Showing How a Cone Lawnmower Blade Balancer Works

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Oregon Cone Lawn Mower Blade Balancer amzn.to/2s42K3l
Oregon 42-047 Precision Blade Balancer amzn.to/2khk8Ow
I found out a lot of people don't like the commercially available cone style lawnmower blade balancers because they tend to stick in one spot and therefore not give you an accurate reading. However, with a good design, these types of blade balancers work well. The balancer shown in this video is one I machined from 6061-t6 aluminum. It is very sensitive and will accurately tell you how if and how much your blade is unbalanced in either axis. There are other ways of balancing a lawn mower blade, such as hanging one from a horizontal placed nail, but I found that if the blade is not hung exactly on the center of the nail, it will cause inaccurate balancing. There are also commercially available professional grade blade balancers available, but they are about $100 at the time of this writing, which is beyond what the typical homeowner wants to spend on lawn mower blade maintenance. They are more suited for a lawn mower repair shop, where blade balancing is done on a larger scale for profit.
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[@illiniwood]

All American Sharpener has a blade balancer they sell that is very similar to the one here. The only real difference is that the base is spring loaded so that the cone automatically adjusts to the diameter of the mounting hole on the blade. It's made in the U.S.A. and is all metal.

[@thomasdipaolo2349]

Good video. Appreciate the info

[@victoryfirst2878]

I like your idea of a balancer. WIll make me one later this season. Thanks.

[@barnes80]

I laughed hard when you said “sad ass blade”

[@Stl515273]

You should make those to sell. One I bought sucks and it difficult to tell if a blade is level or not.

[@nl9452]

I bought a vaporblasting nozzle off you in the past... Changed business to acreage lawn mowing and here i am stumbling across more of your cool engineering. You really do a bit of everything, Great stuff man 👍

[@ArnoldsDesign]

I have a lot of irons in the fire. Acreage mowing sounds interesting. I have some unedited footage of modifying a bush hog and testing it that I want to post on here at some point when I get a chance. I hope you do well with your mowing business.

[@nl9452]

@@ArnoldsDesign thanks, cant wait to watch the bush hog video 👍

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

I don't have the tools to make a balancer, but the cone shaped balancers are relatively inexpensive. I'm sure out of lighter metal.

[@lawnmowerrecycler]

Your cone blade balancer with the accurately sized steps is the best I have seen as it allows the blade to be accurately placed without any slop as in the cheap stepped ones. Good job!

[@Dom-pf8wd]

Great video.You seem like a smart guy, detail oriented, etc riddle me this....and maybe this is a dumb question, but in all seriousness...if a lawn mower blade is only sharpened (and lowered) on the outer edges of the blade how does it cut a swath of grass AS WIDE as the mower itself (for the most part)?

[@ArnoldsDesign]

I assume you mean the whole width, and not just the sides? If this is case, it's because the blades cutting edges cut around an entire circular path, which would include font, back, sides, corners, etc.

[@Dom-pf8wd]

@@ArnoldsDesign Ahhhh, see thats one of those "I'm an idiot" monents that you opened my eyes to in that it makes total common sense that as you move the mower forward everything that comes into contact with the front, sides and back will get cut, duhhhh, I'm a boob, buuuuuut I would bet (and I'll have to test this theory to save some face) that if you put the mower out in the grass and start it up without moving it then turn it off that the entire diameter of grass under the mower would be cut not just the outer perimeter where the blades are lower and sharpened (leaving the inner section of grass uncut).

[@ArnoldsDesign]

@@Dom-pf8wd Exactly, it would leave an outer ring of cut grass. The inner area might get beat down.

[@Dom-pf8wd]

@@ArnoldsDesign I'm still kicking myself for this brain fart.I swear I'm an intelligent and even educated guy just one of those middle aged "dumas" moments.Thanks for the replies and moment of clarity.Have a good one!

[@ArnoldsDesign]

@@Dom-pf8wd No I get it, believe me. Happens to me sometimes, especially if I'm under stress.

[@robertheinkel6225]

You can pick up the balances for a couple of bucks,naïf you don't have a machine shop.

[@johnr5545]

Nice god bless

[@victoryfirst2878]

Am still waiting for you to make a balancer with a blade checker for straightness. Good day fella.

[@turbotona25]

I really like this balancer do you happen to know what angles you made it on the ID and OD ? I’m going to make one as well.

