Triple gang cylinder mower for commercial use

[SoL]

hi
I am a new member, greetings to all
I am contemplating in purchasing a (second hand) ride on mower to cut a football field etc
What would be the best mower to handle wet grass, good quality cut, ease of use and be reliable......please indicate your choice and giving reasons as to why ?
Thanks

 

[betweenthelines]

I wouldn't go for a cylinder mower, a rotary would give a good enough cut for a football field.

Only get a cylinder if you are looking after hockey pitches.

 

[SoL]

I wouldn't go for a cylinder mower, a rotary would give a good enough cut for a football field.

Only get a cylinder if you are looking after hockey pitches.

thanks for your early reply !
which mower would you recommend and why ?

 

[SoL]

PS. what's the difference between cutting football and hockey pitch

 

[Lincs Lass]

PS. what's the difference between cutting football and hockey pitch

A hockey ball needs a short smooth finish to roll at speed ,but a football spends most of its time in the air and being kicked so slightly longer grass wont affect it

 

[SoL]

A hockey ball needs a short smooth finish to roll at speed ,but a football spends most of its time in the air and being kicked so slightly longer grass wont affect it

which mower would you recommend and why ?

 

[Lincs Lass]

Toro have a large selection of cylinder mowers ,,find alot on golf courses for the extreme short finish on the greens

 

[Lincs Lass]

@Dave W is your man for mowers

 

[Dave W]

hi
I am a new member, greetings to all
I am contemplating in purchasing a (second hand) ride on mower to cut a football field etc
What would be the best mower to handle wet grass, good quality cut, ease of use and be reliable......please indicate your choice and giving reasons as to why ?
Thanks

Really depends on the standard of pitch. How much time you have available ie how tied you are to cutting at specific times. How useful you are with spammers and how practical etc.

You'll only ever see cylinder mowers used on a good standard of pitch. But the maintenance and running costs of cylinders can be expensive. You can put any idiot in the seat.
For those reasons most councils have gone to rotaries

bit more background would be helpful. There's not many types of mower I've not used

 

[SoL]

Really depends on the standard of pitch. How much time you have available ie how tied you are to cutting at specific times. How useful you are with spammers and how practical etc.

You'll only ever see cylinder mowers used on a good standard of pitch. But the maintenance and running costs of cylinders can be expensive. You can put any idiot in the seat.
For those reasons most councils have gone to rotaries

bit more background would be helpful. There's not many types of mower I've not used

Hi
Thanks for your early reply !
To be totally honest, a couple of years ago I helped my son on his gardening round, he sold his round and went on to join the police force.
After speaking to a couple of landscaping gardeners, i got the impression that it would be best to go into gardening business but instead of domestic rather to go into the commercial side as in cutting sport fields, pitches, or any open type of fields using a ride on lawnmowers (EG: a triple gang mower as a suggestion)
So, this would be a totally new concept, I would need a ride on mower, a suitable trailer to move the lawnmower to the site.......and of course some grass to mow, namely regular contracts.
What are your thoughts and advice on this thread

 

[Dave W]

Hi
Thanks for your early reply !
To be totally honest, a couple of years ago I helped my son on his gardening round, he sold his round and went on to join the police force.
After speaking to a couple of landscaping gardeners, i got the impression that it would be best to go into gardening business but instead of domestic rather to go into the commercial side as in cutting sport fields, pitches, or any open type of fields using a ride on lawnmowers (EG: a triple gang mower as a suggestion)
So, this would be a totally new concept, I would need a ride on mower, a suitable trailer to move the lawnmower to the site.......and of course some grass to mow, namely regular contracts.
What are your thoughts and advice on this thread

Sounds like you're not aiming at the more professional sports pitches. An outfront rotary will be Jack of most trades. Especially if you can find one with a contour type deck. Make sure you're sat down when you price one up though

 

[SoL]

I wouldn't go for a cylinder mower, a rotary would give a good enough cut for a football field.

