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Everyone,
My intent was to offer a tool to help with the calculation of blade tip speed. The type of blade is immaterial and is overlooked when using this calculator. The focus is on using this tool to determine what the blade tip speed calculates to and then compare it to other data such as your own personal experiences or published lawn mower design data. If a blade turns too slow, no matter how sharp, it will not cut the grass. What I am trying to find out is, what is this minimum blade tip speed under the worst cutting conditions ( dry, lush, propagating, etc. ) that will allow for a clean cut? Also, I searched the net and found that virtually all finishing lawn mowers have baffles to help direct the air flow such that the grass is evenly stood on end for a clean, even cut. I noticed that all the rough cut lawn mowers are baffleless. I noticed in the front of my new deck how the air, which the blades direct up to the underside of the deck, is rerouted back down in certain areas and actually pushes the grass flat which ends up not being fully erected again for cutting once it passes under the blade. I believe the baffles are there to direct the air flow ( like half of a shroud ) from the front of the deck, up through the blades, then continue to the rear of the deck for discharge. Leaving it baffleless creates more under-deck turbulence and alternate air paths that lead to an uneven cut. I talked to Bill Gunn and explained how a few people from this list are experiencing slightly uneven cutting even through their decks are in perfect alignment. He left me a recorded message saying he might have baffles for the new style deck by the end of September. Would there be additional interest which I can pass on to Bill? BTW... He has received his last available shipment of the original electric front lifts. I believe these will no longer be manufactured by the OEM per Bill. Since they are not repairable, I purchased one as a back-up. Factoid...in todays dollars, if you were to purchase a new Elec-trak with mowing deck; what cost $1,995 in 1973 would now cost $7,995. I figured that if I invested even $4,000 I would have a like-new tractor that will last my lifetime and still have saved money. Actually there is a new electric garden tractor sold in Canada and it too runs about $8,000. I'm just glad someone still carried the parts to let me rebuild mine...how long, I don't know. Regards, Tim Gulden
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