Back lapping a reel mower is fairly easy and can be done with a power drill. Doc shows you how to backlap a Tru-Cut reel mower in just a few minutes. www.howtowithdoc.com/backlap-...
I've searched the net far and wide looking for a video as thorough as this, THANK YOU so much. I have the same mower and it was starting to cost too much money taking it in for this minor maintenance runs. I appreciate the knowledge being shared here.
You're very correct it doesn't take much. I watched the mechanic at my country club backlap all his Toro GreensMaster machines and it took him less than a minute, probably 30-45 seconds per reel. It was a learning experience for sure for my own GreensMaster. Many RU-vid videos show people backlapping for minutes.
Finally a Tru-Cut video that takes the mystery and misery out of how to keep the mower cutting sharp....p.s.waiting for your mower to start needing clutch plate adjustments on either reel side or drive side. Headed to the garage - Thanks Doc
Hey Doc, just a couple recommendations I've learned by experience. 80 grit compound is pretty aggressive and will wear into your bedknife quickly. I use 120 grit compound for my typical backlapping. If I have any major blade dings then I would use an 80 grit at the beginning to knock down the defects fully clean the compound off and then transistion to 120 grit compound. You will end up with a much finer edge. Also, I completely clean all the grit off before I run the blades in the cutting direction. You ran your blades while you were rinsing. You can dull the cutting blades and bedknife if you have any compound left on the blades when operating the mower.
Doc, one thing to call out is that you don’t have to remove the chain in order to backlap or make reel/bedknife adjustments on the Tru-Cuts. I’m by no means an expert on Tru-Cuts but I do own one and have been doing this for years. Might save you a little time on your next backlap by not removing and reinstalling the chain. All bolts are accessible with the chain still on.
Doc, Great videos, to the point, informative and enjoyable! Can you answer for me: I'm in the middle of Utah, can't find anyone to sharpen the blades of a reel mower and I have looked. Don't have a mower yet, but doing my due diligence before buying one and can't see getting one if I can't get it sharpened when needed. Many say blades on a reel mower should be sharpened once a year or more, what exactly does back lapping accomplish? If it's done several times a year does it or can it replace sharpening?
Yes PLEASE don’t buy from the robber who is hogging PFG and trying to sell it for $80!!!! Thanks for the great tips Doc!! They say you need to learn something new everyday, I just did!!! PFG is the best hands down !!! After 2 stacking treatments and 4 weeks our Bermuda has overcome the summer burnout and looks great!!!
question: there are two slotted screw bolts with jam nuts on them on both sides of the frame up behind the reel. the left side is hard to get to because of the motor chain to the drive system but the right side is very visible and easy to get to. i have looked and looked in manuals and onlne to see what these screws are for and what they adjust. any idea what they are for . ? you help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks being really informativ. You tell that it should be adjusted several times and how much. One Q? How about the other blade nr 2 down at the bottom, is it something you have to considering about?
trevor muggeridge you watch the same RU-vid channels as me mate. What area do you live? I’m in Geelong. Got to wait another month before I start a Reno, bloody cold down here
So that third bolt on the bottom doesn't get torqued down the same as the others? It's just finger tight and then turned as needed for finer height adjustments?
Hi Doc, really like your videos and products, but wanted to know the price difference from July to now for the PGF Complete? Is there a way to contact you?
Do you back lap a brand new blade wheel? I have one i just put on it has so much resistance when I spin by hand but it the only position it will do the paper cut test.
Great, helpful video. Insane how hard it is to find good info on blade adjustments for Trucut. Hate to criticize, since it's the best vid out there on it. But I would love if you did a shortened version, start to finish, showing each adjustment you make. It's already my spring primer vid, but I've had to make a cheat sheet with time stamps of the steps. But I do thank you for this one!
@@HowTowithDoc wow...I've had mine for 3 years now and cut about 3 times a week and still dont need to back lap. I check to make sure its cutting every week using a piece of paper. I guess how tight the reel is to the bedknife and rpm is a factor when it comes to wear.
Doc. Really good tutorial on back lapping. Now I'm looking for a front roller. I've looked all over various lists for a used one because new is about $160 plus. Do you know where I can pick up a used one in decent shape for a 27" Tru-cut? Thanks.
Did you rinse your mower off spinning forward when there was still backlapping compound on there? That's not a good idea... Seems much more complicated to do the backlapping process on this mower than on a Greensmaster but I guess they all are a bit different. It's amazing what backlapping can do for the sharpness of the reel, as well as aligning the reel to bedknife surface up.
@@HowTowithDoc I would love to see it. I have a 20 inch older mclane and have been using the duct tape around the sprocket method with some success. reel rollers sells an adapter now.
The honest answer... because the front catcher was 200 yards away in my shed and I was hot as hell. lol.... That area does not have good thatch so I like to leave them on.
Sorry for the off-topic question, but any idea when PGFC will be for sale again? Amazon only shows third party seller selling it for $85 with an arrival date of October. Clearly a BS posting.
You call this a simple process? Holy cow, looks like a lot of work! What is sharpening the blades? Rubbing on the rear back cover? Doesn’t that eventually run away so future backslapping is impossible since it rubbed away?
thanks for video, only thing is that drill goes way too fast for backlapping. Need to get a backlapping machine that goes a significant amount slower. 4-5 minutes and let it slowly work.
