BLADE BALANCE: Coating and edge wear

motoman

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The DYT Craftsman 48" has 3 blades which were balanced last summeer. After gras/weed mowing and Fall leaf suction the blades were just removed, marked for spindle position, and balance checked with the coating of crud. Then cleaned of coating and balance checked again without sharpening. This to see if coatings throw off balance or if blade edge wear does it.

The DIY blade balancer is sensitive. For many, these three blades are not out of balance because they are off less than 1/8 oz.

RESULTS: The left and middle blade coatings had no effect on the balance because the weight added to restore balance was the same with, and without coating. The chute blade haad the heaviest coating. On this blade only , the coating was responsible for some of the blade imbalance.

SUMMARY: These blades had no nicks and the coatings were relatively light. Evidence is that (1) Coating increases from left to chute blade. (2) Coatings are evenly distributed on left and middle blades. (3) Chute blade has heaviest and uneven coating. (4) The need to balance THESE blades will be due to sharpening, not usage.
Your results may vary.

(pictures , left to right) (1) weights, relative sizes (2) left blade 1/32 OZ blade wear (3) middle blade 1/16 OZ blade wear (4) chute blade 1/16 OZ coating and (5) chute blade cleaned, 1/32 OZ edge wear.064.jpg060.jpg061.jpg063.jpg

Edit note . Pic software not working properly so picture 4 and 5 are reversed. Afraid to try to correct due to difficulties with this forum edit-insert image function.
 

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I noticed if I dont balance mine the deck vibrates like crazy so much it shakes the steering wheel.
 
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