Bob wrote:

"DaveL" wrote in message ...

I have tried all the following with no success:

There has got to be something simple I am missing, but I sure can't
figure out what it is.......

It sure sounds like you have all the right things and then some. Perhaps
there are other reasons. At one point you mentioned that in recent years,
it has not been mulching good. Are you mowing a different grass?

Funny you mention that. It seemed to stop mulching the second year we
had a 'Chem-lawn' clone doing our yard. But we stopped that service,
and nothing has changed. The neighbor still is having his lawn
fertilized and he does not have the mulching problem.

No doubt this problem can be fixed. But, without seeing it, I am at a
loss. Your descriptions are good, but are only what you observe.
Sometimes a different person may notice something that someone else has
overlooked and therefore could not include in a verbal/written description.

That's very true.

I'd suggest taking it to a local mower shop - not a large company like Sears
that sells mowers - just a fixit shop where you can talk to the owner,
manager, and mechanic (all in one person). Just talking doesn't cost,
and he might look at it as a challange (I know I would) and get real
interested in the problem.

I talked to the service guys at the (small-medium sized) lawn and garden
shop where we bought the mower. They suggested the 'gator' blades which
did not help. I may break down and take it in to the shop, but I'm
concerened I end up being charged hundreds of dollars and there will be
no improvement.

Sorry I can't come up with anything better than this to offer.

I appreciate hearing your thought....

Dave

GFRfan wrote:

Bob wrote:
"DaveL" wrote in message ...

I have tried all the following with no success:


There has got to be something simple I am missing, but I sure can't
figure out what it is.......

It sure sounds like you have all the right things and then some. Perhaps
there are other reasons. At one point you mentioned that in recent years,
it has not been mulching good. Are you mowing a different grass?

No doubt this problem can be fixed. But, without seeing it, I am at a
loss. Your descriptions are good, but are only what you observe.
Sometimes a different person may notice something that someone else has
overlooked and therefore could not include in a verbal/written description.

I'd suggest taking it to a local mower shop - not a large company like Sears
that sells mowers - just a fixit shop where you can talk to the owner,
manager, and mechanic (all in one person). Just talking doesn't cost,
and he might look at it as a challange (I know I would) and get real
interested in the problem.

Sorry I can't come up with anything better than this to offer.

Bob



Just a thought.
How long are you letting the grass get and how much are you cutting off?
1/3 the height of the grass is what's recommended. Mulchers don't work
very well in tall grass.

I mow normally once a week. It's tough to get it done more often. 1/3
is probably about what I am cutting.

Dave

I assume you're mulching "dry" grass at approximately the same
time/day as you did before? What do the cuttings look like? How does the
mower discharge "without" the mulching blowback bar in place? Almost sounds
like your blade is put in upside down (not backwards .. . which would be
obvious). Does the mower "cut" at all?


DaveL wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:

"DaveL" wrote in message ...

I have tried all the following with no success:

There has got to be something simple I am missing, but I sure
can't
figure out what it is.......

It sure sounds like you have all the right things and then some.
Perhaps
there are other reasons. At one point you mentioned that in recent
years,
it has not been mulching good. Are you mowing a different grass?

Funny you mention that. It seemed to stop mulching the second year we
had a 'Chem-lawn' clone doing our yard. But we stopped that service,
and nothing has changed. The neighbor still is having his lawn
fertilized and he does not have the mulching problem.

No doubt this problem can be fixed. But, without seeing it, I am at
a
loss. Your descriptions are good, but are only what you observe.
Sometimes a different person may notice something that someone else has
overlooked and therefore could not include in a verbal/written
description.

That's very true.

I'd suggest taking it to a local mower shop - not a large company like
Sears
that sells mowers - just a fixit shop where you can talk to the owner,
manager, and mechanic (all in one person). Just talking doesn't
cost,
and he might look at it as a challange (I know I would) and get real
interested in the problem.

