Types of Reel Mower Parts

The types of lawn mowers on the market today are becoming increasingly advanced, powerful and high tech. Because of this, the old fashioned reel lawn mowers have decreased in popularity. However, homeowner or landscapers who favor a smaller, simpler and eco-friendly machine may still prefer a manual, reel lawn mower that uses a set of rotating blades rather than a motorized mechanism to trim the lawn.

While highly advanced motorized lawn mowers are built using an extensive list of parts and components, a reel lawn mower is essentially only comprised of four basic components: the handlebar, a wheel and gear system, brush and cutter bars and a grass tray.

Handlebar

Since the reel mower is manually pushed and steered, the handlebar is an essential component to the mower. As the user pushes the handlebar, the force is transferred down to the wheel and gear system, allowing the mower to propel forward and turn the blades. A typical reel mower's handlebars are affixed on either side of the lawnmower's body, forming a T shape that can be easily maneuvered and steered.

Wheel and Gear System

At the top of the mower are the handlebars. At the other end, on the bottom, are typically two wheels attached to a gear or axle system. When the wheels turn on the axle, a set of gears becomes engaged. The pinion gears create an increased torque as they spin which then goes on to engage the blade system of the mower.

Brush and Cutter Bars

After torque and power is transferred from the user, through the handlebars down the mower to the wheels and through the gears, it then moves to the component in the mower that actually cuts the grass: the bars or blades. There are typically two types of bars in each reel lawn mower: a brush bar and a cutter bar. The brush bar is the one located in the outer position. Though it does not actually cut any grass, it does bend and capture the blades of grass into the mower. Once the brush bar has pulled the grass in, the cutter bar cuts the grass. As opposed to the brush bar which turns and rotates, the cutter bar is stationary and sharp.

Grass Tray

The final component in the reel mower is the tray located in the back that catches and collects the grass clippings. The user can then empty the tray once it is full - the trays are usually large enough to hold the clippings of an average lawn - instead of having to go back and rake up the trimmings separately. Some older reel mowers do not feature a grass tray, however.