Only get a cylinder if you are looking after hockey pitches.

Hi
So what's the best or suitable mower that you would suggest and why ?

 

[Lincs Lass]

My council changed all their ransom triple cylinder ride ons for flail mowers ,,they got fed up with the repairs ,,they dont like sticks,drinks cans and stones ,,,the flail mowers make as good a job of the footpath verges

 

[Wolfgang]

We mow over 120 acres a week, and would only use rotary mowers, our main fleet are John Deere 1580's (outfront)and 997R's (zero turn) with 62/60 inch rear discharge decks, machines are very well made and the 60 inch deck is small enough for narrow strips etc and still big enough to mow out large areas,

 

[SoL]

Sounds like you're not aiming at the more professional sports pitches. An outfront rotary will be Jack of most trades. Especially if you can find one with a contour type deck. Make sure you're sat down when you price one up though

Hi,
An out front rotary type (a jack of all trade)
I am also looking at some features in the lawnmower:

• Not too heavy a machine
• Can deal with wet grass or operate in the rain if need to be
• When needed a grass collector to be attached onto the machine
• Reasonably easy to maintain and cost effective etc
• Is it diesel or petrol driven
• Is it rear discharge or side discharge
• Is it a mulcher
• Does it need to be a zero turn
• Width of cut
• Height of cut
• These are just some of the things that come to mind.....please feel free to add any further Info

As you have clearly pointed out I am not aiming at the the more professional sports pitches, so apart from the features I have outlined, considering I would be just starting out in this business, my obvious hurdle will be the cost factor of the machine that you would recommend
Thanks

 

[Dave W]

There's no single machine that will tick all those boxes.
As a rule the bigger commercial machines don't collect. There are some exceptions but it's easier to forget that idea.
mulch/side/rear discharge/width are really down to personal preference.
zero turn brilliant if there is lots of obstacles. Not so good going straight up and down football pitches.
Most commercial machines are diesel.
make doesn't really matter. Condition more important.

I think ultimately you will need 2 or 3 machines to cover most bases

 

[Dave W]

I think you'll be looking in the region of £4-6k for something worthwhile

 

[Wolfgang]

I think if you need a lighter grass collecting machine maybe a Kubota, Iseki or John Deere tractor based ride on would suit, Diesel would be cheaper to run than Petrol, if you are only doing a few sites you could consider a domestic ride on by one of the better makers but they are really slow compared to a commercial machine, we can cut a Rugby pitch properly uncollected in 30 to 40 minutes with one of our machines
Iseki Auto Trader

 

[Boomerang]

Chicken or egg .
You dont appear to really know what your aiming to mow.
Once you know that then you can source an appropriate mower, otherwise Dave w advice of you requiring 2 or 3 machines is sound advice.
What's your budget .
What's the likely type of mowing area, small 100m2 or 4000 m2 size, rough ,flat, grass short regular cutting or long grass .
Your questions are too vague for any meaning full advice.

 

[SoL]

There's no single machine that will tick all those boxes.
As a rule the bigger commercial machines don't collect. There are some exceptions but it's easier to forget that idea.
mulch/side/rear discharge/width are really down to personal preference.
zero turn brilliant if there is lots of obstacles. Not so good going straight up and down football pitches.
Most commercial machines are diesel.
make doesn't really matter. Condition more important.

I think ultimately you will need 2 or 3 machines to cover most bases

Hi
Ok so if i was just going in straight lines up and down and there were not much or any obstacles, and it did not need the grass collector facilities

• Not too heavy a machine
• Can deal with wet grass or operate in the rain if need to be
• Reasonably easy to maintain and cost effective etc
• SHOULD it be a rear discharge or side discharge for best result as in a finish
• SHOULD it be a mulcher
• Width of cut

Any good quality machines come to mind, considering the above ?

PS. when you next speak to your mate (the landscaper) can you enquire that when cutting sports fields and pitches, am i required to collect the cut grass, or do i just leave it on the field etc.
.