Tag Archive for: Edge

Green-tech helps Janet Willoner edge closer to goal

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Green-tech helps Janet Willoner edge closer to goal: Green-tech is proud to share an inspiring update on Janet Willoner’s progress. Back in 2019, motivated by her grandchildren’s passion for combating climate change, Janet embarked on an ambitious mission to grow 5,000 trees from seed by the time she turns 85 – a remarkable achievement that Green-tech is delighted to support.

As 2024 draws to a close, Janet has grown an additional 800 saplings, bringing her total to an incredible 3,500 trees raised since she began this journey. Many of these saplings have been planted at Skipbridge and Bank Woods in Summerbridge, part of the beautiful Nidderdale area. These new trees will enhance the local landscape, support biodiversity, and contribute to the Northern Forest project.

Green-tech helps Janet Willoner edge closer to goal

Green-tech helps Janet Willoner edge closer to goal

Janet continues to prepare for the coming year with her characteristic determination. She has already collected and stratified seeds, ensuring they will germinate successfully when spring arrives. With the finish line in sight, she remains optimistic about achieving her target of 5,000 trees.

Janet expressed her gratitude, saying, “I’m thrilled to see the progress we’ve made this year. Knowing these trees will stand for generations to help combat climate change and increase biodiversity is immensely rewarding. I couldn’t have done it without Green-tech’s support. Their sponsorship has provided me with the compost, grit, and fertiliser I need to grow healthy saplings without worrying about funding. I’m thankful they agreed to sponsor me again for another productive year.”

Green-tech’s Marketing Director Kate Humes expressed her admiration for Janet’s ongoing efforts: “Janet is an inspiration. Her dedication and hard work remind us of the power of individual action to help mitigate climate change. We’re delighted to help and look forward to supporting her as she works towards her 5,000-tree goal.”

Looking ahead to 2025, Green-tech is proud to support initiatives like Janet’s that align with its mission of promoting sustainability and creating a greener future for all. It will continue its commitment to Janet’s project, ensuring she has the necessary resources to nurture her next batch of saplings.

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Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

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Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge: Head Groundsperson James Mathewson, in his 18 months at Colliers Park, has ushered in a new era with a forward-thinking approach, exemplifying this through the adoption of cutting-edge sustainable technology, such as the Dennis ES-860 battery-powered cylinder mower.

His choice in equipment is not the only modern approach James adheres to as he emphasises transparency in his role. We try to explain as much as possible what we are doing. I want to see people playing football and see the pitches in use.” This commitment to transparency and active pitch use aligns with Colliers Park’s dedication to providing top-quality pitches.

Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

Colliers Park’s grounds team, inspired by the Football Association of Wales’ (FAW) passion for sustainability, recently invested in battery-powered pitch maintenance equipment. James’ confidence in the Dennis brand led him to choose the ES-860, the battery powered counterpart to the acclaimed Dennis G860 cylinder mower.

“Dennis took their time and carried out comprehensive testing before launching their  battery-powered machinery, but they are by far the best on the market in my opinion,” says James. “I had previously used the Dennis G860’s and they were brilliant. A question we asked when we first looked at the ES-860’s was whether the cassettes from the G860’s would fit, and once we found out they did, it was an easy decision.”

The ES-860 is a 34″ battery-powered turf management system with 13 interchangeable cassette options, offering versatility in day-to-day maintenance tasks such as cutting, scarifying, brushing, and verticutting.

James offers further insight into his use of cassettes: “We’ve got the 8 bladed cutting cassette, three verticutting cassettes which we use quite a lot, and we also have brushes and sorrel rollers. Being able to increase the cassette speed when using the brush is a big plus, they work a lot better and throw the debris into the box a bit more. The verticutter is a really useful tool for us, and with the electric power behind it, it is fantastic. We can do a whole pitch in between a training session, and that’s the job done for the week.”

Praising the battery life, James expresses satisfaction with the ES-860’s ability to complete a whole pitch on a single charge.

“We can get a whole pitch cut on one single charge without fear of it running out,” he says. “If three of us go out, each with a mower, it will take us about an hour and half, and the charge will be on approximately 80-85% when we’ve finished. To lose just a small amount of battery for an hour and a half of cutting is phenomenal. We have no worries about topping them up with fuel or having to take time out to go to a petrol station. They are just always ready to go and if someone did forget to put them on charge, then you will still have the majority of the battery remaining.”

