which striping method works best

which of these striping methods work best, i want to make a striping kit because i believe that if i start striping with well defined lines I'll create a niche in my market, it seems like no one has well defined stripes in my area, and if i can land a nice corner house on a busy road with some nice grass that i can stripe like eric elm (maybe not quite as good:blush: ) i can land alot of true customers looking for quality

 

proslide, 180 pounds(me) of pressure on the striper...

 

What are the "OTHER" methods?

 

I have tried them all. In my experience, deck pitch does not make hardly any difference at all. Maybe it is the grasses around here, or cutting heights I do not know, because others claim it will help a bit. I have tried everything else. On our grasses, chains are least effective in my opinion. Flaps work fine especially on more easily influenced grasses. On more stubborn grasses, a roller works great, but it must be at the right height. On a small belt drive walk behind, a deck mounted roller may not work well because when the roller comes in contact with the ground, it adds a bit of drag and it takes away the weight of the deck from the drive tires, so it loses traction. This is more a problem on rough ground, hillsides and when using a sulky. Again, it depends on how it is adjusted. I have a Proslide and it does a good job as well, but of all these things, the roller is the most effective in my area. The roller and Proslide is a deadly combination!!! I have that on my eXmark, it does great. Also, double blades will really help a lot too. If you have a fixed deck, use a deck flap, it will work well. I had that on my Scag and it did a good job. It would seem the Proslide would be best of all, but in my opinion, it does work well but by the time the Pro gets to the grass blades, they have already been bent another direction. With a deck flap or roller, the blades of grass get bent immediately after they have been sucked straight up by the mower vacuum. If you have a fixed deck mower, try a flap and chains, or flap and Proslide, or just a Proslide or just a flap. I think these will be your best bet. Double blades will really help too. Make sure you do not overlap any more than necessary, on small mowers this is important (when the drive tires are right up against the edge of the deck like on small mowers, if you overlap too much they “overwrite” the stripes by bending grass in another direction). The tires do a lot of striping by themselves.
Good luck, happy striping and have a great ’04 season,
Eric

 

thanks everyone. eric that was some great info i'll probaly go with the flap it's easy and cheap, i don't think a pro-slide would work for me (290 lbs) i'm a big boy

 

other can be chains, proslide sulky etc.

 

Yeah a flap does well. I doubt a 36” belt drive will pull you on a Pro… Also if you want more than the flap will give, look into a chain kit, or a roller like www.bigleaguelawns.com has, it goes on back of the machine not on the deck… it should do a great job and not add the same drag as a deck roller. That roller would do well by itself, no need for a flap I don’t think. Gravely sells a flap kit for their walk behinds if I’m not mistaken. Or you can make your own. If you know anyone who works on/with/around semi trucks, try to get a old rubber (not plastic, you want rubber) semi truck mud flap. Cut it into strips and bolt to the back of the deck (may need to drill holes) only would need about 3 bolts on a 36” deck… Has to be stiff rubber. Make it touch a garage floor, or be about 1/8” off the floor, that should be good (what I did on the Scag) if you change your cutting height much, like if more than a ½” either direction, make it set like that in the lowest position you cut at, it will still work fine at higher heights when it’s not touching the ground.

 

thanks frankenscag for the reply again. i posted about bigleagues website about 1-2 weeks ago. they make a nice kit but to pricey. I will go with the flap, it won't be hard to find a mud flap because my dad owns a large garbage company. i'll check with on of his mechanics and get one, otherwise on of my uncles owns a topsoil company and he said he would give me a 1/2 inch thick piece of pulveriser belt made out of rubber thanks again

 

Roller--------------------------

 

Pro Slide with a flap on my GRAVELY 15/48 is great.