rotary cutter- stump jumper cracked

Anonymous-0 · Aug 7, 2011

I have an Howse 4" rotary cutter and noticed the stump jumper is severely cracked. The plate mounting the blades looks fine so I was wondering can I weld the cracks back without risking any malfunction. I don"t use the cutter very much so I was trying to get away cheap. Thanks in advance.

buickanddeere · Aug 7, 2011

What do new parts cost compared to all that whirling metal at speed. On a trajectory of it's own choosing.
Guess what that stump jumper and blades could chop up?

elmersooner · Aug 7, 2011

replace please.....few extra bucks well worth the money. coming from a cheapskate that has seen a near miss due to welding on a cutter.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 7, 2011

Check over at agrisupply.com, I bought a stump jumper for about $100, a couple of years ago. Swapping out a howse, is pretty easy, its a splined tapered shaft, a couple of good whacks with a sledge, after you get the nut off, and it drops right to the ground. Better safe than sorry!

phil25 · Aug 7, 2011

Think about it: I have a 6 ft woods and the stump jumper disc was actually punched through the blade mounts and was a loose disc just floating there, this was discovered after the blade mount broke in two right at the center mounting nut, and the mounting piece with blade attached, decided to exit the mower framework going aft and taking a segment piece out of the rear wheel.
i have to remember that its called a "stump jumper" not a rock slide

In my case i have better service[ less hits] on rocks without it, and Woods now offer it as a option wher as before it was part of the blade mount arm.
A Buickanddeere said.
hope it was of some help in your thoughts
be sure to be safe and have a good one.

Welding man · Aug 7, 2011

I've welded dozens of them, but I am a professional welder,or say that I am after 40 years of burning rod almost every day. Most of the stump jumpers are welded to the blade mountings from the factory, so it stands to reason it can be welded again. I said welded not bubble gummed. If you are a good welder that knows what he is doing, or you know someone that is that will weld it for you, WELD IT. If you don't buy a new one.

Ultradog MN · Aug 7, 2011

Lot of old ladies on this site who are afraid of their own shadow. Can't fix nothing either - only buy new parts.
I'm with Welding Man. Weld it if you are a Damned Good Welder. If not bring it to a DGW and have him do it for you. No big deal.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 7, 2011

And there's quite a few people on here that can fix ANYTHING, but aren't so moronic as to patch together something that can easily kill the operator or an innocent bystander, especially so when it's a $75 part.

Replace it....put the broken one in the scrap pile.

Ultradog MN · Aug 7, 2011

OK Gramma.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 7, 2011

Sure thing Jeffrey Dahmer

jdtractor · Aug 7, 2011

ive welded lots of them no problems ,but if you are no good at welding forget it and replace it. better safe then sorry for you if you cant weld just my .02cts.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 7, 2011

The stump jumper is a relatively small diameter piece and is probably just pressed mild steel so welded properly should be fine. If you wanted to weld the hardened steel blades for any reason, would be a really bad idea.

buickanddeere · Aug 8, 2011

Figuring what one's time is worth. To spend time and $ on rods to weld a cracked and stretched piece of metal. For a part that costs so little and is so vital.
Why be penny wise and pound foolish?

Anonymous-0 · Aug 8, 2011

You might have answered your own question....

SOME people"s time isn"t worth much....

Ultradog MN · Aug 8, 2011

I didn't see a 4' Howse listed but a new stump jumper for a 5' is $170. Add shipping to that - say $30 - and now we're up to $200.

I could fix a stump jumper for maybe $25 including gasoline for my welder, part of a grinding wheel, some oxy/acet if needed and maybe $10 worth of rod. (In an earlier life I held a 6G cert for low hydrogen rod and still am a DGW.)

