ECHO’s new low emission chainsaw

ECHO’s new low emission chainsaw: ECHO has launched the CS-621SX heavy-duty rear handle chainsaw. The new saw is a reduced emissions version of their best-selling CS-620SX, yet it retains all the power and dependability of its predecessor.

This is a chainsaw built for arborists and landscaping professionals who use this type of saw daily for felling large trees.

ECHO's new low emission chainsaw

ECHO’s new low emission chainsaw

The CS-621SX boasts a new 59.8cc low emission, professional-grade 2-stroke ECHO engine, designed and manufactured in Japan. It is the latest chainsaw in the ECHO X-series of ‘Best in Class’ products which aim to be industry-leading in terms of power and performance. The saw is packed with advanced features to help the commercial operator power through their work. For a heavy-duty saw, it is surprisingly lightweight at only 6.3kg (dry weight) but that doesn’t take anything away from its cutting performance, which exceeds that of many higher capacity machines.  Its balance and ergonomic design offer manoeuvrability and precision, with dual bumper spikes enabling better control when sawing through stumps and thicker branches.

The CS-621SX is a superior saw in every respect, say ECHO, with its range of additional features designed to make the working day easier and more productive. There’s a decompression button for easy starting, a side-access chain tensioner and drop prevention nuts which can’t be lost during maintenance. A rotating plastic chain catcher is designed to help protect the user from potential injury while also preventing chain damage.   The heavy-duty aluminum handle has a secure rubber grip and reduces vibration in the hand. Fuel and oil caps are made larger for easier filling and the fuel tank is translucent to show the fuel level. The ‘G-FORCE’ air cleaner system features a large air filter to keep out debris.

It all adds up to a powerful, durable and heavy-duty chainsaw built to ECHO’s usual exacting specifications, which is borne out by a two-year professional or five-year domestic warranty. You can find out more from your local authorised ECHO dealer.

You can also visit www.echo-tools.co.uk or call 01844 278800 for more information.

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Woods widen their UK options

Woods widen their UK options: Available in their successful Standard, Heavy Duty and Extreme models, for tractors between 130hp and 300hp, Woods Equipment have now added the new 20ft (6.3m) batwing rotary mowers to their range, specifically targeting grassland management.

Simon Richard the UK Agent for the Woods range comments, “these new 20:50, 20:60, and 20:70 models are available for immediate delivery and are ideal for groundcare contractors golf courses and also airports, confirming the Woods reputation for both quality and performance. They offer the Woods market leading 6 year warranty on all the gearboxes, including the ‘twin triple lipped ’seals.

Woods widen their UK options

Woods widen their UK options

The 33cm deep deck, quick release blades, clean deck system, all contribute to spending less time on the machine and more time cutting. We will have a range of Woods Mowers on display at this year’s Grassland and Muck show in May.”

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More Toro for Badgemore Park

More Toro for Badgemore Park: Following on from Toro’s success at The Drift Golf Club in Surrey, Toro arrives at Badgemore Park Golf Club in Henley-on-Thames, its sister club, for the first time.

Since it was founded in 1972, Badgemore Park has operated a like-for-like machinery replacement plan and never benefitted from the advantages of having a comprehensive machinery fleet, until now.

More Toro for Badgemore Park

For the last 20 years course manager Lindsay Anderson has wanted that to change and now’s the time, with the club choosing Toro for its first ever fleet package deal.

“We’ve undergone a lot of development at the club recently,” says Lindsay. “Making changes with new greens and tees and re-developing all the bunkers. Investing in a complete Toro machinery package is part of a massive investment in the club and another step in the right direction to improve the course, completing our five-year plan of course improvements in time for our 50th anniversary in 2022.”

And it was a very thorough process for Lindsay when it came to choosing a new equipment provider. “We had demonstrations from a few brands and asked around other golf courses for recommendations,” he says. “It became clear fairly soon that Toro was the way to go. Toro is renowned in the industry as being the best and the demonstration cemented that.”

The machines entrusted with maintaining the beautiful parkland course include three Toro Greensmaster TriFlex 3400 mowers, two Groundsmaster 4300-D mowers, two Greensmaster 1000 pedestrian mowers, two Workman MDX-D utility vehicles, a Groundsmaster 4000-D and a ProCore 648 with quick tine change collars fitted, which Lindsay says is his favourite.

“It’s just fantastic. We have a massive aeration programme proposed for the next six months so it’s going to get a lot of use and I know it will be up to the task. It’s a real quality piece of engineering built for ease of maintenance and ease of operation. Plus, it’s durable and reliable.

“In fact, all the machines are, which makes my job easier on a daily basis. I’m no longer constantly answering the phone to members of the greenkeeping team and having to run to fix issues with the machines, and that’s had an effect on us all. We’ve all got confidence in the machines and it’s really boosted morale and productivity.”

