One thing I've found to be vital for success in the shop is establishing standards
and defining the most critical procedures to ensure critical operations
are done the same way by everyone, all the time. Below is what I
consider our most important procedural document at AAC; "Turf Cutting
Unit Maintenance Policy and Procedures":
The
purpose of this document is to establish guidelines for proper reel-type
cutting unit maintenance.
Policy and Procedure:
All
technicians involved in the maintenance of reel-type cutting units used to mow
turf at the Atlanta Athletic Club will follow the procedures outlined below in
order to provide consistently high quality turf mowing and after cut
appearance. Any deviation from the guidelines outlined below must be approved
by the Equipment Director or Director of Agronomy. Proper personal protective
equipment for cutting unit maintenance includes safety glasses. Tools used for
cutting unit maintenance include a Pi Tape, micrometer, calipers, surface
plate, cut test strips, and feeler gauges. Ability to read a Vernier scale is
necessary to use a Pi Tape and micrometer correctly.
1.
General
Guidelines:
a.
The
terms “left” and “right” reference positions or directions relative to the
machine operator’s orientation while operating the machine.
b.
The
“leading” end of a reel references the end of the reel whose blade ends first
cross the bedknife during operation.
c.
The
“trailing” end of the reel is opposite the leading end.
d.
All
cutting unit sets for triplex mowers and fairway mowers will be maintained in
sets, and cutting unit sets will be labeled with the set number.
e.
Cutting
unit position on the mower will be referenced as follows:
i.
The
center cutting unit is #1.
ii.
The
cutting units on the left side of the machine are even-numbered, from the center
out.
iii.
The
cutting units on the right side of the machine are odd-numbered, from the
center out.
f.
Reels
will be changed and recycled when they reach the following minimum diameters:
i.
4.650”
for 5” reels.
ii.
6.650”
for 7” reels.
g.
Reels
for tournament-prepared greens cutting units will be inspected by the Equipment
Director prior to the event and any special setup will be determined at that
time.
h.
Bedknives
will be changed and recycled when the top face reaches the valley floor of the
top relief area, or as instructed by the Equipment Director.
i.
Greens
mower bedknife front face thickness will be maintained at a maximum thickness
approximately equal to half of the height of cut (HOC).
j.
Greens
mower bedknife front face thickness will be maintained with less than 10% variance
from leading to trailing ends. For example; if HOC is to be set at .100”, the
bedknife will be ground to a .050” front face thickness, with no more than
.005” difference between the leading and trailing end measurements.
2.
Post-Use
Inspection and Adjustment: All reel-type cutting units will be inspected as
soon as practical after each use for proper cut quality and HOC. This post-use
inspection will include the following items, in order:
a.
Visually
inspect cutting units for excessive debris or chaff buildup on reel blades,
rollers, etc. Report excessive debris due to insufficient cleaning to a Course
Supervisor or the Equipment Director.
b.
If
reel blades have excessive buildup; pressure wash the reel blades, making sure
to avoid spraying high pressure water near grease seals.
c.
If
cutting units have little debris, proceed with blowing out the cutting unit
with compressed air and inspecting the reel blades and bedknife for damage. If
damage is found, coordinate cutting unit repair or replacement with the
Equipment Director.
d.
Inspect
all roller bearings for free play and rough rolling resistance. If there is any
question that a roller bearing is serviceable, report it to the Equipment
Director and coordinate replacement. Lube roller bearings if applicable and
wipe any excessive grease from the unit with a shop towel.
e.
Inspect
all reel bearings for free play and rough rolling resistance. If there is any
question that a roller bearing is serviceable, report it to the Equipment
Director and coordinate replacement. Lube reel bearings if applicable and wipe
any excessive grease from the unit with a shop towel.
f.
Inspect
cut quality following these steps:
i.
Insert
a Toro test strip (part # 125-5610) perpendicular to the bedknife so that the
test strip is between a reel blade and the leading edge of the bedknife.
ii.
Turn
the reel forward to cut a ¼” piece of the test strip at each of five places
along the bedknife; once near each end, once at the center, and once between
the center and each end. The reel should cut the test strip cleanly with
minimal effort at each location along the bedknife. Hold the test strip up to
the light and check for a “fuzzy” cut.
g.
If
cut quality is less than optimal, proceed by adjusting the reel to bedknife clearance
following these guidelines:
i.
For
John Deere QA5 cutting units; maintain a .001” minimum gap using a feeler
gauge. Adjust the bedknife to the reel until correct clearance is achieved.
ii.
For
John Deere QA7 cutting units; maintain a .002” minimum gap using a feeler
gauge. Adjust the reel to the bedknife until there is contact, and then adjust
the reel away from the bedknife until proper clearance is achieved.
iii.
