Toro GR 105 User manual

Commercial Products

Fundamentals of

Reel Mowers

PART NO. 98008SL, Rev. B

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Fundamentals of Reel Mowers 1

TOROService Training

Table of Contents

Historical Background .....................................................................................................2

Theory of Operation........................................................................................................4

Importance of the Operator.............................................................................................8

Preventive Maintenance..................................................................................................9

Set-up and Adjustments................................................................................................ 11

Sharpening....................................................................................................................17

2Fundamentals of Reel Mowers

TOROService Training

Historical Background

The concept of the reel mower goes back to

the 1800’s. It evolved out of a need for

groomed turf areas being maintained on a

regular basis.

Golf course development during the 1920’s

and 30’s brought about design improvements

in engines and mower drive systems.

These improvements continued, allowing for

lighter weight and easier to use equipment.

Fundamentals of Reel Mowers 3

TOROService Training

The development of hydraulics during the 50's

and 60's improved the reliability, safety,

operator comfort and lowered maintenance

costs.

Although dramatic improvements have been

made in reel type mowers, some of the same

frustrations that developed working with reel

cutting units years ago are still present today.

If reel mowers unique characteristics are not

understood and responded to, the end result

will be a poor quality of cut and expensive

down time and repairs.

4Fundamentals of Reel Mowers

TOROService Training

Theory of Operation

There are three main structural members in a

reel cutting unit:

The REEL consists of varying numbers of helix

shaped blades attached to support spiders

which are mounted on a rotating shaft.

The BEDKNIFE is attached to the bedbar and

the assembly is mounted to the main frame in

a manner that allows for paralleling and

adjustment to the reel.

The FRAME supports the rollers, the bedbar

assembly and reel with it’s drive mechanism,

which can be hydraulic, belt driven or ground

driven.

A reel mower cuts grass with a scissors-like

shearing action as the moving helix shaped

blades pass over the stationary bedknife. The

cutting action requires that the bedknife and

reel blades be sharp, matched, and in close

relationship with each other.

When properly maintained and operated, reel

mowers provide superior quality of cut. It

cannot be overstated that reel mowers are

precision tools. It is essential that they be

adjusted and operated with this in mind.

Reel Mower Clip

To understand reel cutting theory, you must understand the concept of clip and the shear point. A shear

point is any single point of contact made between the reel blade and bedknife.

Clip is the forward distance traveled between

successive blade contacts at one shear point.

Fundamentals of Reel Mowers 5

TOROService Training

Factors Affecting Clip

•The diameter of the reel

•The number of reel blades

•The speed of the reel

•The ground speed.

By following the blade path through two “clips”

as the machine moves forward we can

illustrate the actual process of cutting grass.

The bedknife pushes grass toward the shear

point while the reel blade gathers it in front.

Each blade path has one-half clip in which to

cut all the grass

Note that the grass outside of the forward half

clip is not easily gathered. The general rule of

thumb concerning height of cut vs. clip is that

both measurements should be within 20% of

each other. The best results will be obtained

when height of cut is equal to or close to the

clip.

Grass extending beyond the forward half clip,

yet tall enough to be within the blade path is

less likely to be cut. Reel blades may contact

the grass in this area several times prior to the

actual gathering of the grass. This is the so

called “fanning” process. This process is more

a mechanical striking of the grass that it is of

the commonly thought effect of a blowing

action.

6Fundamentals of Reel Mowers

TOROService Training

This is an extreme case corrugation. Because

of an imbalance between height of cut and

clip, the grass is cut with extreme valleys and

peaks.

NOTE: If you change equipment or height of

cut you may notice some corrugation after the

first mowing. This will go away after the grass

is maintained at the new height of cut over a

period of time.

The importance of the bedknife front angle is

visible from the side view. Note that the proper

angle allows the grass behind the bedknife

front edge to be more effectively cut.

A front view illustrates the angle between the

bedknife and the reel blade which is called the

helix angle.

Fundamentals of Reel Mowers 7

TOROService Training

Another term known as “the cutting path” is the

result of the helix angle and the forward motion

of the cutting unit. The shear point moves

down the bedknife as the bedknife moves

forward. The grass is physically cut at an angle

to the bedknife.

Cross section of turf cut at various heights

1/2” 1” 1-1/2” 2”

Other factors which affect reel mowing are the

grass density and the grass acclimation or

grain. Grass tends to thicken at the normal

maintained height of cut. The denser the

grass, the easier it is for the bedknife and reel

to gather it. Grass density and grain can often

override other factors we have discussed

regarding the cutting action.

The basic requirements for good performance

of reel mowers are:

•The cutting edges on the reel blades

and bedknife must be straight and

sharp.

•The bedknife must be exactly parallel

with the reel.

•The bedknife should be positioned

against the reel with light contact.

These requirements will be discussed in more

detail later.

8Fundamentals of Reel Mowers

TOROService Training

Importance of the Operator

The Operator has a significant influence on the quality of cut that a reel mower can deliver.

The large investment in specialized mowing

equipment cannot be jeopardized by

unqualified operators. Before an operator can

be considered qualified to operate a piece of

equipment, there should be a significant effort

by the supervisor towards their training and

familiarization with each piece of equipment.

Make sure the operator reads and

understands the Operator’s Manual. Have the

operator watch the Operator Training Video,

then explain any unique methods or

procedures used on your grounds.

A supervisor should play a key role in

establishing the proper attitude and behavior

patterns toward operating turf equipment. A

supervisor should not create the impression

that a few minutes orientation on a piece of

equipment will qualify the operator.

Operators and service technicians play a

significant role in determining quality of cut,

down time, and life of mowing equipment.

Make a commitment to train and familiarize

staff with each product. Remember, that each

type of mowing equipment will have specific

operating characteristics, and noise qualities.

Operators should become familiar with the

product and listen for any unusual changes.

Concerns should be reported to the service

technician before significant problems develop.

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