The machine’s reliability and solid build make it a trustworthy machine in the unpredictable weather of Wrexham. Additionally, James commends the comfort of use, particularly the easy turning that accommodates the tight turning circles at the end of the pitches.

James’s endorsement of the Dennis ES-860 reflects not only its superior performance but also the commitment of Colliers Park to embrace sustainable and efficient turf management practices.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

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

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Cutting unit maintenance for a cutting edge

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Cutting unit maintenance for a cutting edge: A Toro cylinder mower is an extreme precision tool and like with any precision tool, to ensure it delivers the best performance and results, looking after it well is essential. To make sure your mower delivers the best cut and ultimate finish, regular cutting unit maintenance and the use of genuine Toro parts go hand in hand.

Reesink’s Peter Biddlecombe, who works as Toro Aftersales Manager for Reesink’s South East branch, says calibration and backlapping are probably the two most important things you can do for your cylinder mower.

Cutting unit maintenance for a cutting edge

Cutting unit maintenance for a cutting edge

“For a cutting unit to perform well for the longest period of time without constantly being resharpened or readjusted, then maintaining the parallelism between the bedknife and the cylinder is key,” he says. “If those two components are sharpened, installed and working together properly, you’ll get Toro’s legendary performance from your cylinders for a long time.

“If your bedknife is too close to the cylinder, not only does it wear the blade and cylinder down faster, but the mower needs more power to propel it along. More power needed means more fuel used, and this is another cost on top of repair and more frequent replacement.

“You don’t want the distance of the cylinder to the bedknife too tight or too slack, there should be light contact, just enough to get a couple of bits of paper in. If it’s too tight, then the component will wear down faster. This means that the hydraulic and engine management system will demand more horsepower because there’s more resistance. Generating more power means you use up more fuel, so your fuel costs go up. The less contact you have, the less energy required from the power unit to drive them.”

Backlapping is another quick and easy method to help maintain the sharpness of the cylinder and bedknife between grindings without having to remove the cylinder and bedbar. Peter says: “Park your machine, turn it on, apply the desired lapping paste to the cylinder and set it to backlapping mode. The machine runs in reverse, the paste acts as a grinder and sharpens the blade.

“It’s always better to take the cylinder off and put it on a proper grinder and parallel the grinder to the cylinder, but backlapping is a quick way of maintaining sharpness between proper grinding. Backlapping only takes about 5-10 minutes. If you need to do it for longer you should really get it on a proper grinder.”

The performance of a cylinder mower depends on proper set–up and adjustment procedures, which means that just as important as having the best machine and parts there are, is to have the person who is caring for the machines understand the intricacies of how the components work together.

Peter confirms: “That’s the reassurance you get from working with a Toro service dealer. While others may be able to fix things for less because they have lower overheads and use non-brand aftermarket parts, we know we have to deliver a higher level of quality and show the value of that – highest level of customer service, the best parts, increased lifespan and access to the Toro knowledge network.

“When doing repairs, spending a little more on premium, genuine parts ensures the best performance. Cheaper aftermarket parts may save a few pounds upfront, but the chances are you’ll be buying another one far sooner than a premium part. And there’s always the chance that part may even damage other parts of the machine.”

If a cylinder mower’s unique characteristics are not understood and responded to, the end result will be a poor quality of cut and expensive downtime and repairs. But when properly maintained and operated, cylinder mowers provide a superior – one could say the ultimate – quality of cut.

To continue the conversation, get in touch via reesinkturfcare.co.uk, by phone on 01480 226800 or by email at info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Ariens has the EDGE in zero-turns

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Ariens has the EDGE in zero-turns: The introduction of the EDGE zero-turn mower from Ariens is a landmark in domestic lawn mowing. Manufactured in their UK factory, it reflects the engineering excellence Ariens is known for, and there can be no doubt it looks set to surpass anything else in its class.

Zero-turn mowing in the UK has been steadily growing as the alternative to the conventional lawn tractor. Intuitive, easy-to-use controls coupled with total manoeuvrability mean zero-turns work at speed to outperform most lawn tractors, cutting grass in half the time. The EDGE offers all this and more.

