Direction problems

[PRECISION LC]

I was just wondering if you mow every part of the lawn the same direction. i have seen some lco's go one way in the front another in the back, or diff directions in the front if split by walk or drive. but the places where there is only room for a coupel stripes go the same direction.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

It don't make no difference...

Do you get paid extra to do this? NO!

Don't worry about it, cut it the fastest way possable, that's what striping is all about.

[Bluesteel]

I try to mow the same orientation each trip. Then alternate the direction on the next trip. However, in some sections that are long-narrow strips, its just not practical to cut across the strip. Mowing back and forth making stripes is the fastest way to mow open sections, but special patterns are mo-money.

[IBGreen]

ditto

[FrankenScagMachines]

Pretty much what Bluesteel said... some lawns don't even stripe well enough to bother trying. Usually those are the ones that are too small to stripe or the customer doesn't care anyway... the larger ones people tend to appreciate them more, they are easier to do and look better when done and the stripes just show up better on them....

This 92 y.o. woman's yard doesn't stripe. You can see the grass layed over alittle but not really qualifying for stripes. She saw the grass laid over alittle and was upset that the mower didn't cut the grass. I said "no, the mower cut the grass then the tires laid it over. It will pop up in a day or so" and she was releived LOL. Don't think she's ever had anything other than a push mower used on her lawn before. Like I said it wasnt' stripes just pushed over alittle.

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by PRECISION LC
I was just wondering if you mow every part of the lawn the same direction. i have seen some lco's go one way in the front another in the back, or diff directions in the front if split by walk or drive. but the places where there is only room for a coupel stripes go the same direction.

I alternate directions every time I mow, including cross-cutting. With today’s heavy WB‘s, if you keep cutting the same direction and path you’ll end up with ruts in the lawn, especially with those 1,000 lb riders. However, those that don’t care about the finished job will only cut the fastest way possible. It all depends on the type of professionalism you want to portray………
Pete

[FrankenScagMachines]

Originally posted by Switchless@aol.com
I alternate directions every time I mow, including cross-cutting. With today’s heavy WB‘s, if you keep cutting the same direction and path you’ll end up with ruts in the lawn, especially with those 1,000 lb riders. However, those that don’t care about the finished job will only cut the fastest way possible. It all depends on the type of professionalism you want to portray………
Pete

Great minds think alike. I see soo many lco's around here mow the exact same direction every single time they mow a property. It's very obvious that it is rutted and also just gets so boring seeing single direction stripes week after week , year after year in the same direction. I usually run a 2 or 3 direction rotation on my properties, depending on how well they hold multi direction stripes.

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by BushHogBoy
Great minds think alike. I see soo many lco's around here mow the exact same direction every single time they mow a property. It's very obvious that it is rutted and also just gets so boring seeing single direction stripes week after week , year after year in the same direction. I usually run a 2 or 3 direction rotation on my properties, depending on how well they hold multi direction stripes.

Yeah,
FWIW, as "LGF" aludes to, when I price a lawn "I" add about 5 minutes to it "assumming" I will lose time when I cut different directions.
Pete

[FrankenScagMachines]

Yup! Me too... I guess the only thing we disagree about is Hustler w/b's and castering sulkies :D Do you have any pics of your lawns? I would like to see how your Super Hustler cuts at "9mph"

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Originally posted by Switchless@aol.com
FWIW, as "LGF" aludes to, Define please. Both FWIW and what I alude to.

[FrankenScagMachines]

FWIW = For What It's Worth.

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by LAWNGODFATHER
Define please. Both FWIW and what I alude to.

Mike, I was agreeing with you that it takes time to cut different directions and unless you figure it into your pricing you are losing money....I've found it better to just charge them and not say what I'm doing, since if I cut it one way and they complain about the ruts, then I have to justify charging more to cross cut........
In other words, in this case, the less the customer knows the better;)
Pete

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Ah, you got me on that one....LOL

True the less you tell your customer in some cases the better.

We still stripe, just don't go out of the way to make them perfect.

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by LAWNGODFATHER
Ah, you got me on that one....LOL

True the less you tell your customer in some cases the better.

So, IOW ( In other words):D..... you're saying a "customer" is just like a "Wife"????;) ;) ;)

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Shhhhhhhh;)

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by LAWNGODFATHER
Shhhhhhhh;)

I'm actually a funny guy, ain't I???? OH, here's the typical line,"Not tonite dear, I have a headache":p

[LAWNGODFATHER]

But Uncle Petey, thee dog can do it's self..... It don't need you.

[Navig8r]

There's a property down the street from me that's always striped in the same direction, along the same lines..... HOLY TURF COMPACTION!!!... over this past winter, after any snowfall had settled for a few days, the tire ruts could be seen as long valleys in the snow!! This showed even through 10+" of snow!!!...

I'd hate to have to mow perpindicular to that now....... what a bumpy ride!!

[Green Pastures]

I mow in a different pattern every time I mow. I rotate 4 different directions. I've noticed it keeps the ruts to a minimum, and if I happen to damage turf in a turn it gets 4 weeks to heal before I come over it again.

Straight one way, then straight the other, then diagonal one way, then diagonal the other.

YMMV

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Originally posted by Green Pastures
YMMV

What does this stand for?

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by LAWNGODFATHER
But Uncle Petey, thee dog can do it's self..... It don't need you.

Darn, you do know "everything", don't you???:D