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<div data-externalstyle="false" dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'Segoe UI', 'Meiryo', 'Microsoft YaHei UI', 'Microsoft JhengHei UI', 'Malgun Gothic', 'sans-serif';font-size:12pt;"><div>I will still replace sections on a knife, whole replacement knife is nicer, but I don’t rivet them anymore I use section bolts. First used the bolts on combine sections and thought why not mower? The nut sticks up a little more than rivits, but I don’t have any problems mowing my alfalfa/grass hay.<br></div><div data-signatureblock="true"><div><br></div><div>Aaron Dickinson</div><div>Mason, Michigan</div><div><br></div></div><div style="padding-top: 5px; border-top-color: rgb(229, 229, 229); border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid;"><div><font face=" 'Calibri', 'Segoe UI', 'Meiryo', 'Microsoft YaHei UI', 'Microsoft JhengHei UI', 'Malgun Gothic', 'sans-serif'" style='line-height: 15pt; letter-spacing: 0.02em; font-family: "Calibri", "Segoe UI", "Meiryo", "Microsoft YaHei UI", "Microsoft JhengHei UI", "Malgun Gothic", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:jtchall@nc.rr.com" target="_parent">John Hall</a><br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 6, 2020 7:42 AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:at@lists.antique-tractor.com" target="_parent">Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group</a></font></div></div><div><br></div><div dir=""><div id="readingPaneBodyContent">Sickle mowers can be a pain.<br><br>First off keep anything you don't want to cut from the area in between <br>the guards--especially when raising and lowering the blade/working on <br>mower. I always grab by the back of the blade or the heavy cast piece <br>out on the end.<br><br>Second, run the sickle mower for edge/ditch trimming first. They don't <br>like thatch/debris form rotary mowers, tend to bunch up right where the <br>blade bolts on. Also if you head into a field that was previously <br>overgrown and has been bushogged while leaving large clumps, you are <br>going to hate life as the blade will choke up often. Sometimes you can <br>hold the blade up or install a clipping wheel on the end to manage this <br>situation.<br><br>Third, they either are in mowing condition, or not. Unlike a rotary <br>mower with dull blades that you can limp along with, these things tend <br>to be all or nothing. One broke guard or section and it just plain won't <br>work. I have found it cheaper and easier to NOT put new ledger plates in <br>the guards replace the whole assembly. Also when the blade is worn out, <br>I order a new assembly instead of changing all those sections. Lot of 80 <br>year old guys will talk about how easy it is to do, but they aren't <br>doing it. Also they are basing it on their memory of doing it in 1975 <br>when parts were more pricey, Its not that bad to buy a complete blade <br>sent to your house ready to change out. FWIW, I have one of those tools <br>you brad rivets with, works great if you break a section and want to fix <br>it in the machine.<br><br>Here is where I get my parts from if I have to "overhaul" a cutterbar. <br>Last one I did was a 7' IH two years ago. https://www.cuttingcomponents.com/<br><br>Any kind of grass/weed/vine these things do great in. Small trees much <br>more than a couple feet tall and you risk breaking a section and <br>possibly a guard---or even the blade. Be sure to ask for whatever spare <br>parts the guy has to go with it.<br><br>You should be able to adjust the pitch of the blade, but more than <br>likely its already set up OK. I'd try it first.<br><br>I'm sure you know, but to save some cussing--if one of the guard bolts <br>has to be pulled off and the square doesn't want to stay in the hole <br>(think plow bolt), don't use your thumb to hold it in!!!<br><br>John Hall<br><br><br><br>On 7/6/2020 6:09 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:<br>> I've never run a sickle mower, so there's going to be some fun with <br>> experimentation. I keep about 3 acres of our 15 mowed; the rest is <br>> forest and wetlands. I have a zero-turn for the lawn-like areas, and <br>> a DR Brush mower (mini walk-behind bushhog) for the coarse areas. I'm <br>> told some of this property was cow pasture several decades ago. The <br>> house was built in 1990, and when we purchased in 2002, the old <br>> pastureland had disappeared under heavy overgrowth of the finest <br>> invasives New England has to offer: autumn olive & multiflora rose, <br>> that seem to like to grow together in clumps, plus bittersweet, poison <br>> ivy, and wild grape. We've been slowly clearing bit by bit ever <br>> since, and as soon as a patch of ground is opened up, grasses <br>> magically re-appear. This is how I end up with 3 acres that now have <br>> to be clipped or the invasives will return. Nothing is really flat, <br>> but then again we don't have serious slopes either. Rocks, yes, <br>> multitudes. They're generally of the "tip of the iceberg" variety, <br>> appearing flattish and roundish and only protruding a couple inches. <br>> I know the location intimately of every single one that interferes <br>> with a mower. I think some of the coarse areas may work for the <br>> sickle. I suppose the guards will ride up and over those flattish <br>> rocks, seems that is the intent of the design.<br>><br>> SO<br>><br>><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>AT mailing list<br>AT@lists.antique-tractor.com<br>http://lists.antique-tractor.com/listinfo.cgi/at-antique-tractor.com<br></div></div></div>
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