Ariens has the EDGE in zero-turns

Ariens has the EDGE in zero-turns

With a zero-turn, you are free to spend less time mowing and more time enjoying your garden. Driven and steered by the rear wheels via two independent transmissions, the easy control levers are all you need to drive, brake, steer and spin on the spot. Zero-turn mowing is fast. You can whizz around at 6 mph, and at the end of the mowing row do a 180-degree turn, align the deck edge with the row you’ve just cut and keep on going. You have reduced the cutting time by 50% over mowing with a lawn tractor. No more turn, reverse, turn again and straighten out and no stopping. Without a lot of forward and backward movement, the result is outstanding cut quality.

All zero-turns do this, but the EDGE brings a host of other benefits to the mowing experience. Ariens has built a tough, durable mower with a wide range of commercial style features at an affordable price. With its Ariens 635cc engine, the EDGE is powerful, but Ariens also build it for comfort. The plush, high-back adjustable seat with natural airflow enhances operator comfort while keeping you cool. Stepping aboard is easier compared to a lawn tractor. You just lift the handles and get seated. All the controls are positioned in ergonomic, easily accessible locations and mostly hand-operated, making this zero-turn simple to use and an effortless driving experience for everyone.

The EDGE comes in two versions: EDGE 34 with an 86cm (34”) cutter deck and the EDGE 42 with a 107cm (42”) deck. The commercial-style, four-point deck hanging system enhances deck stability and robustness for a premium cut quality. There is a foot-operated deck lift for simple changes of deck height. By pushing the pedal forward and using the lever you can select seven from cutting heights, from 3.8cm to 12.7cm (1.5” to 4.5”). The large 50.8cm (20”) high, 20.3cm (8”) wide rear tyres are gentle on turf, delivering excellent traction and absorbing shock on uneven ground to give a smoother, more comfortable ride.

The EDGE comes with a 2-year/150 hours warranty and a range of accessories is available. For more information, visit your local dealer or go to www.ariens.com/en-gb

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Give your mowers the edge

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Give your mowers the edge: The hardened tool steel of Toro’s EdgeMax bedknives delivers edge retention that lasts up to three times longer for a sharper, cleaner cut, all season long.

And being the growing season, now’s the time to make sure your machines are in pole position to bring the best quality of cut to your greens and fairways mowers by replacing worn bedknives with Toro EdgeMax.

Give your mowers the edge

Give your mowers the edge

Brought to the UK by Reesink Turfcare, Michael Hampton, parts manager at Reesink, says: “Customers appreciate the precision engineering of Toro’s EdgeMax bedknives. They have a hardened tool steel insert for a cutting edge that exceeds industry standards to last three times longer than a standard fairway bedknife and twice as long for greens. Not only do they last longer, but the hardened steel results in 50 percent less time adjusting, backlapping, grinding and replacing, too.”

Blades that maintain their sharpness ensure a cleaner cut for optimum turf health and as the machine incurs less wear, it works more smoothly and more efficiently. What’s more, because EdgeMax bedknives last up to three times longer, parts costs are also reduced and Toro believes that this combination of longer life and reduced maintenance time can equate to long-term cost savings.

Michael continues: “With genuine Toro parts, you can be sure you’re getting first-rate parts built to fit perfectly with your cylinder mowers, with consistent hole alignment on every bedknife, steels coils and computer-controlled machining and finishing, thanks to Toro’s leading manufacturing process. With Toro EdgeMax bedknives you can be sure you’ll be replacing your bedknives quickly and without the hassle or stress of gambling on likely inferior ‘will fit’ parts.

“It’s not often that there’s a short cut to a longer, better performance, but with Toro EdgeMax bedknives there is, hence this product’s popularity with customers.”

Toro EdgeMax bedknives are available across Toro’s Greensmaster and Reelmaster ranges on models fitted with DPA (Dual Precision Adjustment) cutting units. EdgeMax bedknives bring a 9.5mm and above height-of-cut to fairways and a 1.59mm and above height-of-cut to greens.

Reesink is still open for business and teams in our service centres, warehouses and across our supply chain are working tirelessly to deliver parts for our customers.

Drop them a line at info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or call Spare Parts: 01480 226854

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