9 minute read
Ride on mowers
Cutting around the course: Options are available
With the warmer weather approaching and spring growth kicking in, Vanmac have a wide range of quality solutions to cutting around the course, thanks to the Progressive range of trailed and mounted rotary finishing mowers.
Progressive have a long and illustrious track record for designing and manufacturing innovative mowers, ideally suited to the golf course thanks to their unrivalled contour following ability. Of particular interest - and available in the UK for the first time - is tri-deck TDR-X.
The three independently floating decks of the TDR-X promise to closely follow the contours of the ground, without scalping, offering a combined cutting width of 3.2m and an easily adjustable cutting height range from 9.5mm to 84.5mm. Along with other machines in the Progressive range, the TDR-X takes advantage of Progressive’s Pro Lift-N-Turn technology, allowing the operator to temporarily raise the decks, with the PTO still engaged, to make turning easier.
Another popular choice for greenkeepers is the Pro-Flex 120. Offering a cutting width of 3m, the Pro-Flex is the most widely used trailed contour finishing mower. It features graduated cut height options of between 25mm and 76mm for uniform quality and ultimate versatility on different areas around the course.
For larger areas, the Progressive TDR-15 Tri-Deck roller mower offers an impressive cutting width of over 4.5m! The height of cut can go as low as 12mm on the TDR-15, while full width rollers help to smooth the turf leaving a pleasing striped finish in its wake. Its superb cut quality is delivered by high-lift rotary blades that create a vacuum, lifting the plant up for a clean and uniform cut. Clippings are then evenly dispersed over the rollers. n www.vanmac.co.uk
Finance offer makes grass cutting child’s play
Martin Carty, Managing Director at Carty Services, has revealed how a new finance offer from Etesia UK enabled him to improve operations on a wide range of school playing fields throughout Warwickshire.
During last year’s uncertainty and inevitable financial pressures, Etesia UK explored the best ways in which it could help their customers. With this in mind, a three years’ interest-free finance offer on the all new Etesia Hydro 80 MKHP5 ride-on mower was introduced. It was an offer which Martin Carty found too good to ignore.
“We were in the market for a new ride-on mower and the Etesia finance offer would give us the financial flexibility to purchase two mowers rather than one,” said Martin.
Based in Warwickshire, Carty Services has a glowing reputation for looking after and maintaining gardens, grounds and school sports fields to an incredibly high standard. The company has been trading for 17 years and Martin now employees 15 members of staff.
The growth of the company is testament to the quality of work undertaken by the Carty Services team. The reputation of the company is exactly why Martin does not rush into quick decisions when it comes to purchasing new equipment.
“The finance offer obviously helped but it absolutely had to be the best mower for us – we want the finest equipment. We looked at lots of different ride-on mowers but quite honestly, the other brands just didn’t tick all the boxes like the Etesia Hydro 80 did. The size of the machine was a big factor in our decision too.”
Measuring less than one metre wide, the Etesia Hydro 80 is easily transported in any vehicle whether it be a van or a trailer. Its compact size means that this impressive machine can pass through most gateways and its tight turning circle makes it ideal for small or awkward areas. It mows close to walls and fences and is highly manoeuvrable.
“We purely use the Etesia machines on school playing fields and the great thing about them is the size and how manoeuvrable they are,” he said.
“I like how quiet they are, and we can use them without disturbing the classrooms. The ability to cut and collect in all weathers is also hugely beneficial.”
The Hydro 80 has also been robustly built and requires minimal maintenance. Operators have access to the engine and all working parts, and the hydrostatic transmission system is maintenance free. The specially coated 60 mm tubular chassis is also designed for strength and long-life.
“I would say that they can cover up to nearly 5,000 square metres per hour – which is perfect when time isn’t on your side. We can be cutting the playing fields in the morning and an hour later the children can be out of playing on them.”
Without a doubt, the Ventrac 4520 and its many attachments, provides the Turf or Estate Manager with the most versatile tool they could wish for. With over 30 attachments, the ability to work on 30-degree slopes and in all weather conditions, it’s the perfect machine turf and land management applications.
