Sprinkler Donut Video "Sprinkler Head Protection for Rotors and Spray Heads"

[1idejim]

Originally Posted by jvanvliet

From the top, the deck is below the mower blades (closer to the ground).

My maintenance company is not responsible for damage as a result of improperly installed irrigation components; above grade for example, or not on swing pipe.

With 60" decks, it's not always possible or practical to run a slalom course around sprinkler heads, most of which can't be seen anyway.

With the exception of wishing the SB luck i was being facetious you silly.
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[1idejim]

I do have an idea for the SB though.

All of the state parks systems have at least a couple of places where the SB could be installed and evaluated for a year or so.

You could box up about 50 SBs for each state and send them along with a video to the office of the state parks services.

50 SBs would be enough to place a zone of SBs at a select few parks in each state. If you can talk 1 state into a slot on the vendors list you might have a govt. contract in your future.
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[Sprinkler Buddy]

Originally Posted by jvanvliet

My maintenance company is not responsible for damage as a result of improperly installed irrigation components; above grade for example, or not on swing pipe.

With 60" decks, it's not always possible or practical to run a slalom course around sprinkler heads, most of which can't be seen anyway.

My point exactly! "most "NONE" of which can't be seen anyway" Doesn't really matter the size of the deck if they can't be seen, one will run them over with the tires and sometimes break them even with swing pipe and at grade level.

Funny how lawn guys always seem to blame it on the installers by saying it wasn't properly installed, "It's not my fault". The installer often blames it on the lawn guy, he was mowing to short, etc... "It's not my fault".

The homeowner often is the one flipping the bill while saying: "It's not my Fault"

It's no ones fault much of the time, damage is going to continue occasionally if they can't be seen. Period!

SB is not a tripping hazard, it's flexible. Step on it it goes down, get off it, it goes back up. With the use of swing pipe, one could put the SB even lower by having the sprinkler head below grade a little when installed so one can mow even lower if they wanted too. Those that do mow @ 1 1/2" or lower have their sprinkler heads below grade so they seldom have issues with them other than the sand wearing them out prematurely. SB can help those heads as well.

Many of you pros here don't like the look, in a perfect world I wouldn't either. Unlike many of you that aren't responsible for the heads your mowers break I have always felt a since of responsibility to fix something that wasn't broke until I broke it. I don't feel I'm the one to blame but the installer has been long gone and the homeowner knows they didn't do it.

With $$$ not coming out of my own pocket anymore, makes me like the look. With most lawn guys saying "it's not my fault" and installers saying "it's not my problem anymore, your system is out of warranty now."

Like it or not many homeowners will like the look as well because it reduces $$$ out of their own pocket. Those that don't like the look will continue to call you as often as they do now or continue to fix them themselves as many do as well.

[Sprinkler Buddy]

Originally Posted by 1idejim

I do have an idea for the SB though.

All of the state parks systems have at least a couple of places where the SB could be installed and evaluated for a year or so.

You could box up about 50 SBs for each state and send them along with a video to the office of the state parks services.

50 SBs would be enough to place a zone of SBs at a select few parks in each state. If you can talk 1 state into a slot on the vendors list you might have a govt. contract in your future.
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No need for that, homeowners are buying and making reorders here and there. My message is getting out slowly but surely! :-) Early on I did give many away, now I only offer FREE SHIPPING with 3 or more packs ordered in the USA.

[Kiril]

Pros:

1) Might help you avoid hitting a sprinkler assuming it is visible and you see it in time

Cons:

1) Eyesore
2) Tripping hazard, leading to potential law suit
3) Will fill up with yard debris and soil, leading to increased maintenance assuming you want to keep it visible
4) Doesn't do anything to physically protect the sprinkler
5) Becomes an issue when mowing low
6) If not UV stabilized plastic then limited life expectancy
7) If it is as flexible as you claim, then it will potentially sink right along with the sprinkler

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by 1idejim

I do have an idea for the SB though.

All of the state parks systems have at least a couple of places where the SB could be installed and evaluated for a year or so.

You could box up about 50 SBs for each state and send them along with a video to the office of the state parks services.

50 SBs would be enough to place a zone of SBs at a select few parks in each state. If you can talk 1 state into a slot on the vendors list you might have a govt. contract in your future.

