For the initial setup I wanted to reduce overlap marking and take some aggressiveness out of the cut by flattening out the bedknives as much as possible without inhibiting groomer operation. I went with the #5 front roller setting and set HOC to .350", and the groomer to .350". This setup resulted in a bedknife attack angle of 3 deg. The limiting factor in the setup is the length of the support links:
Note the possible front roller adjustment left on the table and the adjuster nut already at the end of the link rod - why couldn't the manufacturer enable the full range of adjustment by making the link 3/4" longer? I guess I'll need to invent a link stretcher...
Overall I'm pleased with this setup to start: Reels spun true, then relief ground to 80% matching the factory angle ("four turns down" to my fellow Peerless 7000 fans). New JD ET11066 knives (yes, they're expensive at ~$110 each, but so worth it for edge retention in tough turf) ground true at 12 degrees top and front on the Ideal 6000. I use a .001" feeler gauge when setting up the QA 5s because I've found it to be faster and more accurate than going by feel and sound. Buy the gauge by the roll from Grainger.
Mark Pilger stopped by yesterday on his return trip from the Northeast, and we went through another ten reels and knives which I will set up over the weekend for Monday's cut on Riverside.
Regards,
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