Guide to Measuring Cutting Edges

When measuring your cutting edges for identification and replacement it is essential to follow the correct measurement procedures or you risk ending up with an expensive part you cannot use.

Cutting Edges Product Support Representative, John Fabian, said the key measurements required to identify cutting edges are the edge’s width, length, thickness, the bolt spacing, as well as bolt length and diameter.

He has devised a tool (a template and form that can be accessed by contacting Cutting Edges) to simplify the measuring process, and also outlined three key measurement traps to avoid when measuring your edges:

1. Do not measure from the bolt centre:

When measuring their edges, people commonly measure bolt spacing using the ends of the bolts protruding into the bucket. However, the problem with this is the bolts are usually worn and misshapen and it is difficult to determine precisely where the centre is. Repeating this method for each of the bolts used to secure the edges can add up to a significant overall measurement errors.

“As wear is not uniform, measuring worn bolt ends to establish bolt spacings is highly inaccurate,” John said, adding that if you get the first measurement wrong then all of your other measurements are going to be wrong too.

Instead, he encourages customers to take their measurements from underneath the bucket, by tilting it back and using countersink holes as their reference point, given these maintain their diameter right through to replacement.

“With this in mind, we have produced a Cutting Edges Measuring Guide that more accurately locates the ‘first’ hole in relation to the end of the edge. That will be the reference point for the placement of all the holes sharing the same centre-line.”

Whether the edge set required is one-piece, two-piece, three-piece or four-piece, the same guide can be used for each piece of the set, John added.

2. Measuring bolt length:

Identifying and replacing your cutting edges also requires measuring bolt diameter and length. This helps confirm the hole diameter required, and also helps avoid excess bolt length protruding into the bucket that can cause a build-up of material that leads to cross contamination of products being handled.

The type of bolts in use impact how that bolt should be measured:

• Plow Bolts: the measured length should be the total bolt length including the bolt head.
• Hex Headed Bolts: the measured length should not include the bolt head.

3. Do not convert your measurements

When measuring your edges, ensure you supply them in the same units as you have taken them, rather than converting them from inches to millimeters or vice versa.

For example, it is common for customers to assume that 6-inch bolt spacing is the same as 150mm. However, 6 inches is actually 152.4mm.

“Such an assumption will result in a variation of 24mm over an edge with 11 bolt holes, resulting in the production of an edge that will not fit,” John said.

“It is fine to supply your measurements in inches or millimeters, but whatever you measure in is what you should record on the measuring template. Don’t change it,” he added.

“Simply put, the more accurate the information we have/receive, the better your cutting edge will fit on your machine, and lessen downtime for the machine on site.”

Cutting Edges On-site Measurement Service:

Cutting Edges offers qualifying businesses a free site audit and wear part measurement service for those who do not have the opportunity to perform the job themselves.

“It’s a full inventory check. We come out and measure up all your buckets and edges so you don’t have to. We catalogue them and generate quotations with part numbers you can file and refer to next time you need to order,” John said.

“No need to lose time whilst figuring out what parts you need, simply refer to the quote relevant to the subject bucket and use the part numbers and descriptions itemised in the quote,” he added.

Supply Your Measurements:

For those who prefer to conduct their own measurements and supply these to Cutting Edges, John has created a customised procedure and measurement form you can fill in and return. Please contact us to access the form.