Mowing ..

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Well times are changing and it became quite apparent yesterday.
The last of our true old schoolers retired after 50 years in the industry. I am now the oldest in the shed at 42 and the average age is down to 29.
So as we sat down for his last smoko break of coffee and cakes the new school arrived, quite poignant really.
Introducing our new Toro eTriflex greens mower...
image
image
The fairway mower has been hybrid for quite some time but this is the first greens mower of its type I've experienced.
Other than being significantly quieter and having the ability to run for weeks on a 20L tank it has no hydraulics. Quite an advantage if you've ever seen the aftermath of a hose blowing on a green. A month on and my last one is still scorched earth

The technology is astounding, I won't bore anyone with details of adjustable blade counts or variable clip control but I'll expand on the two things that have impressed me the most.

The traction system is amazing, early zero turns can break traction and scuff quite easily and previous traction control versions have felt too glitchy. This one feels natural and simply won't let slippage happen, it even controls the steering rate to avoid tank slapping on the return. Apparently you can do a full 360 on a delicate bent grass green without leaving a mark, although I'm not that courageous with it yet.

The biasing of the cutting heads is pretty special too. If you think of an old style unit as a locked diff the inside cutters do a lot more work on the turns leading to scalping and scorch from hot sole plates. The sound of the reels individually slowing and speeding up on turns is really noticeable and the cut is silky smooth.

Without the old schoolers conversation and the new schoolers buried in their phones I've got a big owners manual to read and comprehend at smoko times for quite some time.

Impressive! It looks idiot proof but you just know some one will jump on it and prove me wrong!

I still remember the bewildered look on the mechanics face at the council I first worked at. He would say, 'how the hell did you do that?!', when I would present the latest piece of equipment I had broken.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by Work Horse

Impressive! It looks idiot proof but you just know some one will jump on it and prove me wrong!

I still remember the bewildered look on the mechanics face at the council I first worked at. He would say, 'how the hell did you do that?!', when I would present the latest piece of equipment I had broken.

Its the only unleaded machine we have, my money is on it being filled with diesel

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Its the only unleaded machine we have, my money is on it being filled with diesel

Yeah well I won,t give very long odds on that bet.Annoying thng is idiots do that then laugh it off when it costs a lot to repair.I believe that if you put the wrong fuel in when the cap and or filler are clearly marked,the repair bill should come out of your pay not the owners.

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Well times are changing and it became quite apparent yesterday.
The last of our true old schoolers retired after 50 years in the industry. I am now the oldest in the shed at 42 and the average age is down to 29.
So as we sat down for his last smoko break of coffee and cakes the new school arrived, quite poignant really.
Introducing our new Toro eTriflex greens mower...
image
image
The fairway mower has been hybrid for quite some time but this is the first greens mower of its type I've experienced.
Other than being significantly quieter and having the ability to run for weeks on a 20L tank it has no hydraulics. Quite an advantage if you've ever seen the aftermath of a hose blowing on a green. A month on and my last one is still scorched earth

The technology is astounding, I won't bore anyone with details of adjustable blade counts or variable clip control but I'll expand on the two things that have impressed me the most. had a quick look and found this overview of them ..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAJbnk6jWaY .. I can see why you like yours so much ..

The traction system is amazing, early zero turns can break traction and scuff quite easily and previous traction control versions have felt too glitchy. This one feels natural and simply won't let slippage happen, it even controls the steering rate to avoid tank slapping on the return. Apparently you can do a full 360 on a delicate bent grass green without leaving a mark, although I'm not that courageous with it yet.

The biasing of the cutting heads is pretty special too. If you think of an old style unit as a locked diff the inside cutters do a lot more work on the turns leading to scalping and scorch from hot sole plates. The sound of the reels individually slowing and speeding up on turns is really noticeable and the cut is silky smooth.

Without the old schoolers conversation and the new schoolers buried in their phones I've got a big owners manual to read and comprehend at smoko times for quite some time.

very , very nice indeed .. She's a bit of a step up on the two Scott Bonnar 65's (24" cut) greens mowers I had to use when I was greenkeeping between 1986 and 1994. Cut nice but a double cut was a bit time consuming to say the least . Only 9 greens and one 100 sq metre practice green . Bowls green was done with the big electric 30" mower.
The club here now has a couple of Toro's Triplex's but they are definitely old school. They were bought second hand reconditioned quite some time ago One they use for fairway/ fringes , the other greens .

