Qualcast 35 / Suffolk Punch - Petrol mowers

Hi folks, I've just signed up and hoping some of you lawn guru's can advise me on my mower.

I had been using a rotary mower for the last few years but I fancied stepping up a bit and have recently bought a Suffolk Punch (rebranded Qualcast 35S). My question is regarding the roller on the front of the mower.

As you'll probably know, there's a small plastic roller on the front and a large heavy roller on the back. This is great for getting stripes on the lawn but I feel that the front roller is bending some of the grass over and then its getting cut by the blade but at various heights due to being bent / folded over by the front roller.

I've had the cartridge out and adjusted the blade so its perfect (just skims the lower blade and no more) so the problem isn't the blade height/adjustment. I've had the height set at 2 and 3.

I cant help feeling that it'd be better if it had 2 small wheels on the front rather than a roller.

Has anyone else noticed this with their 35s / Suffolk Punch mowers?

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner Suffolk Punch. Sorry, I can't help you with your mower, I think you would be better posting this in the 'Tools and Equipment' forum as it's more likely to be seen there, or you could ask admin to move it for you.

 

The suffolk punch mowers are extremely reliable well built machines.

I had one until recently that I completely rebuilt. I like doing things like that as tinkering in the workshop is my favorite pass time.

The Suffolk punch Qualcast 35S and many others are exactly the same machine. They are the basic no frills part of the range so are lower priced.
On the higher end machines usually badged "Atco" or Allet there is a rake along the front lower bar which has a line of fairly fine wire tines which when adjusted just right actually lift the grass to present the grass perfectly ready for the upper set of blades ( The cylinder) to chop it off across the lower blade.
I have an Atco Balmoral now which has this rake or row of tines and they really do work very well ! Having had the same mower as you have and the Atco I can say there is quite a difference in the quality and uniformity of the cut.
I would imagine it would be quite easy to get a rake/tine bar from either a mower dealer or perhaps ebay and retro it to your machine.

Any specific questions on any parts of these machines just ask. I have stripped them and re built them down to the last nut and bolt !