For
Toro cutting units; maintain a minimal amount of contact between reel and
bedknife. Adjust the bedknife to the reel until correct clearance is achieved.
h.
If
cut quality cannot be restored without excessive reel to bedknife contact,
coordinate cutting unit sharpening with the Equipment Director.
i.
Check/adjust
HOC as outlined in Section 6, Cutting Unit Assembly.
3.
Spin Grinding
Reels:
a.
Each
technician who will be grinding reels must first be instructed about, and fully
understand, the grinder Machine Operation Manual.
b.
All
reels to be ground will first be measured with a Pi Tape, and the leading/trailing
diameters recorded on a grinding worksheet.
c.
Cutting
units will be maintained in sets; if one reel needs to be ground, all reels in
the set will be ground to maintain the following specifications:
i.
Each
reel in the set will be maintained within .020” diameter of each other.
ii.
Each
reel will measure within .005” on the leading and trailing diameter.
d.
Inspect
all bearings and seals prior to mounting the cutting unit on the grinder.
e.
Each
cutting unit will be checked for parallelism as part of the grinding setup.
f.
Each
reel will be ground the minimum amount necessary to remove rounded edges from
the reel blades
g.
The
reel grinder will be cleaned with a vacuum at the end of each day the machine
is used. Do not blow debris off the grinder. Track shafts and bearings will be
wiped down with a dry shop towel. Do not use any lubricants or chemicals on the
grinder.
4.
Relief Grinding
Reels:
a.
All
5” reels will be relief ground at an approximate 30 degree angle, have a
finished land width of between 10% - 15% of the blade thickness, and minimal
variation between leading and trailing ends of the reel blades. Minimum
diameter for relief grinding 5” reels is 4.700”.
b.
All
7” reels will be relief ground at an approximate 30 degree angle, have a
finished land width of between 15% - 20% of the blade thickness, and minimal
variation between leading and trailing ends of the reel blades. Minimum
diameter for relief grinding 7” reels is 6.700”.
c.
The
reel grinder will be cleaned with a vacuum at the end of each day the machine
is used. Do not blow debris off the grinder. Track shafts and bearings will be
wiped down with a dry shop towel. Do not use any lubricants or chemicals on the
grinder.
5.
Grinding
Bedknives:
a.
Each
technician who will be grinding bedknives must first be instructed about, and
fully understand, the grinder Machine Operation Manual.
b.
Visually
inspect each knife to be ground for cracks or other damage. Clean knives as
necessary to ensure an accurate grind and long grinding wheel life.
c.
Ensure
knife grinder is set to grind the proper angles for the application prior to
mounting the knife in the machine.
d.
Ensure
coolant level is adequate prior to grinding.
e.
The
bedknife grinder will be cleaned with a vacuum at the end of each day the
machine is used. Do not blow debris off the grinder. Track shafts and bearings
will be wiped down with a dry shop towel. Do not use any lubricants or
chemicals on the grinder.
6.
Cutting Unit
Assembly:
a.
Impact
wrenches are not permitted for cutting unit assembly. Power ratchets are
permitted if output torque is limited to 25 lb. ft.
b.
All
bedknife screws will be tightened to 12 lb. ft. torque, in an alternating pattern
from the center out, using the supplied torque wrench.
c.
All
cutting unit assembly and configuration will be performed according to
manufacturer’s instructions; cutting unit modifications are not permitted
unless specifically authorized by the Equipment Director.
d.
HOC
tolerance is +/- .001” for 5” cutting units, and +/- .003” for 7” cutting units.
Report any excessive roller runout to the Equipment Director.
e.
When
setting HOC, cutting units will be adjusted at least .010” low, and then HOC
gradually increased to the desired setting, moving the adjusters to within
.003” of target HOC, and then checking alternate sides and making any fine
adjustments before moving to final HOC. HOC will not be adjusted down from an
excessive HOC; if the desired HOC setting is missed, the process is repeated
from the beginning.
Employee signature below constitutes employee's understanding of
the Cutting Unit Maintenance Policy and Procedure.
Employee Signature
__________________________________ Date_____________
Printed Name
___________________________________
If you were reading through the document and thinking that it seems excessive, you need to understand that cutting units are the life blood of the operation, and I've been able to achieve a certain amount of success by focusing a majority of my energy on quality of cut and after cut appearance. There is very little "extra" work involved in maintaining a higher standard once it is achieved.
I know we will have our hands full going through all of our new cutting units when they come in this spring (factory tolerances aren't all they're cracked up to be) but once they are dialed in we can be tournament ready on short notice.
Regards,
