:

Using your file or grinder, sharpen the blade along the original angle of each cutting edge. Ensure that you maintain the original angle, file only in that direction, and remove equal amounts of steel off each edge.

7. Mark the new blade:

One mistake most lawn owners make is reinstalling a mower blade upside down after sharpening it. Once it is reinstalled upside down, the blade won’t cut. Spray the sharpened blade with spray paint before removing it. It will help you know the right way to reinstall it.

8. Check blade balance:

Place that blade on a nail to check for the balance. If one section of the blade dips, file it off until the blades are even.

9. Reinstall the blade:

Reinstall the blade on your lawnmower and screw in the bolt or nut. Insert the 2×4 in the reverse direction so that you can bear down on the breaker bar to tighten it. Make sure you tighten the bolt properly as a loose blade throws off the engine timing, making it hard to start the mower.

The sharpening of blades requires maximum concentration and skill. If you know that you won’t be watching what you are doing, get professional help to avoid accidents of any sort. Also, in place of a nail, you can get a blade balancer for accurate results.

How Often Should I Sharpen My Lawnmower Blade?

This is another frequently asked question. Your lawnmower blade may begin to look dull, or the grasses may get ragged with torn edges, and this can promote the growth of fungi and other grass diseases. Don’t panic, as this is most likely caused when the blades are not sharpened. For the best cut or trim, you should sharpen your lawnmower blades twice a month or at least once a month. To diagnose a blunt blade, take a few minutes to inspect your grass after cutting. If it has torn edges and it looks ragged, then your blade is dull and needs sharpening.

How do I balance my lawnmower blade after sharpening?

If you sharpen your lawnmower blades by yourself, chances are you don’t sharpen them evenly. Uneven sharpening can cause a blade to be heavier on one side than the other, which can, in turn, cause heavy vibration, loosening some essential internal bolts, and eventually accelerated wear and tear on the engine. The good news is that it can be quite simple to test for the balance of your blade and make necessary adjustments before reinstalling it. Below is a step by step procedure that can help you deal with damages:

1. Fasten blade over a nail head:

Using a hammer, drive a large nail into a wall plank in your shed or garage. Then balance your lawn mower blade on the nail base by putting the hole in the center of the blade over the nail head.

2. Rotate the blade:

Try turning the blade about a quarter to the right and watch it. If it stays in place, then it is balanced, and you have nothing to worry about. However, if it rotates to where it started, then it’s a bad sign. Again, turn the blade halfway to the right. If it stays in place, the blade is well balanced, but if it returns to where it started, then the blade is unbalanced, and the part of the blade that keeps returning to the bottom is too heavy.

3. File the blade:

After determining what section of the blade is heavy, remove the blade from the nail and clamp the blade to a workbench or a stable surface. Make sure you keep track of the part of the blade that is heavy. Using a smooth file, file down the edges of the heavy section of the blade. Try to maintain the normal angle of the blade edge as you file.

4. Check for balance:

Take off the blade from the clamp and carefully brush it clean with a brush or your hand. Take it back to the joist and place it on the nail head. Turn the blade again and check to see if the same section keeps returning to the bottom.

5. Repeat procedure:

If both sections are balanced, go ahead to reinstall your blade. If not, continue alternating between filing the blade and balancing it on the nail until the blade stays put on both sections. When you are sure that it is balanced, reinstall the blade on your lawnmower and enjoy it. With the knowledge of sharpening your lawnmower blades coupled with balancing, you can look forward to seasons of a neatly mowed lawn.

What Are The Major Types of Lawnmower Blades and Which Is Best For My Mower?

Identifying different blade types is helpful to both lawn owners and land scrapers, as it would help you achieve your desired results. You need to know the kind of mower blade that works perfectly for you and your lawn because selecting the wrong blade can affect the look of your lawn and might eventually cause damage to your mower.

Presently, lawnmower blades make use of several designs that provide a variety of lift and mulching options. The size, thickness, material, and design vary according to the manufacturer. Normally, a mower blade should perform three primary functions, including mulching, discharging, and bagging. While some types of blades can deliver all three tasks, others serve only one function.