The school I work at uses Toro blade mower for the grounds . It's about three years old I guess ..

Anything Toro is pretty cool but the new tech stuff would be incredible and not having the risk of leaking or busted hydraulics is a real bonus .

Found this quick overview on them on YT just now.. This bloke was pretty impressed too ..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAJb...=57s....Cheers .

[roddy1960]

Bloody heck Rallye .....this job wasn't done like this on the old Scott Bonnar walk behinds I used in my day ..It was a fair old job actually as i recall .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8JDXcb5jdg..

a couple of times a year i'd take the cutting reel out and end for end it too. more than once skinned knuckles on the cutter chain when the lock nut on the cog wouldn't release off the keyway ...Oh , those were the days !!!!!.

[ljf12]

Talking about Scott Bonnars ( and later Rover versions) the prices of the Model 45 will be through the roof if the current trend keeps continuing ( there is a 17” advertised for $3300 at the moment).

Big following on Facebook etc has created so much interest that there is now an “ industry” manufacturing custom bits and pieces.

I have had a lot to do with these particular mowers over many years and admittedly they are an easy to use domestic mower, but most now are worn out and need plenty money and work ( the earliest version is over 50 years old).

[DFB FGXR6]

This Kikuyu turf was layed in late November and is going to kill me or the Rover, probably both! I'm cutting it weekly but the way it's growing, three times a week would be appropriate.

[Mechan1k]

I wish .... we just had some rain recent while I was away .... half the lawn is green ... but the rest is patchy brown.

It grew like crazy though by the time I got back (a week later).

I cut it a bit higher just to give it half a chance to try and recover.
L2 Water restrictions suck in Sydney. Just before I went away front lawn was brown crisp.

It's a mix of kikuyu and Buffalo ..... I am slowly getting the Buffalo to take over though. Going to take a bit to recover though from that week of high-40 deg C temps with a top of 49 deg C we had.

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

This Kikuyu turf was layed in late November and is going to kill me or the Rover, probably both! I'm cutting it weekly but the way it's growing, three times a week would be appropriate.

image

Geez it looks good though...nice and dense . Down on the coast in a local town from where we are up in the valley some of the mob down there are sewing kikuyu and oh man does it go well if you get a good strike . have you ever come up with another similar grass called couch. Never really had much to do with it myself . Apparently not good in heavily shaded areas though and a bit like kikuyu can creep on it's own .

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

I wish .... we just had some rain recent while I was away .... half the lawn is green ... but the rest is patchy brown.

It grew like crazy though by the time I got back (a week later).

I cut it a bit higher just to give it half a chance to try and recover.
L2 Water restrictions suck in Sydney. Just before I went away front lawn was brown crisp.

It's a mix of kikuyu and Buffalo ..... I am slowly getting the Buffalo to take over though. Going to take a bit to recover though from that week of high-40 deg C temps with a top of 49 deg C we had.

My grass mix's botanical name is Simpsonus Desertus Lookus Likus and weeds.. On my weather wall it's telling me we've had 3.4 mm of rain in the past month.

Last Friday would have been most of that. Rained a little bit that morning .

Oh what we wouldn't give for a few days of North Easterly weather out of Groom's Hole as we jokingly call it when the rain sets in for days like it used to bring in at least 3-4 inches in the old money .

[Mechan1k]

It was nice to receive some rain at least for the start of this year ... as prior to that I think the last rain we got in Sydney was 6 months ago.

Heat is ramping up though .... but at least the soil is still damp in the front lawn ... so it should grow some still before it starts drying out again.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Geez it looks good though...nice and dense . Down on the coast in a local town from where we are up in the valley some of the mob down there are sewing kikuyu and oh man does it go well if you get a good strike . have you ever come up with another similar grass called couch. Never really had much to do with it myself . Apparently not good in heavily shaded areas though and a bit like kikuyu can creep on it's own .

My back lawn is a mix of couch and Tall fescue, the couch wasn't by choice though. Couch has it's place but I prefer the lusher looking Kikuyu or Fescue.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

This Kikuyu turf was layed in late November and is going to kill me or the Rover, probably both! I'm cutting it weekly but the way it's growing, three times a week would be appropriate.

image

I haven't seen grass that green since the last time I saw it hanging on a wall in Bunnings.