Won't ever happen. The potential for lawsuits is too high.

[Sprinkler Buddy]

Originally Posted by Kiril

Pros:

1) Might help you avoid hitting a sprinkler assuming it is visible and you see it in time

Cons:

1) Eyesore
"In the eyes of the beholder."
2) Tripping hazard, leading to potential law suit
Negative, unlike the similar products sold on the market already, SB is made from a flexible material and bends if weight is applied to it.
3) Will fill up with yard debris and soil, leading to increased maintenance assuming you want to keep it visible
This is true, it does require some maintenance but far less maintenance than its competition and a lot less maintenance and $$$ than having to replace the sprinkler head all together.
4) Doesn't do anything to physically protect the sprinkler
This is also true but us lawn guys seem to miss the mail boxes most of the time because we can see them as you can see the sprinkler heads with the Sprinkler Buddy to avoid them.
5) Becomes an issue when mowing low
Does not work on a putting green, don't use if you have one. Most don't!
6) If not UV stabilized plastic then limited life expectancy
Has the highest UV protection throughout, expectancy greater than the life of sprinkler head.
7) If it is as flexible as you claim, then it will potentially sink right along with the sprinkler

Sprinkler heads do occasionally need to be brought back up to grade level with the use of swing pipe or risers as the lawn matures. All other products like mine sink at a much faster rate than the sprinkler heads themselves making them ineffective soon after putting them in.

Notice how the Sprinkler Buddy can be custom fitted to walls and driveways if needed and it also supports itself in midair, try that with any other product.

No magic involved, it really is holding itself up without any support from below. Now imagine it being completely supported by the earth/dirt below when installed. That's where the custom fit really comes into play and why my product requires much less maintenance than the competition. It doesn't sink like the competition!

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Kiril

Won't ever happen. The potential for lawsuits is too high.

Besides, in my experience (vast) State Parks don't even have enough money to have a knowledgeable Ranger on site to repair a broken head! I should know, I've repaired enough (free) that I got sick and tired watching.

[Sprinkler Buddy]

Sprinkler Buddy also doesn't allow grass to take root between the indicator or guard and the sprinkler head itself unlike similar products . That is also why it requires much less maintenance than the competition.

I'll donate them to many state parks when I can afford too. It will be one of many ways I will be giving back one day.

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by Sprinkler Buddy

Negative, unlike the similar products sold on the market already, SB is made from a flexible material and bends if weight is applied to it.

Flexible or not, it is still a tripping hazard. Further, it creates a hole in the ground with a sprinkler in the middle. You can spin it anyway you want, but it is still a tripping hazard and is a twisted or broken ankle away from a potential lawsuit.

Originally Posted by Sprinkler Buddy

This is true, it does require some maintenance but far less maintenance than its competition and a lot less maintenance and $$$ than having to replace the sprinkler head all together.

How much maintenance does a concrete donut need? Further, if you drive over the sprinkler it still stands to be broken with your product. Your product only works if the sprinkler is not driven over. If anything, I would say it increases the chance of the sprinkler breaking if it gets driven over given there is less support around the body of the sprinkler. At least a properly installed donut will distribute most of the load to the surrounding soil.

Originally Posted by Sprinkler Buddy

Sprinkler heads do occasionally need to be brought back up to grade level with the use of swing pipe or risers as the lawn matures. All other products like mine sink at a much faster rate than the sprinkler heads themselves making them ineffective soon after putting them in.

How much faster? In what type of soil and soil moisture? Certainly you have measured this if you are making this claim. If any other "product" is sinking faster than the sprinkler, then it was not installed properly.

Originally Posted by Sprinkler Buddy

Does not work on a putting green, don't use if you have one. Most don't!

What about turf that is supposed to be mowed low? What about renovations and over seeding?

Originally Posted by Sprinkler Buddy

Has the highest UV protection throughout, expectancy greater than the life of sprinkler head.

What does that mean? Again, you certainly must have some data to support this claim.

Originally Posted by Sprinkler Buddy

Notice how the Sprinkler Buddy can be custom fitted to walls and driveways if needed and it also supports itself in midair, try that with any other product.

If you need to "custom" fit any product around a sprinkler because of walls or hardscape then the sprinkler wasn't installed properly to begin with.