# Reel Mower Choices



## mrigney (Jun 6, 2017)

Looking to get a reel mower before the spring green up. Have been looking on craigslist/facebook for a while. Typically there hasn't been much in my hometown (Huntsville), but several are out there right now. Wanted to get people's opinion on them b/c I"m a complete noob.

McLane 20" ($450) - http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/788304158018098

Trucut 20" - http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1486883324723194

McLane 20" ($295) - http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/308719242937472

McLane 20" ($650, looks to be in better condition, maybe newer?) - http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/158593451390580

Trucut 27" ($300, looks to be in a little rougher shape) - http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1460616774053313

Are any of these worth pursuing? I don't think I can spend to get a Toro or JD (yet), but I"d like to get into the market w/something for this season. I'm willing to drive the couple of hours to grab one of these if you think they're worth it. Would love to hear any input!


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Congrats on the decision to get a reel!!!
It looks like the first two are already gone and we can't see the pictures. I'd say that the cheaper(295) McLane looks a better than the more expensive one. The cheaper one has more blades(10 to 7) and the larger engine. 695 is about the cost of a new one so I'd pass on that one. Neither have rollers that I can tell. So that would be another 150 or so if you want one. That's putting the total price of the 295 one a little on the high side. Hard to know about the general pricing in you area though.

The TruCut post says it's actually for 2 reels but only has one pic. They say one is running and one is for parts but I'm not sure which is in the pic. Maybe ask for pics of both?

All this being said it is most important to make sure the engine is running well and to check the reel and bedknife for any major dents or dings that wouldn't be able to be backlapped out.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I've been looking at a used John Deere 220E, and also the Toro 1000. My personal opinion is you get what you pay for. You can get a JD 220 for anywhere from $600-$2100 depending on condition, auction vs. ebay, etc.

I've also been told if you're cutting at 3/4-1", you want 7 blades and not more. More blades = "not better" apparently in that situation.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

SCGrassMan said:


> ...I've also been told if you're cutting at 3/4-1", you want 7 blades and not more. More blades = "not better" apparently in that situation.


With a greens mower, it is the "clip" of a reel with fewer blades that is desirable. The ideal cut is supposedly when clip = HOC, and fewer blades yields a clip that is closer to the HOC most of us are working with. To learn more about clip and how it affects cut quality, read pages 11-15 of this document - they do a good job of explaining clip.

Does it make an appreciable difference on a home lawn? Maybe, maybe not. I've seen some awesome lawns cut with 11-14 blade greens mowers, but technically with more blades the grass is impacted multiple times before being cut, which they say can cause tissue damage. That is why you'll see some of us say we prefer fewer blades on a greens mower.

That said, on a homeowner reel like a Tru-Cut, the ground speed is variable in relation to the reel speed, so the clip is variable. I don't know if I have ever even seen any clip specs for homeowner reels. Most people here trend toward wanting more blades on a homeowner reel - which would make sense, especially if they intend to cut near the lower end of the HOC range of the mower. Note this is the opposite of a greens mower, where we're typically working near the top end of the HOC range.

Ultimately, I think it would be easier to overcome any incidental turf damage from the grass being impacted multiple times by a reel with too many blades than it would be to deal with clip marks left by a reel that is too slow.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

FOC only gets critical at cut heights under .250" IMO. It matters at all heights, but the effects of having too high of FOC become more superficial as the HOC is increased. Hence why we don't see excessive turf damage mowing with 11 or 14 blade reels at .5"+ HOC. Remember, the finer points of FOC are usually centered around cutting at .140" or lower, ie. golf greens. At those heights, the reel is dropping low enough to contact parts of the plant that we don't want to damage. At a higher HOC, the reel is at worst swatting the same leaves repeatedly, and not likely doing more than superficial damage. I'm sure a rotary mower, even a reasonably sharp one, does far worse.

I have noticed after switching to a 7 blade reel from an 11, that I can mow somewhat taller grass with no problem where an 11 blade would leave a few stragglers behind.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Also worth noting that a Tru-Cut or McLane type mower typically runs a much larger diameter reel than a greensmower (5"). So 10 blades on a McClane is a much lower FOC than an 11-blade greensmower assuming the reel spins at a similar speed. I don't have any first hand experience with a McLane or Tru-Cut, but I'd bet they spin the reels a good bit slower than a typical greensmower.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Great analysis. :thumbsup:


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## Gboyet93 (Apr 30, 2017)

I have a JD Reel mower on FB you should look at. It's a nice unit!! All opinions, compliment, and complaints welcome. I'm also willing to work with price. Take a look, give me y'alls thoughts.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Gboyet93 said:


> I have a JD Reel mower on FB you should look at. It's a nice unit!! All opinions, compliment, and complaints welcome. I'm also willing to work with price. Take a look, give me y'alls thoughts.


Feel free to put it on the Equipment Exchange forum or provide a link to the Facebook.


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