opened last year and it oozes quality. Its workshops and machinery shed were impressive, very large and filled with the best machinery money could buy.
The workshop was kitted out with the latest grinders from Bernhard, making the lads feel at home. The turnout was the best yet with over thirty five Greenkeepers attending the presentation and demonstrations. All shared my total amazement at the quality of the course and workshops. We completed the demonstrations at 3.00pm. Robbie Foley, from Brodericks, took Steve and Ben back to the airport in Dublin whilst Gary and I made our way to the ferry
terminal for a 5.00pm departure. Once back in Holyhead Gary faced another four hour drive to get home. So that was it. Five days on the
road. Nearly 900 miles covered in Ireland alone, long days, short nights, too many shandies and lots of hard work. Including setting up, the demonstration days totalled twenty eight hours - the driving time seemed a lot longer!
Over ninety Greenkeepers attended over the four days and, probably, not even they were aware of just how much time and effort goes in to making their day worthwhile. I certainly do. The next time a rep comes calling perhaps you might view his job in a new light?
The Bernhard method ...
How does a cylinder mower cut? Is it a scissor or scything action?
It was Edwin Budding who was credited for inventing the very first cylinder mower basing it on a scything action to cut the nap from cloth in the textile factories. The design was patented in 1830 and, by 1832, Ransomes acquired the licence to manufacture it as a lawn mower. This scything action is the result of the cylinder blade revolving over a bottom blade which helps present the sward ready to be cut uniformly and, depending on the angle of ejection, will throw the cut grass material well away from the cutting cylinder into a box, if fitted.
The helix of a cylinder is designed to cause the blades to act like a succession of razor blades passing along the bottom blade with little or no contact, creating the horizontal scything action so critical for a clean cut of leaf tissue. Taking a look at the geometry of the
process, it becomes clear that several angles in the cylinder/bottom blade interface are critical to the optimal functioning of a reel mower. With the wearing away of the cylinder blade and bottom blade over time, the actual angles will change and must be restored to near ideal by the grinding process.
Bernhard’s way for grinding is to run no contact between the cylinder and the bottom blade but, to do that, you need to have two very sharp edges. Allow about 1/1000 of an inch gap. If you do not maintain that sharpness, then the tendency is to close this gap, so that the cylinder and bottom blade touch. The
blades then act like a pair of scissors instead of a scythe, squeezing the blades of grass to cut, rather than cutting cleanly. Bernhard’s work on the principle of grinding more regularly to maintain a non- contact cut. This process ultimately creates less wear on the cutting parts and less overall stress to the machine’s engine and other working parts, thereby extending the life of cylinders and bottom blades. Keeping the front cylinder face sharp is the single most important factor to quality cutting. Maintaining a keen edge on the blades will improve the quality of the grass. Once the blades are sharpened the turf appearance will be visually better, and with that comes a healthier plant. It is true to say that when a mower delivers a fine neat cut, there is very little bruising to the leaf, the wound is small and heals quickly, not allowing pathogens much time to access the plant.
A sharp cut also means that the plant
diverts far less energy to heal or stave off pathogens, so there is less need to take up extra nutrients and, therefore, fertiliser use can be more infrequent. The resilience of the turf also helps with recovery from foot/boot damage. This is particularly important during the colder months when the plant is less active. Poor cutting just compounds the stress on the plant.
Another benefit to keeping blades sharp is that the grass blade tips appear much greener because there is less cellular damage by applying a sharp cut. When you tear grass blade tips, causing cellular damage, the result is sclerosis (yellowing) of the blade tips.
Greenkeepers at Dun Laoghaire GC
L-r: Ben, Steve and Gary
The impressive Dun Laoghaire GC machinery shed
A 900 mile round trip
• Up to 28hp diesel,1.8m cut, over 7 acres per hour workrate
The best of the world’s
FERTILISER SPREADERS,POWERED CULTIVATORS AND DRILLS • HEDGECUTTERS AND FLAILS SHREDDER BLOWERS AND FEEDERS GRASS HARVESTING EQUIPMENT • MUCK SPREADERS
COMPACT TRACTORS AND ZERO TURN MOWERS backed by an emergency parts service which operates 364 days of the year
Ruston’s Engineering Co. Ltd Tel: (01480) 455151 Fax: (01480) 52116 E-mail:
sales@reco.co.uk www.reco.co.uk
• Superior 7 micron oil filtration for fewer oil changes and lower costs
• Mid mount or out front models, petrol and diesel
• Superb operator comfort and ease gives higher productivity
• Easiest to service for more mowing time
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