How to Use a Bench Grinder to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade
Rather than taking a lawn mower in to a costly repair shop to have its blade sharpened, you can do it yourself by using a bench grinder. A bench grinder is a stationary grinding tool that is attached to a table or bench top, usually in a garage or work shop. When using the bench grinder to sharpen lawn mower blades, it's important that you maintain the same beveled edge angle as the original. The angle can vary depending on the lawn mower manufacturer, so inspect the blade before sharpening it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Lawn mower
- Siphon kit
- Adjustable open end wrench, pliers or ratchet set
- Bench grinder
- Personal protection equipment
Instructions
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Remove the fuel from the lawn mower's reservoir using a siphon kit or wait until the machine runs out of gas before sharpening the blade. Tip the lawnmower onto its side with the air filter facing up, which will prevent oil from saturating the foam filter.
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Mark a "B" on the bottom of the blade using a marker or crayon so you can reattach the blade in the proper manner. Affix an adjustable open-end wrench, pliers or the correct size socket with ratchet to the bolt fastener that secures the blade to the spindle. Turn the bolts in a counterclockwise direction to remove it.
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Clean the blades off using a scraper to remove debris such as old grass clippings. Inspect the blade edges to find the beveled edges that you will sharpen. Don't remove the marking that represents the bottom of the blade while cleaning it.
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Hold the lawn mower blade to the bench grinder wheel while the tool is turned off. Look at the lawn mower blade's beveled edge as it touches the bench grinder wheel to determine what angle you'll need to sharpen it at.
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Turn on the bench grinder and wait until it reaches its full rotation speed before using it. Hold the lawn mower blade with one hand at the opposite end and the other at the back edge of the blade, directly behind the location where it will be sharpened.
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Position the lawn mower blade so the beveled edge matches the angle of the spinning grinder wheel; the angle is typically about 40 degrees, depending on the lawn mower manufacturer. Press the beveled edge against the grinding wheel gently and slide the blade across the grinding wheel without stopping in any one spot.
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Continue sliding the beveled edge over the spinning grinding wheel until the edge is sharpened. Next, turn the blade over and do the same with the opposite beveled edge. Match both sides of the blade as closely as possible to avoid over- or under-grinding, which could cause an unbalanced blade.
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Tips & Warnings
When using a bench grinder, wear a clear face mask and safety glasses to prevent injury.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