[@Nozinbonsai]

A spacer and bullseye level over the tip of the cone allows you to see balance more accurately .

[@altonrowell613]

Ok

[@scottrothe5947]

Your machined designed vertical cone is nice. I use to use a step cone el cheapo balancer. It was ok, but with this style of balancer you have to have a level reference of some sort. Then I discovered the horizontal cone with magnet style balancer. The horizontal style eliminates the need for any level reference. When the blade is balanced the blade will not move no matter what position it's in!! Being You have the machining equipment, you should check out the horizontal style balancer. The Mag 1000 is a commercial version. But, really nice job making your vertical cone balancer!! With your skill you could make a nifty horizontal balancer!!

[@ArnoldsDesign]

I was thinking of making one of those this year when I was using this one. I used a horizontal setup to balance a jet boat prop once. It worked well for that too.

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Good stuff. I was going to use shaft and two levels but you way looks easier. Thanks for sharing

[@ArnoldsDesign]

Thanks. Glad it helped.

[@larrysmith2027]

why not just use the old spindle put some bearing in if needed then make a adapter for other sizes

[@onemischiefmaker7032]

close but not perfect? where is your pride?

[@pemtax557]

Nicely explained and demonstrated! Cheers

[@MajBunl]

Don't you also need to be sure the weight of the blade is within the specs for the mower in question? It is my understanding blade functions as part of the flywheel and the weight is matched to the machine?

[@ArnoldsDesign]

I haven't heard that, but maybe. This one's belt drive though, so doesn't really apply. It's also the part number called for this particular mower.

[@richardyoung5586]

how muc would u charge to make one of those balancers ? thanks Rick

[@ArnoldsDesign]

I never really thought about it. You can purchase balancers somewhat like this online also.

[@richardyoung5586]

Well thank you Arnold still design I will look into it

[@ArnoldsDesign]

You're welcome. I put a link in the description to a product similar the one shown in the video.

[@AquaCarb]

Holding a blade on the index finger isn't reliable?

[@ArnoldsDesign]

Only if the engine is running.

[@jheetman]

ok call me dumb, but why doesnt the slightest imbalance peg it to one side? as one side rises from being lighter, the other side drops. why doesnt a slight imbalance peg out the "teeter" for lack of better term. even the very worn blade didnt peg it to one side.

[@jheetman]

ok, after some deep thought, the teetering cone shifts the center of gravity. i appreciate your vids tho, keep up the good work!

[@ArnoldsDesign]

Thanks. That sounds about right.

[@RoomiesGarage]

That's a great idea used to do that for motorcycle wheels

[@ArnoldsDesign]

Thanks

[@00nowhereman00]

I"m not sure why the extra .5" of blade length would matter. I'm sure they overlap, but I would think they are designed to rotate ninety degrees different from each other. Unless they are freewheeling somehow, but then it would only matter if they turn in opposite directions.

[@ArnoldsDesign]

Being they're driven by v belts, the pulley can slip during operation, which can result in a collision.

[@robertheinkel6225]

If you look at the design of the deck, the center spindle is a couple of inches forward of the outside spindles. That allows the blades to technically overlap each other, but they will never hit because the center blade is far enough forward to avoid contact. On two blade decks, one blade will be farther forward of the other for the same reason. Only decks with the blades straight across will have cogged belts. My Toro ZTR has a two blade system, and if I turn too sharp to the right, easy to do with a ZTR, it may leave a streak because making the sharp turn eliminates the offset. The owners manual will recommend turning in one direction to prevent this but not explain why. When you install the blades, you can rotate them by hand and see that they will not contact each other.

[@ArnoldsDesign]

This deck has a stagger like that. The center blade is several inches ahead of the others, and both outers are moved slightly toward center, creating an overlapping cut.

[@n40tom]

Very long winded for a $ 4.00 available balancer . I actually seen them on sale for a dollar 38 from China

[@ArnoldsDesign]

Buy one.

[@n40tom]

@@ArnoldsDesign I did and then I made my own out of a 16 mm bearing. Works perfect. Ok genius

[@freeinhabitant2422]

@@n40tom You have the right name, except you don't know how to spell. It should be TACTless.

[@n40tom]

@@freeinhabitant2422 My screen name is spelled correctly for your information shit for brains .