B&D if you still say fixing it is penny wise and pound foolish then I say you are practicing your usual philosophy of contempt prior to investigation.
And MFP, it looks like you are practicing your usual philosophy of being a silly goose.
click here

Anonymous-0 · Aug 8, 2011

And apparently you're practicing your usual antics of showing reckless disregard for the safety of others. Telling someone who you haven't the first clue as to their welding skill to "go ahead" is pure and simple BAD ADVICE.

RodinNS · Aug 8, 2011

I would have no reservations about welding it. I quite routinely weld discs on a disc mower... Just bevel it out to get to the root of the crack so you get full penetration. Use a 7018 and have at it. You do need a good weld; not bubble gum and bird $hit. So certainly ask yourself honestly what kind of weld YOU can lay down on it before you start.
I would also say that welding on the stump jumper is a VERY different issue than welding on a tempered blade. This is just mild steel; probably no harder than 44W.

Rod

Tx Jim · Aug 8, 2011

MF Poor
If you go to Howse's website and pull up the spec's you would see this:Saucer-shaped blade carrier with 10Ga pan and 1/2"X 4" bar on all 3',4' & 5' models. Therefore the 1/2"X4" bar is actually what is holding the blades not the stump jumper.

buickanddeere · Aug 8, 2011

We are talking about cracked blade holders on a rotary mower.
For that warm fuzzy feeling you want, try here instead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpqNIbrtRis

Tx Jim · Aug 8, 2011

(quoted from post at 17:37:45 08/08/11) We are talking about cracked blade holders on a rotary mower.
For that warm fuzzy feeling you want, try here instead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpqNIbrtRis

buickanddeere
READ MY PREVIOUS POST the blades on a on a 4" Howse rotary mower are attached to a 1/2"X4" bar and not SECURED by the stump jumper/pan.

Ultradog MN · Aug 8, 2011

That's pretty creepy man.
Maybe the B&D means something else.
I hadn't thought about that...
Icky.

Don-Wi · Aug 8, 2011

I gotta say, I'm with the guys who say weld it if you can weld a lot better than just chicken scratch & bubble gum. I myself would weld it, given it's just a mild steel. I've welded plenty already.

I'm afraid to see what you guys would say I should do with our gehl 72 green chopper that needs some new steel transplanted inside it, as well as the auger tray that needs to be replaced.

Donovan from Wisconsin

JML755 · Aug 9, 2011

(quoted from post at 09:38:25 08/08/11) And apparently you're practicing your usual antics of showing reckless disregard for the safety of others. Telling someone who you haven't the first clue as to their welding skill to "go ahead" is pure and simple BAD ADVICE.

What is it about this site that any topic related to "welding" becomes a p*ssing contest? :lol: I'm kind of 50/50 on this one. Since my welding skills are about 50/50 (half the time I feel like "puddles" and other half I'm using my angle grinder while looking over my shoulder to see if anyone is laughing at me cleaning up my mess) I'd try welding it but be ready to order a new one if I have any doubt about its integrity.

JDJohnDeere · Aug 9, 2011

(quoted from post at 05:17:28 08/09/11)

(quoted from post at 09:38:25 08/08/11) And apparently you're practicing your usual antics of showing reckless disregard for the safety of others. Telling someone who you haven't the first clue as to their welding skill to "go ahead" is pure and simple BAD ADVICE.

Click to expand...

What is it about this site that any topic related to "welding" becomes a p*ssing contest? :lol: I'm kind of 50/50 on this one. Since my welding skills are about 50/50 (half the time I feel like "puddles" and other half I'm using my angle grinder while looking over my shoulder to see if anyone is laughing at me cleaning up my mess) I'd try welding it but be ready to order a new one if I have any doubt about its integrity.

glad I didn't post here about replacing my old log splitter catch tables, I'b be out $2350 on a new splitter.....

buickanddeere · Aug 9, 2011

It is rather bent.
On the first page of google while looking up "warm fuzzy feeling". The youtube link appeared.
Made me think of all those people that attempt patch jobs on critical equipment.

rotary cutter- stump jumper cracked

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