# Deck Vacuum and a Pretty Cut



## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Deck vacuum is a term a lot of people have never heard about a lawn mower, but it is really important if you want a nice cut on a lawn. Lawn mower blades cut with the tips, that's why when you see a blade that is worn out, the ended of the blade takes on a rounded look, rather than a sharp 90 degree angle at the tip when new. The rotating blade(s) create a vacuum inside the deck housing. That vacuum stands the grass up straight for the blade tips to cut evenly. The higher the deck vacuum the cleaner the cut. Any rust holes. or openings, creates a loss of vacuum and lowers the quality of cut. There is a huge difference between the way OEMs design their decks. Most of your higher end mowers run welded decks, as opposed to stamped decks, and welded decks are not only more durable they are usually designed to deliver a higher rate of deck vacuum.

If you doubt what I'm telling you about the concept of "deck vacuum", take a look at the front edge of a SCAG deck shown below. SCAGS and Exmarks are known for their great looking cuts and that's why so many commercial lawn operations use them. Notice in the photo below how the front of the SCAG deck tapers down to the deck lip.... That's to create a higher rate of deck vacuum. Take a look at the picture of the John Deere deck with it's almost vertical front deck edge. Which design do you thinks creates a higher rate of deck vacuum and gives the grass more time to stand up straight/even and be cut by the blade(s) tips? That's why a SCAG and Exmark gives a much better cut than your average home owner model mower with a stamped deck. You can actually hear the difference between the amount of deck vacuum being created between a SCAG, Exmark, and a JD deck (or any stamped deck) when the blades are engaged. Also notice the difference in how much farther the blades are set back from the deck lip on the Scag, JD, and the last picture of an Exmark deck. Also notice the number of holes in the top of the JD deck as opposed to the Scag and Exmark? It's loosing vacuum at every one of those holes. Higher deck vacuum, gives the deck more time to stand the grass up before the blades, and delivers a better looking cut. That's the main reason a Scag, or Exmark, delivers a much better looking cut than anything you can buy at the local big box store with a stamped deck. You can actually hear the difference in the deck vacuum of a Scag, or Exmark, compared to a stamped deck with an almost vertical front edge. If you're sitting on a concrete surface, you can actually see the difference in vacuum by how much dust/dirt/debris gets sucked under the deck.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Deck design is really important to how much vacuum it generates. If you're not happy with the cut a mower is giving you, especially with a stamped deck, try running "High Lift" blades. The height of the "wing" on the top of the blade determines how much "lift" it generates (vacuum). The higher the lift. the more vacuum, the prettier the cut.....

If you really want a nice looking cut, go with G6 Gator Blades. High lift, 3" wide, much heavier, and thicker (1/4") than almost any blades on the market. Their width, weight, and thickness gives them way more inertia as they are spinning and they give the best looking cut of any blade I know. That higher blade inertia once they are spinning also creates much less of a torque load on your engine, so belts last way longer. They also have way harder steel than about any blade, so they last 4x longer, and stay sharp way longer. Every guy I know that's running a commercial lawn service is now running the Oregon G6 Gators. They are generally more expensive than OEM blades (unless you're paying John Deere prices), but the quality/benefits far out way the difference in price, and for the average home owner they'll last for at least 10 years. Don't know any of my customers that's tried them that doesn't swear by them.....

Oregon Gator Blades


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

I use the Oregon Gator G6 blades on my JD 777 mower, w/72" mulching deck. They do a great job.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

sixbales said:


> I use the Oregon Gator G6 blades on my JD 777 mower, w/72" mulching deck. They do a great job.


 Yep.... There's nothing on the market right now that even comes close


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