# Uneven cutting with greens mower



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Ok everyone, back for some advice. 
I have a baroness greens mower and recently it hasn't been looking as good. I swear that it is cutting uneven. 
I have checked HOC on both sides multiple times. Granted I use the poor man's method (steel bar and digital calipers).
This is the first time it has looked like this. Anyone got any ideas?


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## Topcat (Mar 21, 2017)

Time for a backlap? Just throwing stones. If the reel/bedknife is properly adjusted, then that is what I'd try.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

What HOC are you at? What's your groomer set at? How have you fertilized this year?


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## Adrian82 (Jun 5, 2017)

I noticed the affected area appear sloped. My gas reel wrecks havoc on the sloped areas in my year. To combat the issue I use a Fiskar on the deep slopes. Additionally, I take my time to hit the contours just right.


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

I do believe it may be a contour issue, however, its never looked like that before.

Andy: i'm cutting at .6. To be honest i dont know what the groomer is at.

Tomorrow i will lift up the hood, check reel to bedknife, hoc, hog (height of groomer) and backlap.

Also, i just aerated and spread fertilizer and milo. I just laid down pgr for the first time this year.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I'm wondering if you are having any "grain" issues which would explain the uneven cut. Does it seem to cut better in one direction over another?


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## lagerman72 (Feb 14, 2017)

ajmikola said:


> I just laid down pgr for the first time this year.


Could be gaps in the coverage of pgr and it's growing at different rates? I had that happen last year.


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> I'm wondering if you are having any "grain" issues which would explain the uneven cut. Does it seem to cut better in one direction over another?


It does. What would that mean? I was looking at the problem solving algorithm on the baroness manual. All kinds of different options, none I can really fix except reel to bed knife, HOC and HOG and ************. It talks about adjusting the cam (not even really sure what that is) but it seems a bit out of my league.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

ajmikola said:


> Mightyquinn said:
> 
> 
> > I'm wondering if you are having any "grain" issues which would explain the uneven cut. Does it seem to cut better in one direction over another?
> ...


As for adjusting the cam on the bedknife bar, NO!!  You shouldn't ever really need to mess with that. I don't think it has anything to do with your mower as long as it's cutting paper, you should be fine.

The "grain" I speak about is when your grass starts growing in one direction, usually down hill or if you mow in the same direction every time that can cause it too! That is what a groomer is for is to help cut the stolons that are growing horizontally along the ground which in turn helps to reduce the grain. You would need to set the groomer around .100"-.200" for it to actually do anything to the stolons as they grow on top of the soil. The only other option is to verticut the lawn to remove any build up and then start using the groomer on a regular basis. It's about that time of year when this "grain" starts to show up and cause scalping issues in low cut bermuda. You may also be able to scalp the lawn to get the same effect and then lower your HOC too after the scalp.

If you rub your hand across the lawn in all directions and you are getting the grass to "lift" that is the grain I am talking about.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

I get that in my yard. I double cut in different directions to get rid of them. I get them because I haven't leveled my yard. The large dips in the lawn allow the roller to drop just a bit causing a small amount of uneven cut. That may be your issue, but it's what happens to me.


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Thx fellas.
I opened the top and found this.....



I feel like an idiot. After i aerated i cut with my rotary AND mclane to destroy the plugs. I had no idea dirt could build up like that. I have to assume that is a major reason. 
I checked reel to bedknife and it wont cut paper along the whole blade. 
Working on it now.


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Continuing on.....
The manual calls for the bedknife adjusting spring to be 50mm. I checked both sides and found this:
Right


Left


That is a big difference in the world of millimeters.


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Ok.
Reel to bedknife: check
Hoc: 0.5" and equal on both sides: check
Backlapped: check


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