Lawn Roller

   / Lawn Roller #11  
The sand I used was the very fine playbox sand they sell at places like Home Depot. It was fine enough that I was able to pour it into the roller using a funnel. I thought about using cement but figured if I did it was like that forever - it's never coming out. Water is obviously an option too but I wanted to avoid that because I wanted to potentially use the roller during the times of the year when we are going back and forth between freezing and non freezing weather. I figured I would forget at some point to drain the roller and then I would have a cracked housing once it froze up.
 
   / Lawn Roller #12  
That must have been very tedious filling it. I don't think I would have the patience. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
   / Lawn Roller #13  
Hers's mine all hydro, air cooled 23HP Kohler twin, 1 1/2 ton & has vibratory on the 36" drum. It really packs down loose moist gravel & does not get stuck on lawns like the drum drive units. Have not noticed any lawn damage.
 

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   / Lawn Roller #15  
I modified an old alfalfa packer for a lawn roller. If you have ever seen them, they alternate smooth rollers with knobby rollers. It is used to poke the seed into the seedbed. All told it is about 5' wide and right around 800 #. Probably couldn't use it to smooth an existing lawn like some of you are doing, but it works wonders in promoting germination. I modified mine to be 3 point mounted.
 
   / Lawn Roller #16  
Okay, I have to ask. Where do you buy 24" schedule 40 pipe?

What's the wall thickness on that.
 
   / Lawn Roller #17  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Okay, I have to ask. Where do you buy 24" schedule 40 pipe?
What's the wall thickness on that. )</font>

Call your local steel supplier.

According to my supplier's spec sheet, Schedule 40 pipe, 24" outside diameter, .687" wall thickness, 22.626" inside diameter, weighs 171.2 lbs per foot.

You can also get Schedule 10 with a 1/4" wall thickness @ 63.5 lbs/ft, or Schedule 20 std with 3/8" wall @ 94.6 lbs/ft, or Schedule 20 hvy with 1/2" wall @ 125.5 lbs/ft.

If you are paying by the pound bring plenty of money. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
   / Lawn Roller #18  
Looks like it was made from an old propane tank. Has anyone ever thought of using an old 200# or so propane tank to do this? Seems like you would be able to find a used one pretty cheep and make all of the mods you need to to it (cut out old inlets and fill with weld or scab in pieces of metal).

Fig
 
   / Lawn Roller #19  
Steve,

You might want to look in the phone book for mechanical contractors and see if they have any scrap left over from jobs. I work for a mechanical contractor and we usually have pipe left over from jobs, but usually not 24". We have 8",10", and some 18" left over from various jobs. I was actually thinking about taking some of the 8" and making a plugger. All is schedule 40 pipe:
8" - 28.554 lbs per foot
10" - 40.483 lbs per foot
18" - 105 lbs pre foot
I could make a 4' plugger out of 8" and not have to worry about adding block for weight; I would have enough weight in the pipe alone. At least it would be better than the ones at HD and Lowes.

Fig
 
   / Lawn Roller #20  
Rollers are a mixed blessing. If you watch the soil moisture and roll it at the right time, you get a great result.

If the soil is too dry or too wet, you won't get a good result.

A roller is a finishing tool. It can not make a lawn from a rough field with it. It can only smooth a lawn that is in good general condition.

Oops... I'm preaching to the choir, aren't I? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
 
 
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