I talked to the service guys at the (small-medium sized) lawn and garden
shop where we bought the mower. They suggested the 'gator' blades which
did not help. I may break down and take it in to the shop, but I'm
concerened I end up being charged hundreds of dollars and there will be
no improvement.

Sorry I can't come up with anything better than this to offer.

I appreciate hearing your thought....

Dave

Bill Freeman wrote:

I assume you're mulching "dry" grass at approximately the same
time/day as you did before? What do the cuttings look like? How does the
mower discharge "without" the mulching blowback bar in place? Almost sounds
like your blade is put in upside down (not backwards .. . which would be
obvious). Does the mower "cut" at all?

Thanks for the reply...

I always shoot for the dryest day possible. The clippings appear to be
about the length of what was cut off. As if the blades cut ok, but the
clippings are not recirculating and instead are just 'blown down' into
the middle of the cutting path. I haven't tried it at all without the
blowback bar.

Putting the blades in upside down would also mean they are turning the
wrong way; i.e. sharp edge trailing instead of leading. You don't know
how many times I've checked that possibility. The blades are mounted
such that the sharp edge is moving into the uncut grass. The pitch on
the blades is such that the air should be drawn up into the deck. The
'flat' part of the leading edge is down, and the tapered part is up.




DaveL wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:

"DaveL" wrote in message ...

I have tried all the following with no success:

There has got to be something simple I am missing, but I sure
can't
figure out what it is.......

It sure sounds like you have all the right things and then some.
Perhaps
there are other reasons. At one point you mentioned that in recent
years,
it has not been mulching good. Are you mowing a different grass?

Funny you mention that. It seemed to stop mulching the second year we
had a 'Chem-lawn' clone doing our yard. But we stopped that service,
and nothing has changed. The neighbor still is having his lawn
fertilized and he does not have the mulching problem.

No doubt this problem can be fixed. But, without seeing it, I am at
a
loss. Your descriptions are good, but are only what you observe.
Sometimes a different person may notice something that someone else has
overlooked and therefore could not include in a verbal/written
description.

That's very true.

I'd suggest taking it to a local mower shop - not a large company like
Sears
that sells mowers - just a fixit shop where you can talk to the owner,
manager, and mechanic (all in one person). Just talking doesn't
cost,
and he might look at it as a challange (I know I would) and get real
interested in the problem.

I talked to the service guys at the (small-medium sized) lawn and garden
shop where we bought the mower. They suggested the 'gator' blades which
did not help. I may break down and take it in to the shop, but I'm
concerened I end up being charged hundreds of dollars and there will be
no improvement.

Sorry I can't come up with anything better than this to offer.

I appreciate hearing your thought....

Dave

Dave,

What's the "angle" of the new mulching blade vs that of the original
blade? I've noticed that my Honda cuts better at a 45 degree blade edge
(more vertical) than at a 67 degree (more angle) (from the vertical. You DO
have an interesting problem.

Bill


DaveL wrote in message
...
Bill Freeman wrote:

I assume you're mulching "dry" grass at approximately the same
time/day as you did before? What do the cuttings look like? How does
the
mower discharge "without" the mulching blowback bar in place? Almost
sounds
like your blade is put in upside down (not backwards .. . which would be
obvious). Does the mower "cut" at all?

Thanks for the reply...

I always shoot for the dryest day possible. The clippings appear to be
about the length of what was cut off. As if the blades cut ok, but the
clippings are not recirculating and instead are just 'blown down' into
the middle of the cutting path. I haven't tried it at all without the
blowback bar.

Putting the blades in upside down would also mean they are turning the
wrong way; i.e. sharp edge trailing instead of leading. You don't know
how many times I've checked that possibility. The blades are mounted
such that the sharp edge is moving into the uncut grass. The pitch on
the blades is such that the air should be drawn up into the deck. The
'flat' part of the leading edge is down, and the tapered part is up.




DaveL wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:

"DaveL" wrote in message ...