Of course, committing to one machinery brand usually means a change in dealer with Reesink being keen to demonstrate to Lindsay how it offers its customers more.

Reesink sales manager Robert Rees soon made the introductions for Lindsay with his local Toro service centre, CTH Engineering, which reassured Lindsay about the backup service available. He says: “I was unsure where we would go for our servicing if we switched brands, but Robert was great. He put me in touch with another local dealership that dealt with Toro machines and discussed the whole thing in detail which cleared up the concerns I had. And the backup to date – well there have been no issues.”

But when it comes down to it, what has impressed the team and members of the club alike most are the results seen across the course.

“The quality of cut is incredible,” concludes Lindsay. “Within a month members were commenting on the quality of the playing surfaces having improved.”

This is no surprise considering The Drift experienced a similar improvement in both the aesthetics and quality of the playing surface too!

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New Case IH front axle

New Case IH front axle: A new suspended front axle option is now available for Case IH Quantum tractors, bringing to the specialty tractor sector the same levels of on-road and in-field comfort that operators of larger models in the Case IH range already benefit from, helping to reduce fatigue and increase productivity.

New suspended front axle

The new suspended front axle suspension option has been designed by Case IH engineers along similar lines to the established design proven on larger tractors. Utilising a swing arm design connected by a saddle-type pivot, the layout of the suspension system means the structure is particularly robust which ensures no friction is created between the saddle bar and the front axle.

New Case IH front axle

With its pivot center located in a higher position than on alternative systems, the suspension provides higher levels of rolling comfort. There is +/- 3° of movement at the compression end-stop position, and +/- 8° at all other positions.

Suspension height can be set up manually from the cab, and this also allows any front implement to be attached and adjusted more easily. The system has four ride modes to suit all applications: locked, soft, medium and hard.

Additional features have been developed in order to further improve the driving experience of the new suspended front axle Quantum models. These include automatic ride height control, which ensures the full travel of the suspension is made available regardless of the load on the front axle.

An anti-dive/squat feature is designed to maximize tractor stability even when heavy implements are attached, while axle roll control balances the oil flow between the two cushioning cylinders, providing greater stability and comfort in hilly terrain.

Availability of the new features

The new suspended front axle option can be ordered on Quantum V, N and F models specified with a cab, and is available whether the tractor is fitted with front axle brakes. Operation of the front linkage, where specified, is unaffected.

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Tempest in a Toro

Tempest in a Toro: Reesink Turfcare is extending its Toro genuine parts range to include Tempest flail blades to keep the UK’s flail mowers in the ultimate condition.

While suited to all flail mowers, Tempest blades are certainly a match made in heaven for Toro’s LT-F3000 triple flail mower.

Tempest in a Toro

Since its arrival in the UK the LT-F3000 has been widely viewed as a game changer for meeting the increasing demands of maintaining short and long grass in the face of restricted budgets for groundscare customers. And making sure this workhorse delivers consistently and constantly are Toro’s exclusive Tempest blades.

The independent, dedicated flail cutter units of the LT-F3000 are complex with numerous benefits. They have 48 unique blades to enable a variable cutting width from 75cm (30ins) to 212cm (83.5ins) to be as productive in wide open areas as on narrow verges or in tight spaces. The blades fold away with ease on impact of foreign objects and are easily and safely sharpened without needing to be removed, but should they need to be replaced or removed that’s easy to do too.

The fine cut it delivers produces very little debris blow-out and post-cut clean-up operations with strimmers and blowers is reduced which is surely music to any groundsperson’s ears, resulting in far less grass clipping ‘clumping’ and hence their reputation for unrivalled performance in all types of grass and in all types of weather.

But Toro’s Tempest blades are a match for all of that, ensuring a flail’s advanced cutting system never fails says Michael Hampton, parts manager at Reesink Turfcare: “It’s clear in the design of Tempest blades that Toro completely understands the needs for grounds customers to have the parts to match the machine. All Toro’s flail machines and the LT-F3000 in particular are built to always deliver even in the most challenging of environments, so it makes sense that the blade designed to suit the specific needs of a hard-working, heavy-duty flail is the uniquely crafted strong, durable and ergonomic Tempest.”

Quite frankly it had to be something pretty impressive to be paired up with the unmatched LT-F3000 and in long and short grass the advanced blade design of Tempest leaves a clean cut and even clippings dispersal for a great after-cut finish each and every time.

Michael concludes: “Ironically, Tempest blades do anything but create a tempest in a Toro. With these blades in your flail everything is calm, reliable, dependable delivering time after time and never letting the side down.”

To find out more or place an order, contact Reesink’s parts department on 01480 226870.

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