Add its articulating and oscillating frame and unique attachment mounting system, and the result is a robust and functional machine that performs all year round. And it really does perform. With five different cutting decks, from fine turf to rough brush, aerators, blowers, brushes, blades, buckets, grapples, rakes, tillers, edgers, stump grinders and trenchers, there’s an attachment to make the life easier for the turf manager.
Mowing steep slopes is always an issue as it is time-consuming and involves grounds maintenance teams using brush cutters while standing on uneven ground; an unpleasant task at the best of times, but add wet conditions and it can be dangerous. The Tough Cut deck negates this at a stroke and is perfect for clearing and maintaining overgrown areas.
Sebastian Fenwick is the owner of Shilstone, a lovingly restored Georgian Manor House and family home set in several hundred acres of breath-taking Devon countryside.
“Because we run a wedding business here everything has to look immaculate. We’ve got to have stripes on the main lawns and the valley, with its three ancient fish ponds, has to look good; everything has to look right and that’s why we purchased a Ventrac all-terrain compact tractor and a selection of attachments. It has become a significant piece of equipment to maintain our grounds.”
“We had endless demonstrations of different types of banks mowers; we bought some, but none were brilliant. However, after the demonstration of the Ventrac, I have to say, very irresponsibly, I bought one on the spot!” he added.
“There’s an extraordinary range of different attachments that will do anything from hedge cutting to road and path sweeping. All are very easy to change with one man taking a couple of minutes to change between implements. We now have more manicured areas, simply because they’re easier to maintain.
“I like it because it’s an extraordinarily economical and cost-effective way of making lawns and other areas look fantastic. My staff love the Ventrac and I’m a complete convert; I never stop telling people how good they are.” n www.priceturfcare.com
Strange times call for strange measures; for instance, not going out to socialise or visiting your family or maybe not buying anymore petrol or servicing your mower each winter. If you must change, why not change for the better?
By using Cramer 82V lawnmowers you certainly will notice a significant improvement to the way you used to cut your grass.
Cramer use the latest lithium-ion battery technology in their 82V system, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the professional user. The lawnmowers for example, come packed with features to make the job quicker, easier and more environmentally friendly. You have a choice of 46cm, 51cm and 61cm fourwheel rotary mowers, all with infinitely variable speeds of between 1.1mph to 3.35mph. If that’s too fast, or slow, then simply opt for the 46cm push model which puts you in complete control.
All models will cut, mulch and collect while the 46cm and 51cm machines also have the advantage of side discharge. Not used so widely in the UK, but a very useful feature if you are reclaiming overgrown areas that have been neglected. Grass collection is assisted by a fan that increases turbulence and cooling of the motor, and also incorporates blade breakaway protection.
Despite the large cutting width of 61cm with the CR82LM61S lawnmower, incredibly it only weights 34.5kg which when compared to a popular petrol machine at 44.6kg, it’s nearly one third lighter.
Not only light to lift, but easy to mow on slopes that exceed the recommended incline for 4-stroke machines. And despite being lighter weight, strength is not compromised.
All the steel mower decks are protected by a front panel of UV and impact resistant PA6. They all conform to IPX4, which means you can work in all weathers; and when the work is done, you can transport or store your mowers on end, saving valuable space in your vehicle or store.
No battery mower will run all day on one battery, but then again, no petrol mower will run all day on one tank of fuel either. Cramer lawnmowers have two battery ports, which means by using 2 x 6Ah batteries it’s possible to mow for over three and a half hours before swapping batteries.
As all Cramer batteries are interchangeable, you can use any combination with your lawnmower, or any other tools in the range such as hedge trimmers, line trimmers, brush cutters, chainsaws, blowers and much more.
Now you can work all day with cordless power tools and equipment without feeling guilty about the effect you are having on the environment and others around you. No emissions means a cleaner working area for you, and cleaner air for us all to breathe. No stale fuel, no carb adjustments, no broken recoil cord. Just insert the batteries, switch on, and go, saving you time, hassle, and money.
Running Cramer battery products over a three year period will save you at least 50% of what you are currently spending on running with petrol products. Nobody likes to waste money, so next time you pull start your petrol machine, think again how much you could be saving.
