I don't know about the difference but I just bought a Bluebird 742 $2800 including tax. I am not to pleased with the depth of the plugs, one to two inches in moist soil with weights in. Plus it is a bear to turn around. Wouldn't you know it the day after I bought it I finally recieved the book "Turning Hard Soil Into Cold Cash" by Robin Pedrotti from Amazon.com. He says along with a couple posts in this forum the only aerator to by is the Ryan Lawnaire 28. $4500.00 at alamia.com with free shipping. I wish I would have got the book sooner and spent the extra bucks. It has a tricycle front wheel and corers work on a crankshaft type principle so in can be turned without picking it up. My 742 can make sweeping turnes because only the middle three out of seven corers are fixed and drive the machine but I can't make tight turns without lifting it up.
I've used both the Ryan and Turfco. Without a doubt, the Ryan is a much sturdier machine. Easy to maintain.
I have two ryans both are lawnaire 28 and I feel there are the best on the market. I have run the other ryan aerators in the past and when you do that all day thats were the 28 is the best it won't kill you. It pulls a better plug and the turning is great the front wheel does all the work. And Robins book is good reading.<p>Royce<br>
We've used Lawnaire 28's for many years. By far they are the best. Last year, we bought two Turfco's because we needed the machines. No one will use them because they are used to the LA 28's. Now I have to sell the Turfco's.<p>LA 28's are expensive, however if you aerate on a full time basis, you will be able to aerate more lawns and not feel beat up from your machine.<br><p>----------<br>Blake<br>www.fertalawn.com
For those of you who have tried the lawnaire 28, How does it do on hills? Does it do better going up and down the hill or across? Also, how does it do in hard soil?
