# Building a New Mower



## rdean (Dec 13, 2021)

I made a mower for my 1951 WD Allis Chalmers Tractor in 2006 and over the years I have made some improvements and repairs but I knew the mower was getting kind of weak in the knees.  I thought I should have a closer look and thought I would just need to do some minor repairs to the frame and be ready for a few more years of use.
I wasn't ready for what I found.








I guess I should be glad that the mower didn't fall apart completely so it is time for a new frame.

This mower is just shy of 8 feet wide and rides on two 12" wheels in the front and is attached to the tractor in the rear.  I have 3 acres of lawn to mow usually once a week during most of the year but for the next few months probably only once a month.  
That's 17 years of use so I think I got my moneys worth and proven the design is sound.

This is where I am now after hours of cutting and welding and $260 of steel.





The 3 spindles all overhauled with new bearings and a paint job.



The mower has 5 idler pulleys so I cleaned them up, replaced the bearings and gave them a new paint job.





Next is cutting out for and drilling the holes for the spindles.

Thanks for looking
Ray


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## SLK001 (Dec 13, 2021)

rdean said:


> I have 3 acres of lawn to mow usually once a week during most of the year but for the next few months probably only once a month.



Yep, that much mowing, you had to be from Florida!  Nothing like mowing the lawn the day before Christmas!


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## Nutfarmer (Dec 14, 2021)

You had your money's worth. To change out the bearings in the idle pulleys did you have to drill out the rivets and split them?


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## rdean (Dec 14, 2021)

I think I originally had to drill out some to split them but some came with bolts.  Over the years I have replaced these bearings several times so I am not sure how they came.

Thanks
Ray


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## rdean (Dec 14, 2021)

I cut the slots and drilled the mounting holes for the spindles today.  Things are looking up as the blades miss hitting each other by about a 1/4".
This shows a couple of shots of the blade belt routing.






I removed the three spindles and the idler pulleys and welded in the pulley arbors.  I think I am done welding on the top of the deck and will do some scraping and wire brushing tomorrow.  I still have to turn the deck over and do all the welds on the  other side.  I also have to add some 1/8" X 1 1/2" flat steel to the bottom for the top panels to attach to but I don't have that material and the supplier is closed on Wednesdays.

Maybe I will have time to get some done on my engine project.

Thanks for looking
Ray


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## f350ca (Dec 14, 2021)

Looking good.
I rebuilt a John Deere commercial mower a few years back. Had to patch a few rust holes. Sand blasted it, then coated the underside with box liner. Seams to be holding up pretty good, and the grass doesn't seam to stick to it. A lot tougher than paint at least.

Greg


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## rdean (Dec 17, 2021)

I have heard of that before and apparently it works quite well so I may try that.

Today I turned the frame over and finished all the welds underneath. 
Tomorrow I will pick up some flat steel to make the supports for the fill panels and may start welding them in place.
Its a 50 mile round trip and the wife wants to buy groceries


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## rdean (Dec 17, 2021)

Well that was Thursday and I forgot to hit the "Post Reply" button on the above thread but I did get some time to cut, drill, and weld on some of the supports.  
Today I finished the supports and painted the under side of the frame.
I will flip it over tomorrow and paint the top side but still a lot left to do.



The majority of the welding is done and that doesn't bother me one bit.  I used to be able to make some nice welds but now between the sore back and shaky hands not so good.  It's not going to fall apart and a thick coat of paint makes it look better.

Thanks for looking
Ray


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## rdean (Dec 18, 2021)

Got the top painted today with 3 coats.  



Tomorrow I will start on mounting the spindles if the paint is dry enough.

Thanks for looking

Ray


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## Chris Hamel (Dec 19, 2021)

Looks  good.  Like the orange.  Hope the bright orange doesn't outshine the old tractor.


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## rdean (Dec 20, 2021)

The last couple of days have been very busy and productive.
I mounted and shimmed the spindles so they would all cut the same height.



I had some 1/4" cast acrylic plastic to use for the deck of the mower and had cut and screwed down several pieces.  That was not a good choice as it was too brittle and would crack and split around the screws.  So on to plane "B" and off to Home Depot for a sheet of Lexan.  It was 0.177 thick instead of the 1/4" cast but I think it will actually last much longer and be able to flex with the mower.  The Lexan is held on by 135 or so #12 self drilling screws.  Now if you buy them in a box of 60 at Rural King they aren't too expensive but two boxes was not quite enough so off to the local hardware store where they were $0.35 each.  That would have been close to $50 just for the bolts.
I installed the idler pulleys, belt guards and belts.









I think it turned out very well so far and take note the rubber plugs in the square tubing.
Front swivel wheels will be next.

Thanks for looking
Ray


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## rdean (Dec 25, 2021)

We are now into the short rows as things get completed.
These are the support rails and cross braces for the mower.  The mower is only attached to the tractor in two places close to the rear of the tractor and 16" apart.  The mower is free floating up and down as it follows the contour of the ground.



The mounting to the tractor was very easy and all the holes lined up as they should.  
It will never look this clean again.







This is a view from the rear and shows the large pulley that powers the mower.  
The gear ratio is such that I run the tractor at about half throttle so it uses a little over 2 gallons of gas per mowing.
It takes me about 1 hour and 45 minutes to mow my 3+ acres.



All ready to go for another 10 years or so.

Thanks for looking
Ray


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## Chris Hamel (Dec 25, 2021)

Looks great.  Now if the grass would just grow.


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## rdean (Dec 26, 2021)

Thanks Chris The weeds should be high enough soon.

Ray


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