Draged chain all day=12 acres

[lawrence stone]

Thanks for the chain idea Eric. I took a 14' 3/8" logging chain ($23) and cut it up. The chains in no way effect the performance of the mower in anyway.

I have two of these sulkies. One chain drive and one w/o.

Where the chains hang there was two bakelite rollers there.
It looks like the sulky was made to hang chains.

But since I went to the larger castors and tires they where not in play.

By having the chains on the sulky I can stripe with any size mower in the fleet.

[Eric ELM]

Good deal Larry, it looks good. Was that other picture you posted of the stripes done with this new setup?

[lawrence stone]

The setup today was real dull single hi lift blades on a 52" (15 year old) deck.

The doubles (gators and low lift oems) are going on next week for leaf distruction. The hi lift baldes with gators take away too much ground speed and I need all the ground speed I can muster.

I hope to have some fresh sports fields pics using my 62" machine (single oem blades) with the chain drive sulky.

[geogunn]

GOOD GRIEF!-- those chains look like they could pull a stuck RV out of deep doo!

I thought the toro didn't need chains or anything else to leave a good stripe.

help me out here!

GEO

[Eric ELM]

You better be careful Larry, or you will be getting hate mail from Florida members who think stripes on a lawn look horrible. I've heard my stripes look like someone drove a farm tractor all over the lawn and left ugly marks on them. ;)

To all the one's that think this:

If we don't stripe lawns up here, we are out of a job, because the customers here want them. We don't have all retired customers here like down there. ;)

[geogunn]

YO ERIC--not everyone likes good beer. some don't like it at all!

my point is that your grass looks great no matter who is looking!

we have a few neighborhoods near here that like the look you guys have.

but I can't break into that neighborhood without a lowball and no need to go there!

it's weeds and crabgrass for me...except for my commercials that are up near ROCKY TOP!

GEO

[vipermanz]

quite vibrant stripes mr.stone:)

[AltaLawnCare]

Lookin' good Stone.

What type of sulky is that??

Or is that home (custom) made?:D

[BRL]

Forgive my ignorance, but can someone please explain how you mow a cool season lawn and not end up with stripes? I understand from posts here that the different types of grass found in the south simply don't leave a mark when mowed. Just curious if there are people here from the north that don't stripe and how its possible.

[vipermanz]

try getting my st. augustine to stripe! HA!!

[lawrence stone]

Originally posted by AltaLawnCare
Lookin' good Stone.

What type of sulky is that??

Or is that home (custom) made?:D

An outfit called turf specialties made my sulkies.
It was a prototype built in 1994. They no longer sell that model and their web site no longer works.

But the design idea is great. I can supply some of the dimensions so you can make your own. You can from time to time sit on top of one of the fenders to take a break from standing.

[lawrence stone]

Originally posted by BRL
Forgive my ignorance, but can someone please explain how you mow a cool season lawn and not end up with stripes? I understand from posts here that the different types of grass found in the south simply don't leave a mark when mowed. Just curious if there are people here from the north that don't stripe and how its possible.

Maybe you could show us some examples (post some photos) of how your equipment mows?

[Evan528]

BRL, Amen to that!!!! I dont understand it myself! Every mower I have ever used has striped!

[lee b]

Do you yankees ever get tired of bragging about them thar stripes?:D

[kutnkru]

LEE

That would be Un-American!!! If there was a ever a time to brag about our stripes its surely now more than ever!!!

Personally, I enjoy looking at all the patterns when servicing the mowing routes during the week. Keeps you pumped knowing that your better than that or gives you something to strive for to top that one there etc.

LOL!!! :laugh:
Kris

[BRL]

Stone,
"Maybe you could show us some examples (post some photos) of how your equipment mows?"

You posted that in response to my question. Do you want me to post pictures of my stripes that look like everyone else's pictures of stripes? Or, did you mean that the unstripers could post a picture to help educate me on this concept of unstriped lawns?

Kris,
You've inspired me! Next time I cut my lawn, I'm making our flag, except I can't think of how to put the stars in it.

[kutnkru]

BRL

I would think that this would be easily accomplished. Cut double rows the same directions for the stripes and then just make a diagonal cut section for the stars area.

LOL
Kris

[lawrence stone]

Originally posted by kutnkru
BRL

I would think that this would be easily accomplished. Cut double rows the same directions for the stripes and then just make a diagonal cut section for the stars area.

LOL
Kris

I am going to give that a try on Friday. I bet I could tie strap some pipe to the back flap on my 21" Toro for the diagonal star section.

