Tag Archive for: finish

Framlingham College achieve both flexibility and finish

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Framlingham College achieve both flexibility and finish: Less than a month since its delivery, the Head Groundsman at Framlingham College claims the Progressive TDR-X contour mower has exceeded the expectations of him and his team.

Jason Wright explains how the TDR-X is ticking the boxes of build quality, manoeuvrability and high standard of finish since taking charge of the cut and presentation of close to 80 acres of college grounds.

Framlingham College achieve both flexibility and finish

Framlingham College achieve both flexibility and finish

Once part of the castle estate, Framlingham College now comprises of two sites – the main college catering for students aged 13-18 and the Prep School, four miles down the road at Brandeston Hall, taking pupils from the age of three. Sport plays a big part in the student experience at both sites, with Jason and his team of three full-time grounds staff maintaining athletics, cricket and hockey surfaces in the summer, then switching to rugby during the winter months.

After encountering some age-related faults with their previous mower, the time came for Jason to explore the alternatives. “We wanted something that would be quicker, easier and cheaper to maintain while still giving us a quality finish” he explains. “We demonstrated various makes and models but agreed that the Progressive was the most manoeuvrable and would be the most versatile to use on both our sports and wildlife areas. It also suited us weight-wise to work alongside our existing tractor and fleet of equipment.”

The Progressive TDR-X, exclusively available from Vanmac UK, features three independently floating decks which promise to closely follow undulations, delivering a total cutting width of 3.2m and easily adjustable cutting height range of between 10mm and 85mm. Along with other machines in the Progressive range, the TDR-X features Pro Lift-N-Turn™ technology, which enables the operator to temporarily lift the decks with the PTO still engaged, increasing overall productivity.

“Tomlinson Groundcare Ltd delivered our TDR-X at the end of June and after some very good training, we put it to work straight away. We’ve found already that set-up and changing the height of cut takes less than five minutes to do, where previously this would have taken half an hour. We’ve also used it in the wet with impressive results which wouldn’t have been feasible before.” Jason adds, “In addition, it gives us the ability to lift the height to maintain our rough areas which has been another plus – the versatility we have with this as an all-around machine versus our previous fine turf mower.”

“People have been commenting on how well presented the site is, which is a big compliment for the Progressive, given the rise in quality we’ve achieved since switching from a cylinder to a rotary cut!”

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Kubota F-Series deliver picture-postcard finish

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Kubota F-Series deliver picture-postcard finish: 2023 is a special year for Deighan’s Caravan Park, as the family-run business celebrate 30 years since the doors first opened on the 5-star resort close to Benone, Northern Ireland.

Their first mower – installed by local dealers D.A.Forgie – was a Kubota and three decades on, it remains Kubota at the heart of site maintenance, with a fleet of Kubota F-Series mowers ensuring a picture-postcard start to every holiday.

Kubota F-Series deliver picture-postcard finish

Kubota F-Series deliver picture-postcard finish

Open every year from April to October, Deighan’s consists of static and touring caravan facilities managed and maintained by Thomas Deighan Jnr alongside a team of four. “From March, I will have two people on full-time grass cutting and strimming duties and when I say full-time, they’ll start at one end of the park at 9am on a Monday and will only just get to the other end of the site come 5pm on a Friday… then it’s time to start again!” explains Thomas. “We take massive pride in our grass areas. Keeping this well maintained gives the great first impression we’re looking for.”

Thomas currently has four mowers, including an F3890 and F391 from Kubota’s F-Series. The F3890 sets the benchmark for the out-front mower market, featuring a 38hp 4-cylinder engine that delivers unbeatable productivity and impeccable cut quality. The F391 further enhances the F Series’ position as the professional’s choice for parks, open spaces and local authorities with a high output, maximum comfort philosophy. The newer, stage-V compliant model also offers power steering and an adjustable out-front deck making the F391 highly manoeuvrable – a feature praised by Thomas, “we can cut between the caravans and around the bollards at the back of the caravans with ease, leaving a finish that we can’t fault. Kubota is the only brand that has ever cut our grass and we would never use anything else.”

Together with an RTV-X1110 used to transport the team around the site, the latest delivery was a Kubota M4063 tractor, fitted with turf tyres, installed in December 2021. “We decided to purchase a second tractor to complement our multi-use M5112 and already the M4063 has proven to be a great addition. With caravans getting longer, we were having to use rubber matting to protect our turfed areas when we moved them around. With the turf tyres, we were able to use the M4063 to move a 41ft caravan a few weeks ago without the need for any protective matting – saving a significant amount of labour and time.”

He concludes, “Our relationship with the Kubota brand is longstanding, delivering reliable, well-built machinery backed up with brilliant service and support every time from D.A.Forgie. We look forward to continuing this partnership through our celebratory year and long into the future.”

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Is a fine finish from a cylinder mower down to luck?

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Is a fine finish from a cylinder mower down to luck?: Bedknives and cylinders are on par when it comes to creating a fine finish – both are equally important, and for the best results possible genuine, precision engineered parts from Toro means there’s no luck involved – a pristine finish is a sure thing.

As cutting season fast approaches, Reesink Turfcare is reminding customers why the proper set-up procedures with the proper parts is so essential in a cylinder mower’s performance.

Is a fine finish from a cylinder mower down to luck?

Is a fine finish from a cylinder mower down to luck?

Cylinder mowers are precision machines and require precision engineered parts to achieve a pristine finish, as Michael Hampton, parts manager at Reesink Turfcare, explains: “The cylinder, frame and bedknife are the three main structural members in a cylinder cutting unit. For the mower to cut with a scissor-like shearing action, the bedknife and cylinder blades need to be sharp, matched and in close relationship with each other, and the bedknife sharpened to be flat and square so the sharp edge touches the cylinder blades across their entire length.

