[Thor865]

Man this is a heck of a machine. I'm already intimidated.

Many thanks to @gatormac2112 for selling it to me

I already see myself hiding in the backyard and trying to figure it all out and not embarrassing myself in my neighborhood

 

[Ware]

I think I put that TLF sticker on there - I hope gatormac didn't charge extra for it. :lol:

 

[gatormac2112]

Hey! I had to embarrass myself in the front yard with the whole neighborhood watching :lol:

You don't really realize what these things are like until you're standing next to one, they can be intimidating for sure. But in the end its just a mower and I'm sure it will do great for you! Congratulations!

:thumbup:

 

[gatormac2112]

I think I put that TLF sticker on there - I hope gatormac didn't charge extra for it. :lol:

I should have! I didn't think about that :lol:

Actually he got a great deal, much lower than asking, the I need room in my garage now deal :thumbup:

 

[Mightyquinn]

Congrats on the new mower and glad to see it went to another TLF member to enjoy

 

[Greendoc]

Being able to put down stripes on Bermuda at less than an inch HOC. Now that is lawn domination! Congratulations. That is a mower worthy of your investment in Tifgrand. I have seen Tifgrand rough cut. Does not do the grass justice. if that were going to be done, it might as well have been pasture Bermuda.

 

[Thor865]

I was fiddling with the mower today and figuring everything out. Set hoc to .75 and reel to Bedknife. However paper isn't cutting like you'd see in the videos posted on YouTube and such. Not sure what to do I've adjusted it and paper just won't cut. And then I watch John Deere operator video and they don't even worry about paper. They just use a measuring tool for reel to Bedknife so just wondering if I should be worried about the paper test or do it the way John Deere explains it

 

[Greendoc]

If a reel does not cut paper when adjusted for light contact between bedknife and reel, it is backlap time. If that does not fix it, then a spin grind, relief grind, then backlap is needed. Once that is done, backlapping should be all that is needed barring the reel or bedknife being warped by hitting hard objects.

A hydraulic or electric drive reel usually has a switch to turn the reel backwards. I

 

[Redtenchu]

Congratulations! I would love one of the JD220E mowers! It's a fantastic machine!

Like @Greendoc stated, I would play with the reel to BK a little first. I wouldn't be surprised if a little bedknife facing or backlapping is needed. Backlapping on a 220E is awesome/easy with the "backlap mode" from the electric motor.

 

[Greendoc]

What stops me from using an electric drive reel is the hard use I put my mower through. There is nothing worse than putting a greens mower on a lawn mowed incorrectly. The mower has to fight through thatch. Otherwise, I would love a hybrid drive mower. The ability to set clip rates is attractive. Right now, I have the clip kit on my GM so it performs well on grass above 0.2. Otherwise, with the clip rate not in sync with the HOC, there is a lot of missed, not mowed grass. Faster is not better unless you are mowing at 0.1" all of the time. If I have to deal with a lot of grass where the mowed height is above 0.5, I need to change the 11 blade reel to the 8 blade reel. With a hybrid drive, some settings in the master controls takes care of the clip rate.

 

[Pete1313]

I was fiddling with the mower today and figuring everything out. Set hoc to .75 and reel to Bedknife. However paper isn't cutting like you'd see in the videos posted on YouTube and such. Not sure what to do I've adjusted it and paper just won't cut. And then I watch John Deere operator video and they don't even worry about paper. They just use a measuring tool for reel to Bedknife so just wondering if I should be worried about the paper test or do it the way John Deere explains it

I have the same QA5 cutting heads that you do on my 2500B. I use a .002" feeler gauge to evenly set the Bedknife clearance and then go 2 clicks tighter on each adjuster to set it at .001" clearance. Each click is .0005". If you can't cut paper, or at least bend one cut one with two pieces, then as mentioned try facing and backlapping. When done, it should cut like this.

 

[Rockinar]

What grit would you use for the backlap? I have seen some people say 120 and others say 120 takes too long and you should do 80 grit.

 

[J_nick]

I wouldn't go any lower than 120 personally. Especially with the machine you have.

@Pete1313 I got a deal for you! You send me your QA5's and I'll send you mine :mrgreen:

 

[SCGrassMan]

I was fiddling with the mower today and figuring everything out. Set hoc to .75 and reel to Bedknife. However paper isn't cutting like you'd see in the videos posted on YouTube and such. Not sure what to do I've adjusted it and paper just won't cut. And then I watch John Deere operator video and they don't even worry about paper. They just use a measuring tool for reel to Bedknife so just wondering if I should be worried about the paper test or do it the way John Deere explains it

I have the same QA5 cutting heads that you do on my 2500B. I use a .002" feeler gauge to evenly set the Bedknife clearance and then go 2 clicks tighter on each adjuster to set it at .001" clearance. Each click is .0005". If you can't cut paper, or at least bend one cut one with two pieces, then as mentioned try facing and backlapping. When done, it should cut like this.

This is a great video! Do you happen to know much about setting the bedknife clearance on the Toro GM1600? Actually that's a great question for Ware.

 

[Ware]

...Do you happen to know much about setting the bedknife clearance on the Toro GM1600? Actually that's a great question for Ware.

 

[Thor865]

I have the same QA5 cutting heads that you do on my 2500B. I use a .002" feeler gauge to evenly set the Bedknife clearance and then go 2 clicks tighter on each adjuster to set it at .001" clearance. Each click is .0005". If you can't cut paper, or at least bend one cut one with two pieces, then as mentioned try facing and backlapping. When done, it should cut like this.

I adjusted it back and forth. Finally just backed it off the Bedknife completely spinning freely. And then slowly brought it back down and now it's cutting paper across the whole Bedknife! Success! I'm ready to mow if it'll just warm up now!

 

[Greendoc]

Now you are cooking with gas. Once it is together, I normally give it a short backlap with 180 grit compound to ensure it will cut evenly across the entire width.

 

[Thor865]

Now you are cooking with gas. Once it is together, I normally give it a short backlap with 180 grit compound to ensure it will cut evenly across the entire width.

Do you leave it where's it's cutting paper and then backlap or move reel Bedknife closer?

Also what's best website for buying backlapping and 180 grit best? Or 120?

 

[Greendoc]

I adjust til it is cutting paper first. Making it tighter can gouge the reel. I use R&R products simply because they have a 10 lb bucket of compound. Their prices for shipping to Hawaii are also way better than Pinhigh. I have a need for 10 lb of lapping compound because I backlap other people's mowers as well.

 

[Thor865]

I have watched videos of people mowing their home lawns with the Swardman, toro's, etc....

Not one of someone with a JD. Anyone here that has one like I do care to make a small demonstration video of them mowing their home lawn. Just trying to get a visual on some things. Thanks.