I have tried all the following with no success:

There has got to be something simple I am missing, but I
sure
can't
figure out what it is.......

It sure sounds like you have all the right things and then some.
Perhaps
there are other reasons. At one point you mentioned that in
recent
years,
it has not been mulching good. Are you mowing a different grass?

Funny you mention that. It seemed to stop mulching the second year we
had a 'Chem-lawn' clone doing our yard. But we stopped that service,
and nothing has changed. The neighbor still is having his lawn
fertilized and he does not have the mulching problem.

No doubt this problem can be fixed. But, without seeing it, I am
at
a
loss. Your descriptions are good, but are only what you observe.
Sometimes a different person may notice something that someone else
has
overlooked and therefore could not include in a verbal/written
description.

That's very true.

I'd suggest taking it to a local mower shop - not a large company
like
Sears
that sells mowers - just a fixit shop where you can talk to the
owner,
manager, and mechanic (all in one person). Just talking doesn't
cost,
and he might look at it as a challange (I know I would) and get real
interested in the problem.

I talked to the service guys at the (small-medium sized) lawn and
garden
shop where we bought the mower. They suggested the 'gator' blades
which
did not help. I may break down and take it in to the shop, but I'm
concerened I end up being charged hundreds of dollars and there will
be
no improvement.

Sorry I can't come up with anything better than this to offer.

I appreciate hearing your thought....

Dave

Bill Freeman wrote:

Dave,

What's the "angle" of the new mulching blade vs that of the original
blade? I've noticed that my Honda cuts better at a 45 degree blade edge
(more vertical) than at a 67 degree (more angle) (from the vertical. You DO
have an interesting problem.

Bill


On both sets of blades, the originals and the 'gator' blades, 67 deg
sounds about right. Certainly not 45 deg.

Dave,

What do your normal blade and discharge chute cuttings look like?
How long are they on a 3- 4" grass height? What is your normal grass
cutting height?

Bill


DaveL wrote in message
...
Bill Freeman wrote:

Dave,

What's the "angle" of the new mulching blade vs that of the
original
blade? I've noticed that my Honda cuts better at a 45 degree blade edge
(more vertical) than at a 67 degree (more angle) (from the vertical.
You DO
have an interesting problem.

Bill


On both sets of blades, the originals and the 'gator' blades, 67 deg
sounds about right. Certainly not 45 deg.

Bill Freeman wrote:

Dave,

What do your normal blade and discharge chute cuttings look like?
How long are they on a 3- 4" grass height? What is your normal grass
cutting height?

Not quite sure what you are asking. I haven't tried it without the
discharge blocking plate (blowback bar?) for a long time. I have the
mower set at it's highest clipping height, clipping at a lower level
seems worse as there is not as much turf left to drop the clippings
into. I'm guessing that the grass is about 4" long when I cut it, and I
cut off about 1/3 (perhaps a bit more) of that length.

The clippings that remain on the lawn appear like they were cut once and
dropped - not recycled into the blade for further 'processing'.

Dave

Dave,

I think you answered the question(s). Depending on the type of
grass, a high height (recommended, which is what you do) cut does what it
should. If the grass is cleanly cut but not "macerated" (mulched) then I
suspect it's the type of grass being cut and the amount being cut. Try
mulching it at less than a 1/3 height cut. I suspect that's your problem
(all our problems). Mulching works best on a "crew" haircut style.

Bill


DaveL wrote in message
...
Bill Freeman wrote:

Dave,

What do your normal blade and discharge chute cuttings look
like?
How long are they on a 3- 4" grass height? What is your normal grass
cutting height?

Not quite sure what you are asking. I haven't tried it without the
discharge blocking plate (blowback bar?) for a long time. I have the
mower set at it's highest clipping height, clipping at a lower level
seems worse as there is not as much turf left to drop the clippings
into. I'm guessing that the grass is about 4" long when I cut it, and I
cut off about 1/3 (perhaps a bit more) of that length.