Usually, a mower makes use of a blade that corresponds to the configuration of its holes and measurement. However, most mowers still have several options for blade types that are compatible. Here are some major types of lawnmower blades:

●1) Low lift blades:

This type of mower blade is recommended for mowing a lawn with sandy soil and dry shorter grasses. They are primarily designed for side discharge mowing. They have slightly curved ends that keep the flow of air to a minimum. The features include; low suction power with a less drastic swoop, making sure that the grass stays low in the area where it is more available to be ejected at the side of the mower; hence dust and debris levels are kept down.

Benefits of low lift blades:

• Minimal Dust: The curved ends of the blades keep the air pressure to a minimum, allowing the cut grasses to exit from the mower while maintaining minimum dust and debris levels.
• Easy on the engines: Low lift blades do not strain the mower engines.

●2) High lift blades:

High lift blades are designed to have deeper curves on each end which provides a high level of suction that sends the grass clippings into a bagger. With the vertical swoop shape, the high lift air beneath the mower provides a high suction power blade. This suction makes bagging more efficient and reduces the chances of clogging up. It is primarily designed for wet and high grasses and requires a high horsepower engine.

The benefit of high lift blades are:

• Better airflow: High lift blades provide high airflow to prevent clogging especially when mowing wet or tall grass.
• Better cuts: They also cut grass neatly before bagging and discharging them.

●3) Deck blades:

It is also known as a standard blade and is the most commonly used type of blade on lawnmowers with horizontal rotation. The edges of the blades are slightly curved to generate a continuous airflow as they rotate hence creating a suck and cut action.

Benefits of deck blades:

• Efficient design: They have an aerodynamic design and are straight, enabling them to provide a powerful lift that expels the grass clippings from the deck.
• mulching: They serve as a perfect option when mulching when your grass clippings are not feasible.
• Long-lasting: Deck blades can work for longer periods which means you can do more jobs in less time. They are also a wise option when your lawns are not mowed regularly.
• Ease of installation: They are easy to install and can fit into many mower models; they are also durable.

●4) Mulching blade:

This blade is also known as an all-purpose blade. It is designed to have a curved surface which allows it to work in three ways. The blade starts by pulling up the grass and cutting it; then, the grass clippings are drawn inside the deck, further reduced to small pieces. Finally, the innermost curve of the blade produces pressurized air, which forces the small clippings out. The design allows grasses to be chopped several times before they are bagged or discharged onto the lawn.

Benefits of mulching blades:

• Versatile: Mulching blades are versatile because they can perform all three functions instead of one. They perform the function of mulching, bagging, and discharging grass clippings back onto the lawn.
• Efficient: The blades keep grass clippings inside the deck, which enables them to reduce the clippings into tiny pieces. The longer curved surface allows you to achieve more cuts in less time.
• Mulching: Mulched grasses, when released into the soil, decomposes faster, releasing nutrients that would, in turn, help the growing grasses. Hence, mulching blades are environmentally friendly.

●5) 3-in-1 or gator blade:

These blades combine the low, medium and high lifts technique into a single blade. The features include a serrated edge at both ends of the blade which enables an all-around cutting. They perform well in sandy terrains while providing you with that quality mulch you want.

Benefits of gator blades:

• Optimized design: Gator blades are made with a progressive geometry on the edges in order to increase appropriate airflow which facilitates side discharge and quality bagging. The edges remain sharp for a long time, increasing the period between sharpening and replacement.
• Finer grass cuts: Unlike other blade types that push the grass down, the gator blade pushes the grass up. This is due to the raised teeth on the blades. These teeth also direct the grass towards the cutting edge resulting in a cleaner cut, finer grass clippings, and an even lawn.

On that note, there is no such thing as the best blades for your mower. All these blade types are designed to have their unique features and benefits, so when shopping for a mower blade, you would need to consider the one that is best suited for your mower and your lawn in order to achieve the best results.

