Get the most from your machine

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Get the most from your machine: Nothing is more important than keeping machines running, which is why the role of servicing and maintenance is key to the success of every business. From the correct way to tilt the mower, to the wrong way to clean spark plugs, Kawasaki Engines looks at how to get the most from your machine.

Martin Cook, parts and technical manager and Dave Dunwoody, technical and after sales specialist, both from Kawasaki Engines have decades of engineering experience and provide advice on common mistakes, tips and ideas for keeping your machinery, and your business, running.

Get the most from your machine

Get the most from your machine

No one knows a mower better than the person using it, so trust your instincts, says Dave: “We’ve been called out to a premiership football club to service a pedestrian mower because the operator could sense a change in the precision of the cutting through the vibrations of the machine. The mower was hesitating and the blade slightly slowing down. We found an issue with the carburettor and while it didn’t affect the mowing quality as such, it did affect cutting the pattern into the pitch.

“So, while it sounds simple, maybe even obvious, it’s important to use your senses to detect changes in the machine. Is there a new or unusual smell, noise or feeling such as vibrations? In the case of two-stroke engines, it could be that the fuel to oil ratio isn’t right. The ratio should be 50 to 1 (50 parts fuel to 1 part oil), so, for example, five litres of petrol will need 100ml of the correct two-stroke oil adding to it. We recommend using a two-stroke mixing bottle. Too little oil lubricating the engine, and it will dry and seize. Too much and there will be smoke, soot and fumes. It doesn’t take long for either to happen!

“We’ve seen cases where the fuel for a two-stroke engine was put in a four-stroke engine, and vice versa, an easy mistake to make when the job is busy and the day is long. Therefore, we strongly recommend marking up the cans and putting them in separate places to reduce the chances of this happening.”

When it comes to servicing we’ve seen some common mistakes. For example, it’s important not to delay routine servicing or skip the daily oil and air checks. Definitely don’t clean spark plugs with a steel wire brush as it leaves metal traces and will cause the plug to short out.

When it comes to maintenance these simple things will make sure you don’t incur problems later says Martin: “Check liquid levels on a flat surface, an incline will show more/less depending on which way it’s tilting. During normal deck inspection, tilting the mower the wrong way will lead to a flooding of fuel! The carburettor should always be uppermost. When jet-washing the machines after a hard day’s work, make sure to dry off excess water as pooling can easily damage the electricals. Using WD-40 is great post-wash as it displaces moisture and protects against electrical short circuits.

“Always consider where you put things – if you take off a jacket and pop it on the back of a zero-turn machine, make sure you don’t cover the engine fan as that will lead to overheating and can cause the engine to seize.

“Fuel has changed over the last few years, ethanol is now added to all petrol up to 10 percent, the reason for this is to decrease CO2 emissions. But ethanol is highly corrosive and hygroscopic (absorbs water), that’s why we are constantly telling people to drain and purge equipment for the winter months. Many people argue that they have a 40-year-old chainsaw and they have never had to drain it so why now? This is where we remind them about the ethanol content of fuel and due to recent RoHS directives, we are restricted to the materials we use in the carburettors. Older machines made use of chromium cadmium and lead, thankfully we no longer have these hazardous substances in our equipment, but it is now more important to drain and purge equipment before the winter shut down.”

The importance of genuine quality parts can never be underestimated, continues Martin: “It never pays to shop for the lowest cost parts to save money. We’ve seen an engine destroyed because an oil filter from a motorcycle was fitted. The filter looked the same, but because the fit wasn’t exact, the oil pressure built up and blew the filter apart, taking half the engine casing with it! All that damage, all for the sake of a few pence.”

Following these simple guidelines will not only ensure the utmost productivity from machines but will go a long way to increasing the life of the machine, giving you the most from your investment now and in the future.

To find out more about Kawasaki’s technical support or to learn more about their full engine range, visit https://www.kawasaki-engines.eu/en/

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France awards medal to Masatoshi Kimata

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France awards medal to Masatoshi Kimata: Kubota recently announced that its Chairman and Representative Director, Masatoshi Kimata, has been awarded the prestigious National Order of Merit Medal by the Republic of France, an award which is usually reserved for French citizens.

