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Grounds managers or superintendents of large properties, university campuses or city parts, for example, do a lot of mowing. Such properties demand the job be done properly and the cut provide a manicured look. The super and his crew take pains to make sure the grounds are immaculate. The right mower(s) for the job is essential, but what are the consideration when buying new mowers?
In the Aug. 2006 School and Campus issue, we profiled Jim Coffey, the superintendent at the Wake Forest campus in Winston-Salem, N.C. He has directed the landscape management for 21 years. The Professional Grounds Management Society honored the grounds maintenance at Wake Forest in 2004 with its highest tribute, the Green Star Grand Award. Coffey has about 138 acres of turf to deal with and has some advice on buying new mowers that I think is worth sharing.
Two get a second opinion, I spoke with Sean Sundberg, John Deere?EUR??,,????'?????<
You may be saying, ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: Purchasing new equipment will, of course, cost more initially, but will give you more reliable service. Reliability means getting the job done. Moreover, the price of a mower over its lifetime may be as little as 10 percent of the lifetime cost. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: ?EUR??,,????'?????< Jim Coffey, manager, landscaping services, facilities management department, Wake Forest University. Coffey earned a B.S. in agriculture/horticulture and has been with the university for 21 years.
According to Coffey: Purchasing new equipment will, of course, cost more initially, but will give you more reliable service. Reliability means getting the job done. Moreover, the price of a mower over its lifetime may be as little as 10 percent of the lifetime cost.
According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????<
According to Coffey: ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Coffey has the experience to select mowers, but, after all, he isn?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Sundberg: I couldn?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: Reel mowers are often the best choice for areas requiring frequent cutting. They cut cleanly and evenly when properly adjusted. Their maintenance and power requirements are relatively low and they can be used in gangs for large areas. Reel mowers can only cut short vegetation, however. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< Standard on Walker decks is this nifty feature: a tilt-up function to easily view and access the blade and deck housing. Chris Burrows the grounds manager for the Pinehurst Resort (see ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: Rotary mowers can provide a variety of cuts, from short and tall grasses to light brush. Their maintenance cost are relatively low. Their power requirement, however, is higher than other mowers and they tend to throw small objects, which can create a safety hazard in some areas. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: Sickle-bar mowers are suitable for areas that require infrequent mowings. Because of their intended use, the maintenance and power requirements are greater than those of other mowers. If there is a need to mow coarse grasses, embankments or large open areas that require a mowing height of three inches or better, consider this type of mower. For areas that have a rough terrain incorporated with rocks, samplings, tree limbs and weeds, consider a cylinder-hammer type mower. It requires a great deal of power, but they work will in wooded areas that need occasional mowing. They pulverize materials into a fine mulch that is good for soil protection. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< You may want to consider alternatives to gas and diesel. I spoke with Jim Coker, president of Envirogard, a division of Onyx Environmental Solutions, which has owned the patent on propane mowers since 1996. His company began by converting a 61 in. Ferris IZ3000 mower to propane. It is now converting and certifying other commercial mowers, including all the city mowers of Austin, Texas. Envirogard has also produced its own 61 in. deck propane mower (pictured) that is vapor-fed, not liquid-feed like the conversations. Sundberg had not heard the term ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: With front-mount compact mowers you can choose from a range of mowing decks: mulching rear discharge, side discharge and those that can add the feature of grass collection. An option of four-wheel drive also provides mobility to work slopes and slippery conditions. ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< Dixie Chopper makes conventional ride-on mowers, but it also has the ?EUR??,,????'?????< You can put snow throwers on them, blades on them, wide collections systems, etc. There?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: For commercial walk-behinds (big decks) look for ease of maintenance, operator comfort, maneuverability and safety features. Select a unit that offers the ability to control speed and steering without moving your hands from the bar. Choose a unit that has a floating deck available in several sizes with options that let you mulch, side discharge or collect clippings. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: When buying new equipment ask the sales rep. for a free tool kit to help maintain the equipment, training and maintenance guidelines for the operator and mechanic and extra parts (belts, for example). According to Sundberg: Most dealers will not have a free tool kit. Most dealers are more than willing to provide safety and operational training. They will want to know who is going to do the preventative maintenance and in-house service of the machine. They will make sure the service person is up to speed. This striping kit attachment on the back of a Dixon ZTR promises a ballpark finish for turf. Zero-Turn Machine Addendum Other than its maneuverability, why the trend to zero-turn? Sundberg states several reasons: They are easy to operate (only two sticks on the machine); you can get large decks (72-inch); they mow fast; have excellent cut quality; and the price is a bit less the some of the large front mowers. Sundberg notes, however, that with very heavy use, the zero-turn won?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????< With Toro?EUR??,,????'?????< Final Thoughts: Safety According to Sundberg, some mower manufacturers do not hold themselves to the same safety standards as the bigger manufacturers. He suggests asking these safety questions before purchasing a mower: What are the safety systems that will protect my operator??EUR??,,????'?????< Is there a roll-over protection plan? Is there a mulch-on demand deck that prevents debris from being thrown out? Do the blades automatically stop when the operator gets off the machine?
