Hi
Pete and
ODK members,
contact from reel to knife ?? Am i missing something here?
This subject can open up a can of worms and much debate....
Pete, there are 2 schools of thought here, those who advocate light
contact between the cylinder reel and bedknife and those who advocate
minimum clearance between the two.
I belong to the
latter school...and I will give you the reasons behind my thinking.
The following is a direct quote from a leading turf magazine....
Myth: You must have contact between cylinder and bedknife.
Fact: �You do not need contact between the reel and bedknife to cut turf grass. Contact between the reel and bedknife will generate heat which will have many effects on not only the turf grass, but also on the traction unit. The heat generated between the reel and bedknife will tinge the leaf blade. Also that heat can cause the bedknife to expand which will tighten the cutting unit up even more. The tighter the reel - bedknife contact, the more strain this puts on the traction unit which can cause hydraulic hose failure and premature failure of the hydraulic system or wear on chains and sprockets�.
Contact between cylinder and bedknife causes drag requiring greater effort to turn the reel and in turn this greater effort has an adverse effect on drive-lines and engines. This drag also leads to rapid wear and loss of sharp edges, as well as a poor quality of cut. With contact you have the undesirable �scissor� action instead of the desired �scything� action. It is the scissor action which damages the turf plant and can prolong the healing process.
Here is a video that fellow Moderator Joe Carroll and I put together to show the adjustment procedure we use, at the end of the video, you will see my SB 45 in action....
Click
HERE Pete, which method you use, contact or minimal clearance is up to you....this thread is to give you food for thought.