The Kubota Group established in France in 1974 , at the same time that Kubota Europe S.A.S. was founded to export its tractors to European countries. More recently, in 2014, in an attempt to make a full-scale entry into the European upland farming market, Kubota established a manufacturing plant for upland farming tractors in France. Today, about 1,000 employees are working at five local subsidiaries, which are responsible for research and development, production, sales, and after-sales services.

France awards medal to Masatoshi Kimata

France awards medal to Masatoshi Kimata

So, in recognition of Kubota’s long-standing services to economic development and the creation of jobs in the country, and on behalf of the company, its Chairman, Masatoshi Kimata, has been honored by the Republic of France.

The National Order of Merit was founded in 1963 and is usually awarded to people who have made remarkable contributions to France in the areas of cultural and economic activities, and this year Kubota had the honour of receiving this prestigious award.

During the award ceremony, which took place on June 30th at the French Embassy in Tokyo (Japan), Mr. Kimata dedicated a few words of gratitude: “It is a wonderful honour to be awarded this decoration, which would not have come about without the dedicated efforts of everyone concerned. Ever since 1974, when Kubota first made inroads there, France has hosted our core operations in Europe, allowing us to increase our presence in the region by distributing tractors, construction machineries, and industrial engines. For us, France is, and shall remain a vital location for the Kubota Group.”

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SGL TurfPod makes grass monitoring accessible

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SGL TurfPod makes grass monitoring accessible: Data driven decisions usually result in a higher grass quality and more efficient use of resources. Yet, many clubs do not have the budget to make big investments in monitoring equipment.

Over the past years SGL have been working towards a solution to make monitoring technology accessible to everyone. They now launch an all-in-one tool that is affordable and user friendly to lower leagues, and at the same time offers advanced possibilities to the highest levels of sport: the SGL TurfPod.

SGL TurfPod makes grass monitoring accessible

SGL TurfPod makes grass monitoring accessible

The TurfPod is a small device containing six sensors that track the essential growing conditions above ground and in the soil. When pinned into the soil, the TurfPod operates automatically and shows the microclimate data in real time on the Portal. This information can be used to, among other things, make decisions on fertilization, irrigation and supplemental lighting.

The TurfPod is developed in line with SGL founder Nico van Vuuren’s strong belief that data is a basic necessity for every groundsman and greenkeeper: “Every playing surface is different, every climate is different, and every budget is different. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to managing grass. Every turf manager, in all levels of sport, should be able to respond to the ever changing conditions and make well informed decisions during their daily work and the challenges they face. The only way to do that is with data, so our goal is to make that possible.”

Flexibility has been the key in reaching accessibility. SGL let go of substantial one time investments and supply the TurfPod as a flexible lease, starting at €49 a month, hardware and software included. Customers can upgrade the software whenever they please, with a wide range of TurfModules, such as data analyses and visualisations. Van Vuuren: “We understand that groundsmen and greenkeepers need flexibility. Therefore we enable them to configure their Portal with the information that is relevant to them. This modular approach enables, for example, very detailed reporting on a stadium pitch, but only the essential information for the training pitches. Or the possibility to add a Disease Forecast to their Portal during high pressure months and turn it off for the rest of the year.”

The TurfPod is a completely customizable monitoring tool, fit to every budget, sport and situation. When there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, SGL proves to be a tailor.

More information on: www.sglsystem.com/turfpod

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Radley College extends Toro relationship

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Radley College extends Toro relationship: World-class sporting facilities are one of the cornerstones of prestigious boys’ school, Radley College in Oxfordshire, so it goes without saying that maintaining impeccable grounds is a must.

After 10 years of successfully using Toro, Radley College has once again renewed its arrangement with Reesink Turfcare to supply Toro fine-turf and groundscare mowers to keep the school’s 228 acres in pristine condition.

Radley College extends Toro relationship

Radley College extends Toro relationship

“Flexibility is key” cites head of grounds, Adam King, who has worked at Radley College for 20 years: “This is the second time we have renewed a five-year deal with Toro and this time we’ve opted for a slightly different range of machines. Rather than having a smaller number of larger mowers we have gone for a wider range of smaller machines. This gives us ultimate flexibility and enables us to work smarter.”