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

This Kikuyu turf was layed in late November and is going to kill me or the Rover, probably both! I'm cutting it weekly but the way it's growing, three times a week would be appropriate.

image

I think you need to lower the RPM on your whipper! A few more passes around that hydrant marker and you will have it off at ground level!

[LG17]

I mowed one of my front paddocks this arvo. It's the first time in months as there's been nothing to mow. 66mm in the last 10 days means there's finally some action!

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Work Horse

I think you need to lower the RPM on your whipper! A few more passes around that hydrant marker and you will have it off at ground level!

Oh ok then, but only a little bit because I'm just having too much fun!

[DFB FGXR6]

More rampant Kikuyu. This stuff laughs at your attempts to control it, especially after some nice soaking rain.





I also got the BR600 Magnum out for a blast!

[MITCHAY]

****ed down on Thursday night here. I was actually surprised when I woke up it was still damp. I might have to get the scissors out to trim the sprigs of grass that have popped up

[Mechan1k]

pics were of something else at the time.
But shows the difference over 3 weeks and some rain in that time

just after new year



Yesterday



It looks much greener than that.
The dead sections I have raked out the hatch from and now mowed ... those sections are getting smaller.

The kikuyu in some sections I have to push through at snails pace just so i didn't labour the mower too much ... and tear chunks out of it. At least it has come back lush again ... we have more heat coming now .... and missed a storm last night (bugger)

The backyard is Sir Walter Buffalo and soil is always moist and no clay. That has been growing like crazy and full recovered. I wish the front as the same.

[Fed]

Jeez those trees on the other side of the road have grown fast Mechan1k.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by Fed

Jeez those trees on the other side of the road have grown fast Mechan1k.

Hahahahah .... different angle ... it's the adjacent house.

[Cav]

I have to keep mowing my front yard regularly so that my miniature Dachshund can piddle in peace.

[roKWiz]

Geeze, Cav, I would move those grey nomads off your nature strip before they start inviting all their free camping buddies over.

[DFB FGXR6]

To hot for mowing today, and the humid type of hot which I particularly hate

Time for some machine maintenance out of the sun, oil changes for both the 4-Strokers.

These Briggs and Stratton engines come with a small oil filter that costs an extortionate $15 each.





Old one removed.



I write the date on the filter as a way to remind me when the last oil change was.

[danzvtil]

Wow, never knew a pushy to have an oil filter, I wish more had it.

[DFB FGXR6]

A fast moving storm smashed it's way through town last night. I spent most of the day clearing fallen tree limbs at a number of my clients houses, this one was the worst. A large section of a Lilly Pilly snapped, taking out two native frangipani and crushing the fence on the way to the ground.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

Wow, never knew a pushy to have an oil filter, I wish more had it.

I suspect the only benefit of the oil filter is to bolster the dealers parts department earnings.

[Tassie f100]

Bit like motor car dealers??

[danzvtil]

My gcv160 powered victa is now 5 years old, and while its running fine, I’m thinking of upgrading to a gxv powered victa or Honda, and keeping a running spare.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/victa-19...mower_p0049265
This one has the quick release handles that I need to put it in the van.

The other option is the Honda HRU196 heritage because it has a full width chute, but I’m having trouble finding it, has Honda discontinued it?

Oh, another gripe, searching reputable mower shops online, they only provide one pic and not other pics of chute etc, WTF?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

My gcv160 powered victa is now 5 years old, and while its running fine, I’m thinking of upgrading to a gxv powered victa or Honda, and keeping a running spare.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/victa-19...mower_p0049265
This one has the quick release handles that I need to put it in the van.

The other option is the Honda HRU196 heritage because it has a full width chute, but I’m having trouble finding it, has Honda discontinued it?

Oh, another gripe, searching reputable mower shops online, they only provide one pic and not other pics of chute etc, WTF?

I had a Honda HRU196, hated it. The handle has an awkward angle to it, the wheels are too narrow so the machine sinks into spongy grass and I had issues with the catcher falling off. I only kept it for about 12 months before I ditched it.

Those Victa alloy bases are excellent, the one you have linked is also available in self-propelled. Don't rule out the Briggs and Stratton engine either, those GXV160's are a heavy engine and really affect the weight balance when fitted to the base. I has looked at both at my local dealer.

https://www.victa.com/au/en_au/produ...propelled.html

https://www.victa.com/au/en_au/produ...propelled.html

If was buying a 19'' mower tomorrow, that Victa Commercial would be the one I would go for.