“If the bedknife is not perfectly flat, it is impossible to get the bedknife to touch the entire length of the cylinder. This is an essential part of the construction, making cylinder mowers precision cutting tools. Adjust any part of the construction process with, for example, ‘will-fit’ parts and the fit, form and function can be affected to leave a less attractive and less consistent after-cut appearance.”

It’s not luck that keeps turf looking fresh, rather bedknives made of high carbon steel that can retain that important edge for longer and Toro bedknives are superior in both durability and longevity meaning greenkeepers can get reliable cuts for longer without the need for frequent adjustment or replacement.

Only Toro cylinders are available in 5, 7, 8, 11, and 14 configurations to fit all mowers including the popular Greensmaster and Reelmaster ranges, and with 24-hour delivery across the UK, or 72 hours delivery from US factories at no extra cost, Reesink can ensure minimum downtime and maximum productivity.

There’s nothing lucky about achieving a superior quality of cut, it’s down to Toro and that’s a fact.

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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No better finish than a Dennis

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No better finish than a Dennis: Jay Berkhauer, Head Groundsman for Dartford FC, says that the Dennis G860 cylinder mower is hugely versatile and offers an unrivalled finish.

Jay, who is employed by Jordans Sports Ground Solutions, has been working at Dartford FC’s Princes Park Stadium for three seasons. As an experienced grounds manager, Jay has worked on many sports surfaces including football, rugby and cricket.

No better finish than a Dennis

No better finish than a Dennis

It’s safe to say that he knows his mowers and there’s one that he has used regularly throughout his career.

“I first started using Dennis G860’s when I worked at Crystal Palace FC – and I absolutely love them,” he said. “From all the mowers I have used in my career I am of the opinion that you just can’t get a better finish than a Dennis.”

Therefore, when Jay started working for Jordans Sports Grounds Solutions, he was pleased to be given a Dennis G860 to use at Dartford FC: “Everyone who works on the maintenance side for the company has a G860,” he added.

Relied upon at world class stadia and major tournaments, the Dennis G860 is one of the most renowned cylinder mowers in the grounds management industry. Lightweight at just 166kg it is incredibly easy to manoeuvre and comfortable to operate. The handlebar console houses the controls for the throttle, parking brake, roller drive and cutting cylinder drive.

The mower features a large diameter front roller with an adjustable scraper which has been designed for a precise height of cut control, giving an excellent finish on every occasion. The Dennis G860 also features an interchangeable cassette system to assist with a wide range of tasks such as including scarifying, verticutting, brushing, spiking, and slitting.

Jay claims that this versatility is one of the G860’s best features.

“We have the verticutting cassette, the brush and the cutting cylinder,” he said. “In the summer months when the grass needs thinning out, I’ll use the verticutting cassette. I’ll also use it during renovations, just to give it a thorough clean and to remove any thatch.

“In winter, I’ll use the brush cassette after a game to give the pitch a tidy-up and to remove any debris. If I used a small rotary mower to do this after a game, I would be doing it all night, so the brush has certainly helped me to save time.

“Then of course, we have the cutting cylinder which provides an excellent finish every time.

“For clubs at all levels, including grass roots level, there is no better machine,” continued Jay. “The G860 has everything you need in one mower. It is a 3-in-1 for me and therefore works out to be very cost-effective.

“It’s also very light and easy to operate. It never breaks down and reliability is so important for me.”

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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Top-Brush leaves tip-top finish

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Top-Brush leaves tip-top finish: At Windlesham Golf Club in Surrey, brushing is becoming a regular, year-round operation following the purchase of a Redexim Top-Brush in December 2020.

Bought initially to aid the dispersal of worm casts, Assistant Course Manager Graeme Roberts has also discovered the benefits the Top-Brush can bring to course presentation and moisture removal – playing a core role in maintaining plant health.

Top-Brush leaves tip-top finish

Top-Brush leaves tip-top finish

Nestled in the Surrey countryside, Windlesham offers a championship parkland golf course shaped and maintained by Course Manager Leigh Powell, Graeme and the team of 9, that provides a test to golfers of all abilities. “Because of the heavy soil profile of the course, and the ongoing reduction in chemicals, it became apparent that we needed to find a solution to the issues we were experiencing with worm casts over the autumn and winter months” explains Graeme. “We had the Top-Brush in on demonstration for a week and were so impressed that we bought the demo unit from our dealer, Lister Wilder.”

“The Top-Brush gives us a sustainable way to stay on top of casts, and at 6m wide it is quick and effective at covering the fairways, leaving a high-quality finish while staying ahead of the golf.” When worm cast season died down, the Top-Brush was then utilised twice weekly for brushing ahead of the mowers – to remove dew and dry the plant out, improving the quality of cut and reducing the clumping of clippings. “The fact that the brushes can change rotational direction is really handy. We tend to run them in the opposite direction of travel to stand the plant up more effectively but if we’re working on smaller areas, we can simply change the brush direction as we move backwards and forwards.”

As well as changing brush direction, working depth can also be adjusted, making the Top-Brush a versatile tool for a light surface brush – suitable for clearing dew, incorporating topdressing material or removing clippings – or a deeper, more aggressive surface agitation to effectively rid large areas of organic matter. “We’ve been really pleased with how it has been removing dead material and debris from the sward, thereby helping to improve the plants growing environment without having to use more invasive and time-consuming techniques.”

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