View ChannelsFeatured: Finance
View ShowroomsFeatured: Radiantec - Radiant Solar Heating

BobVila.com

Home

How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade

Sharpening a dull lawn mower blade will save you the trouble and money of buying a new one and cut your grass more effectively.

DIFFICULTY RATING:

Get Adobe Flash Player to see this content.

View text version of this Step-by-Step

Download for iPod

What materials were used in this video?

Angle iron Bench grinder Gloves Goggles

Pail

Tarpaulin Wire brush Wood block Wrench

Clip Transcript For:

How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Sometimes it's not necessary to replace alone more openly you may only need to sharpen the blade him put it back into service. Here's how to sharpen a lawn mower blade. First disconnect and move the spark plug wire away from the spark -- This will eliminate any chance of the mower starting while you're working on the blade. Flip the mower on its side being careful not to spill gas and oil from the engine. Flip the mower so that the oil breather -- is on the high side of the engine so that the oil doesn't leak. It's best to do this job -- empty guest. Next clamp or brace a block Award against the mower blade to prevent the blade from moving as you remove the -- Wearing gloves to protect your hands. Loosen the bolt with a wrench. Remove the bolt the watcher and the blade. Inspect the blade for damage if the blade is dull but does not have serious dings or Nixon -- It's a candidate for sharpening. If the blade is even slightly bent or you discover any sign of metal fatigue such as a hairline crack. Replace the blade with a new one of the same length. Find an area with a blade is dull but the cutting angle is still clearly visible. Set the rest on the bench grinder to the angle taken from the blade. This will help you to guide the blade so that the angle remains the same across the length of the cutting area. Wear safety glasses during the grinding process. And make sure that the shield of the bench grinder is set in place. Making multiple passes slowly grind the entire length of each side is complete evenly. It's not necessary to grind out every nick a few -- okay. It's more important that the blade remains balanced. Stop from time to time to check the balance of the blade. A small piece of angle iron can serve as a fulcrum. The we'd be charm must remain sane. Because an out of balance blade spinning at high speeds can cause severe vibration -- damage your mower. If one side is a little -- Grind a little more metal off the entire length of the heavy side. When you are sharpening be careful not to overheat the blade. If complete starts to get hot dipped it in a pail of water. Overheating the blade ruins the temper or hardness of the plate. Which is dangerous because the -- becomes brittle and can break. When you're finished the -- should have been evenly cut angle on the cutting areas of both sides of the plate. And the blade should be well balanced. Now clean the engine shaft with a wire brush to remove any debris. Replace the -- and the washer and -- And moved the wooden block to brace the blade on the opposite side tighten the bolts securely. And your mower is ready for another season."

[-]

More Videos »Related Videos

How to Tune Up a Lawn Mower

A well-maintained lawn mower is easier to operate and will last longer.

How to Care for a Riding Lawn Mower

Proper maintenance of your riding lawn mower will keep it performing reliably for years.

Planting Bulbs and Overseeding the Lawn

Bob watches as Kelly Brothers plants bulbs while Ruth Foster explains how to do it well. The small, blue scylla are planted in the front fo the garden, with taller alium behind. Foster shows the pointed end that should aim up and suggests that they be planted as a group, in bouquets, so they will blossom in groups of color. Bob uses a bulb planter to prepare holes for the bulbs. These bulbs, from DutchGardens.com can be purchased as good quality, double-nose, and bargain bulbs. Foster tells Bob that the deeper they are planted, the less likely they are to split. If they are planted too shallow, there will be no blooms in the second year. Once planted, the bulbs will be mulched and left to sleep for the fall and winter. The turf that was damaged during construction is ready to be reseeded. Foster suggests a relaxed approach to lawn planting, using perennial rye and fescue scattered over the surface and raked in. Foster stresses that a "freedom lawn" is mown high and overseeded in the fall and again with the melting snow. Foster uses fescue for shade, blue grass in sun, and perennial rye everywhere.

Sustainable Landscaping in Florida

Angela Polo from the University of Florida's Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program is on hand to show how the Punta Gorda yard exemplifies the nine principles of their program: right plant, right place, efficient watering, recycling, protecting the waterfront, reducing stormwater runoff, attracting wildlife, managing fertilizers, and managing pests. Bob and Angela discuss the soil in Punta Gorda, which is typical of new Florida construction and is sandy with no percolation or drainage. Bob talks about the native palm of Florida, the Sabal Palm or Cabbage Palm as it is commonly called, as an example of selecting the right plant for the right place. Brian Kendzior from Sun Scape Landscaping explains the landscape design for this large corner lot with screening for privacy, minimized functional lawn areas, and large beds. Kendzior talks with Bob about addressing hurricane issues and landscaping so that the home and surrounding areas are protected from damaged landscaping and wind-borne plant debris. He explains how landscapers have reduced the size of plantings near the house and moved to sturdy, native plants to reduce hurricane damage. Kendzior also talks about plant selection and maintenance. Sustainable planting tends toward native plants that require low maintenance and thrive in natural conditions. To that end, the irrigation system provided by Toro uses a pressure compensating watering system that uses weep holes to water perimeter plants. Polo also adds that raised beds will be installed by the canal, preventing turf from going right to the edge of the bulkhead. This reduces the chance of runoff from fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides into the waterway.