Building a poor man's verticutter????

RonR · Oct 5, 2005

Building a poor man\'s verticutter????

Almost annually, I need to go rent a verticutter for the lawn. I don't have enough need to buy one for my tractor, plus the walk behind ones are EXPENSIVE also.

I'm thinking of buying a Troy Built tiller, then removing the tines, and building a set of tines that would mimic the knife action of a verticutter. Of course, it wouldn't spin as fast, but I'm hoping that it could slice the ground enough to get some seed in.

An alternate plan might be to build a set of rolling coulters (flat disc blades) that I could mount to my tool bar, with a blade about every 4-6", and let it slice through the soil.

Any reaction or thoughts, especially improvement on this concept?????

Alas, this week, I will once again go rent the verticutter........

ron

beenthere · Oct 5, 2005

Re: Building a poor man\'s verticutter????

Well, the "verticutter" is a new one on me. No idea what you are talking about. Will do a search on Google to see what I can find. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

mlhunter · Oct 5, 2005

Re: Building a poor man\'s verticutter????

I have the same need. I used the PT425 rake to get up thatch and scratch the ground. The rake does not have enough weight to run it in free float so it requires constant vigilance on the hydraulic control to keep the tension correct. I found this can be done but it requires very close attention. The ability to add weight on the rake would make it a better unit!

HomeBrew2 · Oct 6, 2005

Re: Building a poor man\'s verticutter????

Never heard of a verticutter either. After finding them on the net, a modified lawn edger comes to mind ... with a gang of blades instead of just one ...

QueBota · Oct 6, 2005

Re: Building a poor man\'s verticutter????

verticutter at work

Gatorboy · Oct 6, 2005

Re: Building a poor man\'s verticutter????

I've only used verticutter's on St. Augustine grass after it gets so spongy from all the overlapping vines -- what are you trying to accomplish with the verticutter? The only thing I can think of is aeration.

RonR · Oct 6, 2005

Re: Building a poor man\'s verticutter????

In our area (KS), people often have to overseed fescue lawns in the fall to replenish what has burned up in the summer and frozen out in the winter. Aeration is another plus of using one.

The 12HP Honda motor verticutters accomplish what dpdee13's pic shows. It cuts through the existing lawn and is usually worked twice to provide good coverage. A seed box on the verticutter drops seed which is covered in the process.

It's just a PITA to go rent one every year, but is probably the cost effective thing to keep doing.

Ron