Who knows with my sign on the mailbox I could be getting calls for single red stars, rising suns, and swastikas.

[BRL]

Making the stars section is easy enough, I was talking about trying to actually put stars in it somehow. I just went perpendicular to the stripes for the star section. I mowed in to where it needed to be then shut the blades off to back out and do the next needed lines in the same direction. Next time I'm going to put the flag imposed on the diagonal cut to make it really stand out. Might be time to buy that striping book from that famous Major League ball park superintendent guy to learn all the good tricks.

[laynlow]

I was thinking making a star template on my table saw out of 2x4 with miter joints. Lay the template in place, use a string trimmer to trim the outline and so on. With all the stars done, then the string trimmer could be used to knock down the remaining areas not trimmed in the perimeter. Whacha think? :blob3:

[VnDrWLawnCare]

Yes i run a dixie with a 60" deck and it will leave stripes just fine with no chains or striping system. Is it possible to just have the deck at a particular angle to create the strip effect. I am just curious about this striping system since everyone here is buying chains and making this while i dont have a system and am making stripes as good as if not better than some with the system. No trying to brag or anything just trying to ask a question. I will try to collect some photos.
Eric

[Flex-Deck]

I guess I do not understand quite what stiping is, but when I mow angled which is all the time except where the area is less than 2 rounds (those small between sidewalk etc areas) I can see the going and coming swathes are a different color, then as the season progresses and I mow different angles each time I have found that you can see the (up to last 4 angles mowed) stripes from previous angles mowed. and it looks good. People have asked "how do you determine the angle, and I say ""I just mow into and with the wind, and the averages take care of themselves"") Thanks Brad.
PS I may try chains as I race the ZTR people at the BBQ for the worlds championship of mowing - flex-deck on a 455 vs. any 60" ZTR as we at flex-deck have been told that a 60" ZTR can mow twice as much as a tractor. My challenge is in the Should I retire my tractors section of the Commercial Mowing forum. Please realize this is going to be fun, but also realize I think most people in the C note betting in the earlier part of the forum have no idea what I am bringing. (455 JD - 22 HP diesel - 78" deck (60"main + 18" added with Flex-Deck) Yes they do know, because I have talked about it. LETS HAVE FUN.

[Eric ELM]

Originally posted by Flex-Deck
I guess I do not understand quite what stiping is

The picture below is an example of stripes.

Originally posted by VnDrWLawnCare
Yes i run a dixie with a 60" deck and it will leave stripes just fine with no chains or striping system.

The picture below and the top 20 pictures on my website are striped without a striping kit.

http://www.elmlawnsite.com/images/010829-012.jpg

[VnDrWLawnCare]

Eric, i guess you really dont need a striping system then. I always thought that was wierd that the mower i operate does not have a system but everyone hear talks as if you almost have to have one to make the lines. Eric did you put a striping kit on your new diesel dixie. If so why did you do it, if all of your other machines would make them without.
Eric

[Eric ELM]

The kit was on the diesel when I got it and it does enhance the stripes some, but as I've said before, it's not necessary to have.

[awm]

just thinking how much my grandpa could have used that
sulky,behind two big mules.and a plow.

[awm]

flex deck, u a sponcer so i know the score. but your reference was to my post apparently.c note.
my answer was reference to lt versus ztr and advising a fellow lco as to my opinion about ztrs versus lts.
not selling flex decks.
im sure your product has merit. ill be watching it to see if
its something that would merit using.
now as to my challenge ,it was not 2 but 3 c notes.
the place is here,as on sat evening . im to busy trying to make a living to travel much now. the mower im using is 52 lazer not sixty.
but the offer still on the table even odds.we ll mow a open pasture w obsticles set up .load up drive rd the block ,unload
and mow again. 1/2 hr increments. factors will be quality cut,
time taken ,how much trim work is left after you are thru.
now i doubt mr. page is going to let me mow his pasture,
so this is probably null. so let me suggest that anyone going to compete with a 60 hustler,lazer dc or any other of the fast z s make this the conditions of the race. u may sell some flex decks,hope u do. but dont think u will get many people to switch to your gt from a z. d-- this long aint it. well yaw have fun andlet us know what happens. later now TM

[awm]

o by the way flex,if u still want to come here as i stated ill work somthing out some how for the test. u like t-bone or rib eye.
later now .:) might even
have a beer later if the wife goes in the house . she dont like me having one even if it does relax my back.
shes afraid ill drink more than one ,but heck ive outgrown that stuff :D