The clippings that remain on the lawn appear like they were cut once and
dropped - not recycled into the blade for further 'processing'.

Dave

Try a Double-Cut

When cutting the grass, cut your entire yard once. Let it dry out for an
hour in the sun, then cut it again the same exact way you cut it the first
time. Dont change you pattern, and you should end up with a pretty good
look.


---------------------
www.askalandscaper.com



"DaveL" wrote in message
...
A problem I've been fighting for a few years now and have not found a
solution.

Simplicity Regency 12hp lawn tractor (about 1996?- last year the
hydrostatic drive handle was in the middle). It has a mulching kit
(which is just a discharge shoot block) and I use 'leaf cutters' on the
leaves. When I first got the tractor, it did a superb job of mulching -
both the grass clippings and leaves in the fall. The lasts three years
or so, it has started leaving a trail of grass clippings down the
middle, and it take repeated passes to chop up the leaves in the fall.

I typically mow once a week.

I have tried all the following with no success:
Sharpened the blades
Changed the blades
Cleaned the deck
Leveled the deck
Tilted the deck forward and backward
Changed the drive belt
Cheched the RPM
Mow more often

Still it leaves unsightly clippings. The neighbor with a cheap MTD gets
a better cut.

Any suggestions? What have I yet to try?

Dave

"Danny" wrote in message
...
Try a Double-Cut

When cutting the grass, cut your entire yard once. Let it dry out for an
hour in the sun, then cut it again the same exact way you cut it the first
time. Dont change you pattern, and you should end up with a pretty good
look.

Doesn't it work better if you cut 90 degrees to the way you made your first
passes?

Try a Double-Cut

When cutting the grass, cut your entire yard once. Let it dry out for an
hour in the sun, then cut it again the same exact way you cut it the
first
time. Dont change you pattern, and you should end up with a pretty good
look.

Doesn't it work better if you cut 90 degrees to the way you made your
first
passes?


This depends on the result you are looking for. If your looking to make some
sweet looking lines int the grass, try it my way....

The second time really brings out the lines...

If you crosscut it, you get a different result, and i personally dont like
the crosscut look.

In general, (my opinion) I like a line to go from the bottom of the driveway
to the front door of the house to give it that, come visit us look
---------------------
Danny

"Danny" wrote:
Try a Double-Cut

When cutting the grass, cut your entire yard once. Let it dry out for
an hour in the sun, then cut it again the same exact way you cut it
the first
time. Dont change you pattern, and you should end up with a pretty
good look.

Doesn't it work better if you cut 90 degrees to the way you made your
first
passes?

This depends on the result you are looking for. If your looking to make
some sweet looking lines int the grass, try it my way....

The second time really brings out the lines...

If you crosscut it, you get a different result, and i personally dont
like the crosscut look.

In general, (my opinion) I like a line to go from the bottom of the
driveway to the front door of the house to give it that, come visit us
look ---------------------
Danny


Hey Danny, how did you make out with that organic broadleaf herbicide
we were talking about?

On 14 Sep 2004 03:16:05 GMT, Steveo
wrote:

"Danny" wrote:
Try a Double-Cut

When cutting the grass, cut your entire yard once. Let it dry out for
an hour in the sun, then cut it again the same exact way you cut it
the first
time. Dont change you pattern, and you should end up with a pretty
good look.

Doesn't it work better if you cut 90 degrees to the way you made your
first
passes?

This depends on the result you are looking for. If your looking to make
some sweet looking lines int the grass, try it my way....

The second time really brings out the lines...

If you crosscut it, you get a different result, and i personally dont
like the crosscut look.

In general, (my opinion) I like a line to go from the bottom of the
driveway to the front door of the house to give it that, come visit us
look ---------------------
Danny


Hey Danny, how did you make out with that organic broadleaf herbicide
we were talking about?
Like a shithouse witgh a screen door, I'll say