Adam’s 19-strong grounds teams are responsible for maintaining the school’s grounds and gardens, 30 hectares of which are pure sport pitches including rugby pitches, cricket-squares, football pitches, astroturf hockey pitches and tennis courts. Radley College also has a lake and a nine-hole golf course.

Adam continues: “We have 750 boys playing sport five days a week. Whether it’s rugby in winter or cricket in summer, there are seasonal demands on the facilities. Pitches not only need to be playable but immaculate, so in being able to equip the grounds team with the finest machines and deploy them according to the school calendar, we have the ultimate flexibility. We can work sharper and have more options.

“Working with Toro is a no brainer. Clearly we have a duty to look at all manufacturers but we continue to return to Toro based on the fact the mowers are reliable, comfortable and easy for the grounds team to use, and they produce an exceptional cut.”

Thanks to the latest renewal agreement the school now has a nine-strong fleet of Toro mowers which includes two Greensmaster 3150-Q, a Reelmaster 3100-D, a Greensmaster TriFlex 3400, two Reelmaster 3550-D and two compact and lightweight Reelmaster 3555-D mowers.

“Down time is not an option,” Adam continues. “We seldom have issues, but our lease agreement has back-up care built into it. If we have a problem I know I’ll have a mechanic on site the very next day. We’ve never had a machine down for more than 24-36 hours and that’s very important to us.

“It’s all about the machines” Adam concludes. “The finishing, the quality – it’s exemplary.  And with the reliability and performance of our grounds machines taken care of it’s only mother nature we have to worry about!”

Reesink Turfcare is the exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland for Toro groundscare machinery. For further information on the range call 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk, or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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SISIS Autoslit victorious at Victoria Park

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SISIS Autoslit victorious at Victoria Park: A SISIS Autoslit is currently playing its part in helping to prepare ‘world class’ greens at Victoria Park.

Victoria Park is the home of English Bowls and hosts the annual Bowls England National Championships held in August. The five greens at Victoria Park are also used for County competitions, National events and for International matches and competitions.

SISIS Autoslit victorious at Victoria Park

SISIS Autoslit victorious at Victoria Park

The widely respected greens are thanks to an expert greenkeeping regime led by head greenkeeper Mike Finch of idverde – one of the UK & Europe’s leading provider of grounds maintenance.

“The greens at Victoria Park have always been of a very high standard, but we are now working towards making them world-class,” said Mike. “With this in mind, I was asked what new equipment I needed which could help me make them world-class. The first thing I said was that I needed a pedestrian slitter.

“I chose the SISIS Autoslit purely through the research I have been doing on different golf courses and other fine turf surfaces – I felt that it would be the best product for this particular site.”

The SISIS Autoslit is a purpose-built pedestrian deep slitter which is suitable for use on fine or outfield turf helping to reduce compaction and assist the percolation of surface water. The deep clean slitting action cuts through the turf and the root zone leaving a thin slit on the surface and minimal surface disturbance.

These slits encourage strong, healthy root growth of the grass plants, improving tolerance to drought conditions and promoting more rapid recovery after damage in play. Easy to use, the SISIS Autoslit incorporates a rear smoothing roller and uses a cantilever system to lift the machine out of operation.

“It is very easy to use and I’m very impressed with what it can do,” said Mike. “We’ll use it monthly from December through to the end of March before the surface starts to dry again.

“It is like a knife with a serrated edge, and it basically slices into the turf, but it doesn’t do any damage because there is a rear roller on it as well. You get a nice linear, aeration cut through your greens.

“Not only does it help to keep the surface going, allowing the moisture to drain, but it is also good for root extension,” he continued. “In the colder months when the roots aren’t active, the SISIS Autoslit allows oxygen to reach those roots, and all the time you are doing this it will benefit the green when it comes to spring. What you find is that when the weather starts to warm, the roots will start pushing down into all the nice linear folds you have been creating with the Autoslit.

“Ultimately, it helps you to keep the surface firm and dry but slightly moist lower down where the moisture is needed. It is a great piece of equipment.”

For further information or a no-obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter or Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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