According to Sundberg: I couldn?EUR??,,????'?????<
According to Coffey: Reel mowers are often the best choice for areas requiring frequent cutting. They cut cleanly and evenly when properly adjusted. Their maintenance and power requirements are relatively low and they can be used in gangs for large areas. Reel mowers can only cut short vegetation, however.
Chris Burrows the grounds manager for the Pinehurst Resort (see ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: Rotary mowers can provide a variety of cuts, from short and tall grasses to light brush. Their maintenance cost are relatively low. Their power requirement, however, is higher than other mowers and they tend to throw small objects, which can create a safety hazard in some areas. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: Sickle-bar mowers are suitable for areas that require infrequent mowings. Because of their intended use, the maintenance and power requirements are greater than those of other mowers. If there is a need to mow coarse grasses, embankments or large open areas that require a mowing height of three inches or better, consider this type of mower. For areas that have a rough terrain incorporated with rocks, samplings, tree limbs and weeds, consider a cylinder-hammer type mower. It requires a great deal of power, but they work will in wooded areas that need occasional mowing. They pulverize materials into a fine mulch that is good for soil protection. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< You may want to consider alternatives to gas and diesel. I spoke with Jim Coker, president of Envirogard, a division of Onyx Environmental Solutions, which has owned the patent on propane mowers since 1996. His company began by converting a 61 in. Ferris IZ3000 mower to propane. It is now converting and certifying other commercial mowers, including all the city mowers of Austin, Texas. Envirogard has also produced its own 61 in. deck propane mower (pictured) that is vapor-fed, not liquid-feed like the conversations. Sundberg had not heard the term ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: With front-mount compact mowers you can choose from a range of mowing decks: mulching rear discharge, side discharge and those that can add the feature of grass collection. An option of four-wheel drive also provides mobility to work slopes and slippery conditions. ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< Dixie Chopper makes conventional ride-on mowers, but it also has the ?EUR??,,????'?????< You can put snow throwers on them, blades on them, wide collections systems, etc. There?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: For commercial walk-behinds (big decks) look for ease of maintenance, operator comfort, maneuverability and safety features. Select a unit that offers the ability to control speed and steering without moving your hands from the bar. Choose a unit that has a floating deck available in several sizes with options that let you mulch, side discharge or collect clippings. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: When buying new equipment ask the sales rep. for a free tool kit to help maintain the equipment, training and maintenance guidelines for the operator and mechanic and extra parts (belts, for example). According to Sundberg: Most dealers will not have a free tool kit. Most dealers are more than willing to provide safety and operational training. They will want to know who is going to do the preventative maintenance and in-house service of the machine. They will make sure the service person is up to speed. This striping kit attachment on the back of a Dixon ZTR promises a ballpark finish for turf. Zero-Turn Machine Addendum Other than its maneuverability, why the trend to zero-turn? Sundberg states several reasons: They are easy to operate (only two sticks on the machine); you can get large decks (72-inch); they mow fast; have excellent cut quality; and the price is a bit less the some of the large front mowers. Sundberg notes, however, that with very heavy use, the zero-turn won?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????< With Toro?EUR??,,????'?????< Final Thoughts: Safety According to Sundberg, some mower manufacturers do not hold themselves to the same safety standards as the bigger manufacturers. He suggests asking these safety questions before purchasing a mower: What are the safety systems that will protect my operator??EUR??,,????'?????< Is there a roll-over protection plan? Is there a mulch-on demand deck that prevents debris from being thrown out? Do the blades automatically stop when the operator gets off the machine?
According to Coffey: Rotary mowers can provide a variety of cuts, from short and tall grasses to light brush. Their maintenance cost are relatively low. Their power requirement, however, is higher than other mowers and they tend to throw small objects, which can create a safety hazard in some areas.
According to Coffey: Sickle-bar mowers are suitable for areas that require infrequent mowings. Because of their intended use, the maintenance and power requirements are greater than those of other mowers. If there is a need to mow coarse grasses, embankments or large open areas that require a mowing height of three inches or better, consider this type of mower. For areas that have a rough terrain incorporated with rocks, samplings, tree limbs and weeds, consider a cylinder-hammer type mower. It requires a great deal of power, but they work will in wooded areas that need occasional mowing. They pulverize materials into a fine mulch that is good for soil protection.
