6' rotary cutter blade broke off
-
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Curtis, WA
6' rotary cutter blade broke off
I was using my 6' rotary cutter in some very light stuff in the pasture and one of the blades broke off.
Made a mess out of the side of the brush hog as it departed. It broke where the bolt goes through (the thinnest part). Man did it make a noise and throw the unit out of balance. I do not have to remove the grass from the underside at least as it did a pretty good job of shaking it loose all by itself.
Made a mess out of the side of the brush hog as it departed. It broke where the bolt goes through (the thinnest part). Man did it make a noise and throw the unit out of balance. I do not have to remove the grass from the underside at least as it did a pretty good job of shaking it loose all by itself.
Gregg
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
Memorable experience, for sure. Wish I knew more about that deck without guessing. I hope the repair goes well because you're going to need it.
-
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Curtis, WA
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
I backed it into the shop and will put it on the car lift to get to top and bottom. At first look at the attaching bolts and nuts a saw that they were welded so as to not come loose I suspect. Oxyacetylene and/or plasma cutter may be in order.
Gregg
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
I had a small brush hog (42") that I sold because it was no longer needed. Even with both ends of the blade intact, it didn't run very smoothly. I can't imagine what it must have been like when the end broke off of yours. Dangerous tools, those brush hogs.
H
H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
-
- Posts: 1955
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
Did the blade actually break or come off? The blades are pretty tough, I cut off a fence post with mine once - quite by accident, it was bent over and hiding in tall weeds.
-
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Curtis, WA
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
It separated at the point where it swivels. The weakest point as there is maybe 1/2" of material on either side when new. The blade weighed about 12 pounds so yes Harold, it shook a bunch..
I found both parts and it looks to have been weakened over time and there is evidence of fresh break at about 75% of the separation point.
Having started yesterday with pulling my septic pump and replacing a float switch, it was a long day.
I found both parts and it looks to have been weakened over time and there is evidence of fresh break at about 75% of the separation point.
Having started yesterday with pulling my septic pump and replacing a float switch, it was a long day.
Gregg
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
- SteveHGraham
- Posts: 7788
- Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
- Location: Florida
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
My bush hog has a big hole in the steel plate on the side. Those blades must move pretty fast when they cut loose.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
- liveaboard
- Posts: 1971
- Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:40 pm
- Location: southern Portugal
- Contact:
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
I have a dual axis one; 9' wide. when I bought it one blade was missing, broken off near the hub.
One time, I hit a heavy root and the hub broke right off; the whole blade assembly spun out from under and stopped near the ankles of the guy I was working for.
Now I've added an extra bar to each axis, so it has double blades; it works MUCH better than before, I can use twice the wheel speed now, this saves me a huge amount of time, almost an hour each time I mow.
One time, I hit a heavy root and the hub broke right off; the whole blade assembly spun out from under and stopped near the ankles of the guy I was working for.
Now I've added an extra bar to each axis, so it has double blades; it works MUCH better than before, I can use twice the wheel speed now, this saves me a huge amount of time, almost an hour each time I mow.
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
I suppose many are in stunned silence after seeing your deck. Totally cool in many ways. Your rebuild is first rate. I knew it was going to be awesome but didn't expect this. Thanks for sharing the larger version with us.
There are many other things which could be said or appreciated and silence isn't an answer.
There are many other things which could be said or appreciated and silence isn't an answer.
-
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Curtis, WA
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
Do they rotate in the same direction? How fast do you turn it?
Gregg
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
- liveaboard
- Posts: 1971
- Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:40 pm
- Location: southern Portugal
- Contact:
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
The blades counter-rotate, it's all shaft drive so they stay in sync.
The drive shaft speed is 550 max, I run it a little under that. There are 3 gear boxes and I did calculate the final ratio when I first got the thing but I don't remember what the result was.
It's a UK made agriculture thing they call a 'topper', meant for 'topping' or rough cutting a field after grazing and/or before plowing.
Between a brush cutter and a mower, I use it for both.
It came with skids, I added castor wheels. The first ones were pneumatic tires and couldn't take the load, so I switched to little gas cylinders. Not good on hard surface but they spread the weight out nicely on my [for lack of a better word] lawn. I cut about 1.5 acres as lawn, and brushcut around 3 acres outer field once or twice a year with the skids.
It's heavy; 500 / 600kg.
The drive shaft speed is 550 max, I run it a little under that. There are 3 gear boxes and I did calculate the final ratio when I first got the thing but I don't remember what the result was.
It's a UK made agriculture thing they call a 'topper', meant for 'topping' or rough cutting a field after grazing and/or before plowing.
Between a brush cutter and a mower, I use it for both.
It came with skids, I added castor wheels. The first ones were pneumatic tires and couldn't take the load, so I switched to little gas cylinders. Not good on hard surface but they spread the weight out nicely on my [for lack of a better word] lawn. I cut about 1.5 acres as lawn, and brushcut around 3 acres outer field once or twice a year with the skids.
It's heavy; 500 / 600kg.
-
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Curtis, WA
Re: 6' rotary cutter blade broke off
Does it do a good job of spreading what is cut? I like the discharge to one side as I can overlap the cuts slightly and kind of "mulch" the material. I was using it as a "topper" as you described. Hayed the 20 acre area then grazed it and was cutting down the stuff the cows were not interested in.liveaboard wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:29 am The blades counter-rotate, it's all shaft drive so they stay in sync.
The drive shaft speed is 550 max, I run it a little under that. There are 3 gear boxes and I did calculate the final ratio when I first got the thing but I don't remember what the result was.
It's a UK made agriculture thing they call a 'topper', meant for 'topping' or rough cutting a field after grazing and/or before plowing.
Between a brush cutter and a mower, I use it for both.
It came with skids, I added castor wheels. The first ones were pneumatic tires and couldn't take the load, so I switched to little gas cylinders. Not good on hard surface but they spread the weight out nicely on my [for lack of a better word] lawn.
new LPG tank castor wheels.jpg
I cut about 1.5 acres as lawn, and brushcut around 3 acres outer field once or twice a year with the skids.
It's heavy; 500 / 600kg.
Gregg
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.