Oh boy, Oh boy new Aerator coming today!

[hazmat]

Just got a call from Estes Freight. My First Choice Aerator is at the terminal and ready to be picked up!! I can't wait. I'll get some pics for you guys.

It's like x-mas in September./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif I thought it wasn't going to be here until later this week. I ordered it late Monday afternoon.

 

[TresCrows]

Congrats, I use approximately 250 lbs of ballast on my 48 inch to get 1 to 2 inches of penetration, sometimes more and sometimes less on hard ground. Mine is the 48 inch First Choice and I really like it. You will too. You will probably need about 350 lbs of ballast to get the same penetration with the 60 inch unit.
You will find it impossible to turn, you will have to lift the unit to turn.
I aerate twice in the spring and 3 or more times in the fall. I mow, then fertilize then aerate and then seed/over seed. I sometimes rake with my drag harrow to help get the seed in before and after seeding.
Aerate by going back and forth and then go at 90 degrees, this should give you sufficient coverage. Come back in approximately two weeks and repeat. All this depends on moisture/rain and type of soil and type of grass of course. I have clay with fescue. This seems to be working for me but this is my first year of useage so I am not done experimenting. Good luck. J

 

[hazmat]

Tres,

Thanks for the operating tips. I've got 6 80# sacks of left over pool plaster sitting in the garage waiting for a better life as aerator ballast. Your post regarding the 48" model helped me to decide to buy the First Choice. It's even orange too (that's what they had in stock). My soil is more sand than clay, but is still pretty hard after this summer's drought. We have gotten a couple of good rains in the last two weeks.

I've heard that you should aerate then fertilize so that the fert gets to the roots. Something to consider.

 

[hazmat]

Can't stand it any longer. Cashing in some comp time to go get my new toy. I always was the first one up x-mas morning/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[DaveNH]

Are you adding weight in the front of the tractor?

 

[hazmat]

Here are the pics. Will wonders never cease, they had a blue one in stock!!!!/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

#1 on truck

 

[hazmat]

pic 2 unloading. Do you think I need pallet forks?/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

 

[hazmat]

pic 3 unloading

 

[hazmat]

pic 4 with weight (480#) added

 

[hazmat]

pic 5 side view