How Can I Mow Like a Pro

It is safe to assume that most people can tell the difference between a lawn that a professional mowing company mowed and one that looks like it was chopped by some child who lives down the street. And you would be happier to see that you own the beautifully mowed lawn! Wondering how to mow like a professional? Here are few tips to follow to give your lawn that professionally mowed appearance.

• Trim the unreachable areas: For grass that would be not easy to reach with your mower, proceed to trim them either with a manual trimmer or a powered one. Move around those trees, lampposts, fences, flowerbeds, walks, and drives, as well as obstacles such as rocks and sprinkler heads. Trim around those areas that you know your mower cannot reach. Make sure you trim them to the height that you would mow your lawn. This would help you to achieve an even cut in the long run.
• Use a Trash Bag: Next, get a trash bag and do a little bit of a walk-around, picking any sticks, stones, and debris. This is to prevent being run over by the lawnmower leading to uneven mowing. Then mentally divide the lawn into three major sections.

• Make three complete turns: Now, start your lawnmower and make three complete turns around the perimeter of one of the sections of the lawn. This would allow the grass clippings to exit towards the center of your lawn, giving you enough room to turn your lawnmower around without missing patches of uncut grass.
• Mow equally on both sections of the lawn: About halfway down one side of the section, turn so that you are facing the opposite side, with approximately equal amounts of lawn on your right and left.
• Cut in a straight line: From the first section, pick a spot on the opposite side which is directly across the lawn. Now mow towards that spot and focus on it, ignoring the areas directly in front of your mower. This will help you remain on a straight line. Ideally, professional trimming and mowing are done in straight lines to achieve a good-looking lawn. Pay attention to those obstacles that I mentioned earlier, and don’t run over them just because you’re trying to maintain a straight line.
• Turn around carefully: After getting across the lawn in a straight line, carefully turn around and continue to move your mower in that straight line. Now turn around and see what you have done. You would see that the straight line varies from the remaining places. Complete one side of the section and repeat the pop process until your entire lawn is mowed.

• Recheck the spots: After you have finished mowing, take another look at spots like the walks and drives and the turnaround spots. If you missed any of those areas during trimming or turn around spots, go back and mow them properly. What differentiates a professional job from an unprofessional one is the attention you pay to little details.
• Clean the clippings: Now that you are done mowing, take a broom or a leaf blower and push back onto the lawn those stray grass clippings that flew out during mowing. Clean off all those areas affected by your mower or anywhere else that has collected excess grass clippings.
• Mow in various other directions: While you may have your favorite mowing direction (such as a front to back, a side to side, a diagonal, or a unique direction), it is sometimes more effective to mow in a different direction to reduce the stress of turning around repeatedly on that particular spot.

Final Remarks

In a nutshell, mowing with a proper set of cutting blades not only improves the aesthetics and finish of your turf but is also easy on the mower’s engine. We know that vibrations can be a nuisance and may also be a signal of something alarming. Therefore, to ensure a longer service life, always perform the timely maintenance of your lawnmower. We hope that this blog post has helped provide you an insight into how lawnmower blades work and how you should take care of them.

Balancing Lawn Mower Blades: Essential for Turf Health and Equipment Durability

As a seasoned landscaper, the significance of balancing lawn mower blades cannot be overstated. Irregularities in the blades not only lead to uneven cuts but can also precipitate mishaps and impact your mower’s performance.

• The Importance of Regular Balancing

From my experience, regular blade balancing should be part of your routine mower maintenance. Blades usually become unbalanced when they hit solid objects like rocks and hard soil. Over time, this affects the cordial interaction between the blade and lawn, making it more cumbersome to achieve the perfect trim.

Moreover, unbalanced blades can cause an undue burden on your mower, which often results in reduced operational efficiency and may lead to untimely wear and tear. Hence, check and balance your mower blades regularly with reliable techniques that I have learned over time.

• Handy Methods to Balance Mower Blades

– Nail in the Wall Method

The nail-in-the-wall method uses a simple nail hammered halfway into a wall. Whittle down any rough edges on the blade using a grinder or file, and then hang the blade on the nail through the hole in the middle. If one end of the blade tilts downwards, that means it’s heavier.

