Mower Confusion

[DmaxEter]

Wow, that brings back memories. I worked on the golf course that I now live on for three years while in high school. I worked there longer than anyone else so I got to move up through the ranks. I spent many months operating all the equipment. I remember one summer pulling a 12 gang mower behind a 60hp john deere. Man that was fun. It was powered by the wheels. All the other reel mowers were hydraulic powered units. Nothing sounds better that a reel unit that has just been back lapped cutting grass. The only thing about those big gang mowers on the course is sprinkler heads. If you catch a head that isnt set right, the bed knife pulls it right out of the ground. Kinda cool actually.

 

[keeney]

That reminds me of the big negative of reel mowers - very high maintanence. The knife distance needs to be frequently adjusted as the blades wear. The bed knife itself would need frequent attention. Then periodically, the reel blades need to be "back-lapped" Also, lots of lubrication points on the reel, rollers, height adjust, and knife adjust mechanisms.

Hydraulic powered units also have all the headaches of hydraulics. Leaks can be an issue. Slower leaks would just leave little drip marks here and there. However if you had a full-pressure pinhole stream that wasn't noticed right away, you would get this nice pinstripe trail of dead grass showing the exact mowing pattern on one or more greens.

- Rick

 

[DmaxEter]

Boy I remember that to. Constant adjustments and back lapping. One time, we had a jacobsen greens mower blow a hose at the motor in the middle of the Bent grass green. That sucked big time. Hydraulic fluid will turn grass yellow.