Aerating Ballfields

[65hoss]

A church ballfield complex with 4 baseball fields and I believe a soccer field is
discussing aeration. Its 4.5 acres of area. Around 196,500 sf. Any ideas on how to
price this.

Would be using a 48" or 60" pull behind aerator. Behind my Lazer or my tractor. So
equipment discussion isn't needed. Just ideas on how to price this amount of sf.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

$5 per a 1000 would turn you a nice healthy profit.

I don't recomend using the Lazer.

[jrblawncare]

5 per 1000 would be great.......even at 4 your looking at 784.00...how bad do you want it.This past fall I was running at 8 per 1000 with my walk-behind and was happy with that....chem lawn was getting around 12 to 15 per 1000 around here,always happy to take some of their business!!

[David Haggerty]

I aerated a little over a million sq ft last Oct. I charged $5per K sq ft.
Used a 6' mill creek aerator. Made two passes. No fert, seed or topdressing. Just holes.
Either I pulled good 2" cores or went back after a rain for free.
So I'm echoing what LGF said.

Dave

[LAWNGODFATHER]

23 acres nice David.

What kind of tractor did you use?

[Atlantic Lawn]

What type of grass are you workin'? I like slicers on the fields I've done around here. Bermuda is the only grass we use on ballfields in our area.

[David Haggerty]

I mounted it to the front of my Toro 325-D 4WD.

I had to make my own push arms for the drive unit.
It takes a half a day to mount the arms, so the aerator's still on the Toro.
I'm hoping to get to use it some this spring, before mowing starts.
If you want to see a picture of it, let me know. I'll post one when it gets light enough to take a picture.


It worked better than I expected.
But I have to unload the cement block weights so the Toro can lift the aerator.
The drive unit weighs 1,665#
The deck for it weight 400# and the aerator 410# but it is mounted further out in front of the machine.
But I'm working on that problem. I want to make a gizmo to transfer some of the drive unit's weight to the aerator, then be able to release the pressure so the toro's hydraulics can lift the aerator.

Oh. looking up the specs, the aerator is 63" Not 6' like I said.

BTW, I picked up my little earth&Turf model 200 spreader yesterday. They only had one left. They must have been a good deal!
I still need a tractor to pull it though.

Dave

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Dave post a pic please.

I mounted an aerator to the front of my Cushman years ago but the drive train was too weak for it.

I am in search of the perfect aeration machine.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by LAWNGODFATHER
I am in search of the perfect aeration machine.

Your search is over... http://unionturf.com/Picture%201056.jpg



http://unionturf.com/MOV00038.MPG

[LAWNGODFATHER]

That is a great setup Ray, but I need a tractor.

I am looking at the AE-60.

But I'm keeping my options open till I purchace one.

[David Haggerty]

Toro sells something similar to this for the 300 series.

I made these push arms. They're made to swivel, so the aerator follows the contours better.

This will pull 2" and better cores at top speed, close to 10 mph. Of course cores go everywhere when I do that, I even found some in my pockets!

Dave

[thartz]

LGF Have you ever heard of grey market tractors.I found a mitshibushi 18.5 hp 4WD with just 500 hrs. for $4000.00 + I got @ pull behind implements. It works great for aeration because it is considered a compact tractor.

[MOW ED]

Just did the same thing, got a MT 372 15hp diesel and I am looking to put the aera-vator or a core plug aerator on it, still trying to come up with the cash for the aeravator. It looks like it does a great job.

[thartz]

mow ed My dealer can get me a 200 lb. + unit with a wheel kit for around $563.00 without hydraulics. It is a 48" width

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by David Haggerty
Toro sells something similar to this for the 300 series.


David, that is not simular to the aeravator. The aeravator has soild tines that are angled, a motor or PTO powers the tines and causes them to swivel, they will break open the hardest ground and even crack concreate. It does not pull plugs, it turns ground into powder.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Originally posted by thartz
LGF Have you ever heard of grey market tractors.I found a mitshibushi 18.5 hp 4WD with just 500 hrs. for $4000.00 + I got @ pull behind implements. It works great for aeration because it is considered a compact tractor.

Yes but if I want to put a AE-60 on, so I need 20 PTO HP , and that means I need a 25hp tractor.

Then I want it to be hydro drive, and 4X4 so now even used we are in the area of $10k so I will get new.

New Holland TC25D $13,500 brand new, 4X4, hydro drive, and industrial tires.

Then my choices for aeraters are, a 1st products AE-60 $5k or a Turf-Aire economy 60" double tined (18 holes per a sq/ft) $2500.

[thartz]

LGF I don't blame you for going new for that size tractor because anyone that has one 20hp or larger that's used feels it made of gold price wise. We do a lot of medium sized res. that's why I went for a small tractor that still has a modest pto rating.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

thartz

Thing that is funny about that NH TC25D is it is 2" longer than the smallest one, 8" taller at the ROPS (will get fold down ROPS), and I think the same width.

[thartz]

It seems like these size tractors have become real hot in the last year. The guy I bought mine from doesn't export any larger than 35 hp. because he can't get rid of them. It may also have to do with availability from the grey market coming out of japan as wellsince the farms are small.

[David Haggerty]

Oh, I'm sorry I should have been clearer.

I meant Toro builds something similar to the contraption I've built.
Aerator 75 model #44890

I've watched the aeravator demonstrated in Louisville.

It's so wet and muddy around here, for most of the time I don't think I could use an aeravator. It sure is effective in hard soils though.

Dave