Remove some material from the heavier end and then hang the blade on the nail again. Repeat the process until the blade stays level.

– Pliers Method

This technique requires a pair of needle-nose pliers and a vice. Firmly grip the mower blade in a vice and then use the pliers to bend the ends of the blades upwards slightly.

Make sure both ends are even, and if the blade still isn’t balanced, remove some material from the heavier end again and repeat the bending process.

– Screwdriver Method

This method employs a large screwdriver as the balancing beam. You need to secure the screwdriver in a vice so that the handle is horizontal. Then, place the center hole of the blade over the handle. If the blade tilts, remove some material from the heavier side. Repeat until the blade is balanced on the screwdriver.

• Using Blade Hole Adapters

In some cases, lawn mower blades may come with star holes, complicating the balancing process. However, using a blade hole adapter can help ensure proper balance. It adjusts the center hole shape to a regular circle, allowing you to balance the blade using the above methods effectively.

• Safety Precautions during Blade Balancing

Working with lawn mower blades requires caution as these objects are sharp and can cause serious injuries. Always wear protective gloves, and ensure your work area is clear from potential hazards.

Also, remember to perform your balancing tasks when the mower engine is off and cool to the touch to avoid any accidents.

Undeniably, learning to balance lawn mower blades at home is instrumental in boosting your mowing experience and preserving the longevity of your machine. For more information on lawn mower maintenance, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Extension website provides a wealth of knowledge.

The tireless practice of these methods will not only maintain a healthy lawn but also extend the lifespan of your mower, ensuring many summers of uncompromised yard work.

Inspecting Lawn Mower Blades Regularly

Regular inspection of your lawn mower blade is imperative. Look for visible signs of damage, like nicks or dings, that could be affecting the blade’s cutting performance. Routine inspections are a best practice I recommend to maintain the effectiveness of your mower.

• The Correct Way to Sharpen the Blade

When it comes to sharpening the mower blade, it’s important to be methodical. Start by using a flat bottom edge as your guide. This will allow you to closely match the angle of the grinder to the pitch of the blade angle.

The Oregon State University Extension Service offers some excellent resources on caring for lawn equipment, including how to determine the correct blade angle.

• Ensure Evenly Sharpened Blades

To achieve the best cut, your blade needs to be evenly sharpened. To do this, make even passes over the entire face of the angled portion of the blade. It’s a small precision step like these that ensures your lawn mower operates at peak efficiency.

• Overheating Blade Prevention

One important point to consider when sharpening blades is the risk of overheating, which can damage the tempering of the blade. Therefore, avoid keeping the blade static in one location on the grinder for excessive periods.

• Sharpening Procedure for Both Sides of the Blade

After sharpening one side, don’t forget to flip the blade and repeat the process on the other side. This will ensure symmetry and balance in the blade, leading to a uniform cut when mowing.

• Using a Magnetic Blade Balancer

Once the sharpening is complete, it’s essential to check the blade’s balance. Use a magnetic blade balancer for this purpose. This tool can be a time-saver and assist in correctly maintaining your lawn mower.

• Blade Balance Adjustment

If the magnetic blade balancer shows that one side of the blade is heavier, further sharpening may be needed. The removal of the extra weight will ensure the effectiveness of the mower.

• Repeat the Balancing Process

The process of checking the balance should be repeated until the blade stays level on the balancer. This is a crucial step to ensure a smooth functioning mower.

• Seeking Help from Trained Lawn Mower Technicians

If you ever feel unsure about the sharpening or balancing process, don’t hesitate to seek the help of a trained technician. They have the necessary expertise and tools to carry out these tasks effectively.

The well cared-for mower blade will not only enhance the appearance of your lawn but also improve the overall performance of your lawn mower. Therefore, investing time and effort in proper maintenance of your lawn mower blade yields a high return in terms of machine longevity and your lawn’s look.

Remember that whether you are a seasoned professional or a beginner, everyone can benefit from maintaining their equipment properly, and these steps provide a comprehensive guide to doing just that.