Wiseguy -

Thanks for the response, but I'm asking for a friend of mine (we work for the same company @ different locations.)

I own a Tru-Cut & have a dealer near me in Oklahoma City.

I'd just thought some of the bermuda guys in Dallas/Fort Worth area could chime in & suggest a dealer(s) where they've had decent experiences. I know there must be dealers down there as much bermuda as there is down there.

Good day, Dan

Try Plano Power

I need to "bump" this.......

Any of you DFW reel mower guys gonna chime in?

Plano Power has it all and has parts instock. They do reel grinding.
www.planopower.com

how often do you have to have a reel and bedknife grinding done??? i had one at plano power early in the spring after scalping my yard and then had to have it sharpened due to cutting wet grass the whole month of july. when i took it to the other place they just back lapped it.....what's the difference and the benefits of each???

ajones, I think this post will answer your question...

posted by: ggoyeneche on 07.10.2006 at 07:20 pm in Lawn Mowers Forum

McLane 20" and 25" used a fixed cutting bar and rotate the reel in or out relative to the cutting bar. The reel bearings are supported by two bearing plates which pivot on bolts toward the rear of the frame, The front bolts tighten in slotted holes in the side frames. By moving the front of the bearing plate up or down, the reel is positioned further or closer relative to the bed knife.
Before you loosen or change anything, scribe match marks on each side frame along the bearing supports. This will allow you the get back to your starting point.

I prefer to backlap by hand with Clover compound, starting with a medium-coarse grit (#120) and finishing with a fine (#280). McLane sells a backlapping attachment for power backlapping ($90) but I don't recommend. The actual rotating of the reel takes about 5 minutes by hand and 2 minutes with the engine, so you only save a few minutes. Preparation, setting, and clean up will take you an hour or so. Trimmer and Tru-Cut tap the end of the reel and sell a crank handle which threads into the reel. Although McLane only sells something similar for their 17", you can use a large pair of vise-grip pliers to grab the sprocket and spin the reel.

Start by adjusting the reel so that it is just barely making contact with the knife. Make sure that you are even all the way across. Tighten up and then spread the coarse Clover across each reel blade. Now start to turn the reel backward (hence term backlap) for a couple of minutes. If you are no longer making contact, move the reel closer another few thousands and repeat. Next wipe off all compound, reset to slight contact, and apply fine Clover. Crank the reel, check and reset as required, and then wipe clean.

Now you need to clean the reel and bedknife thoroughly of any compound. Suggest you use spray solvent and a garden hose. Use a brush with the solvent to ensure you remove everything. Make sure you don't point your water stream directly at the bearings.

Now you need to set do a final set of the reel to the bedknife. Move the bearing plates until you almost have contact. In this case you don't want metal to metal, but rather want .002 or .003 clearance. When you've got it right, tighten up. Now take strips of newspaper and be sure that each reel blade cuts like a scissors at three or four points against the bedknife.

Done properly this should be good for one or two seasons of homeowner use, unless you have a very sandy and abrasive environment. You shouldn't have to get an actual regrind of the reel and bedknife for 5 years or so. When you do get reground, make sure you get a "relief grind" on the reel.

Good day, Dan