Sundberg had not heard the term ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: With front-mount compact mowers you can choose from a range of mowing decks: mulching rear discharge, side discharge and those that can add the feature of grass collection. An option of four-wheel drive also provides mobility to work slopes and slippery conditions. ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< Dixie Chopper makes conventional ride-on mowers, but it also has the ?EUR??,,????'?????< You can put snow throwers on them, blades on them, wide collections systems, etc. There?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: For commercial walk-behinds (big decks) look for ease of maintenance, operator comfort, maneuverability and safety features. Select a unit that offers the ability to control speed and steering without moving your hands from the bar. Choose a unit that has a floating deck available in several sizes with options that let you mulch, side discharge or collect clippings. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: When buying new equipment ask the sales rep. for a free tool kit to help maintain the equipment, training and maintenance guidelines for the operator and mechanic and extra parts (belts, for example). According to Sundberg: Most dealers will not have a free tool kit. Most dealers are more than willing to provide safety and operational training. They will want to know who is going to do the preventative maintenance and in-house service of the machine. They will make sure the service person is up to speed. This striping kit attachment on the back of a Dixon ZTR promises a ballpark finish for turf. Zero-Turn Machine Addendum Other than its maneuverability, why the trend to zero-turn? Sundberg states several reasons: They are easy to operate (only two sticks on the machine); you can get large decks (72-inch); they mow fast; have excellent cut quality; and the price is a bit less the some of the large front mowers. Sundberg notes, however, that with very heavy use, the zero-turn won?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????< With Toro?EUR??,,????'?????< Final Thoughts: Safety According to Sundberg, some mower manufacturers do not hold themselves to the same safety standards as the bigger manufacturers. He suggests asking these safety questions before purchasing a mower: What are the safety systems that will protect my operator??EUR??,,????'?????< Is there a roll-over protection plan? Is there a mulch-on demand deck that prevents debris from being thrown out? Do the blades automatically stop when the operator gets off the machine?
According to Coffey: With front-mount compact mowers you can choose from a range of mowing decks: mulching rear discharge, side discharge and those that can add the feature of grass collection. An option of four-wheel drive also provides mobility to work slopes and slippery conditions. ?EUR??,,????'?????<
You can put snow throwers on them, blades on them, wide collections systems, etc. There?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: For commercial walk-behinds (big decks) look for ease of maintenance, operator comfort, maneuverability and safety features. Select a unit that offers the ability to control speed and steering without moving your hands from the bar. Choose a unit that has a floating deck available in several sizes with options that let you mulch, side discharge or collect clippings. According to Sundberg: ?EUR??,,????'?????< According to Coffey: When buying new equipment ask the sales rep. for a free tool kit to help maintain the equipment, training and maintenance guidelines for the operator and mechanic and extra parts (belts, for example). According to Sundberg: Most dealers will not have a free tool kit. Most dealers are more than willing to provide safety and operational training. They will want to know who is going to do the preventative maintenance and in-house service of the machine. They will make sure the service person is up to speed.
According to Coffey: For commercial walk-behinds (big decks) look for ease of maintenance, operator comfort, maneuverability and safety features. Select a unit that offers the ability to control speed and steering without moving your hands from the bar. Choose a unit that has a floating deck available in several sizes with options that let you mulch, side discharge or collect clippings.
According to Coffey: When buying new equipment ask the sales rep. for a free tool kit to help maintain the equipment, training and maintenance guidelines for the operator and mechanic and extra parts (belts, for example).
According to Sundberg: Most dealers will not have a free tool kit. Most dealers are more than willing to provide safety and operational training. They will want to know who is going to do the preventative maintenance and in-house service of the machine. They will make sure the service person is up to speed.
Other than its maneuverability, why the trend to zero-turn? Sundberg states several reasons: They are easy to operate (only two sticks on the machine); you can get large decks (72-inch); they mow fast; have excellent cut quality; and the price is a bit less the some of the large front mowers. Sundberg notes, however, that with very heavy use, the zero-turn won?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????< With Toro?EUR??,,????'?????< Final Thoughts: Safety According to Sundberg, some mower manufacturers do not hold themselves to the same safety standards as the bigger manufacturers. He suggests asking these safety questions before purchasing a mower: What are the safety systems that will protect my operator??EUR??,,????'?????< Is there a roll-over protection plan? Is there a mulch-on demand deck that prevents debris from being thrown out? Do the blades automatically stop when the operator gets off the machine?
?EUR??,,????'?????<
According to Sundberg, some mower manufacturers do not hold themselves to the same safety standards as the bigger manufacturers. He suggests asking these safety questions before purchasing a mower:
Raleigh, North Carolina
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
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