Technical
Marking and the stress affect on the grass plant, when the units turn during perimeter cuts, can be alleviated somewhat by the use of a sectional roller, allowing the inside section to rotate slower than the other two during the clean-u
up pass Ian Mitchell
Senior Training Technician at Cutting Edge Training, Ian Mitchell, has a vast knowledge of the turfcare industry. He began his career as an apprentice at Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies in 1979 and has worked in the Far East, Europe and the UK. In this article, he discusses the importance of selecting the correct roller from the range of options available to today’s fine turf manager
Turf roller selection
Modern greens units are not supplied with a ‘standard’ front roller. In fact, the front roller is selected from a range of options, designed to give the customer a choice for their particular sports turf surface.
Rollers vary in weight and, in the case of grooved rollers, they have a reduced contact area. Selecting the correct front roller to suit your particular turf conditions can greatly affect the performance of the unit, so it’s most important to get it right.
Weight:
Light rollers are easy on the surface, but can contribute to thatch build-up as they simply run over the top of the turf, without sitting into it. Heavier rollers will sit ‘tighter’ to the turf and provide a closer cut, and they will also give an enhanced rolling affect, which will produce a smoother turf surface.
Local damage from shoes or pitch marks will be more effectively reduced by a heavier roller and the striped effect on the turf will also be more defined by a heavier roller and cutting unit arrangement.
the wider bearing housings at each end), and this is why the roller sits deeper in the turf, giving a closer cut.
The downside to grooved rollers is surface marking and the stress affect on the grass plant when the units turn during perimeter cuts. This can be alleviated somewhat by the use of a sectional roller, allowing the inside section to rotate slower than the other two during the clean-up pass.
Grooved:
Grooved, or Wiehle rollers, have been around for many years and have several effects on the quality of cut; firstly, the grooved roller has less surface area, so it will sit lower into the turf than a similar weighted smooth roller. Individual grass leaves will not all be flattened, so more are going to be cut, giving a better quality of cut ... when the grass is actually growing.
Grooved rollers reduce the contact area, so they sit deeper into the turf. The actual reduction in surface area is more than you might think:
6mm < < 14mm > >
3.25mm <>
< 6mm > <> 3.25mm
The above illustration shows a typical grooved front roller dimensions; there are 57 grooves in a 22” roller, which equates to a 60/40 split. The surface area contacting the turf is only 40% of the roller width (including
problems during soft ground conditions, or during the winter months when grass growth does not keep up with the wear and tear caused by grooved rollers. This, again, can be alleviated somewhat by the use of a sectional roller, allowing the inside section to rotate slower than the other two during perimeter cuts.
Seasonal changes:
As mentioned above, the turf performs differently as the growing conditions change through the year.
In spring, we have softer ground conditions and early soft growth which is still prone to disease and damage. Smooth rollers, at this time of the year, will help reduce marking, stress and turf damage.
As we get into summer, we experience strong growth rates and healthy turf which is more resistant to wear and stress. Grooved rollers will give a tighter cut and the best quality finish.
In autumn, the growth rate slows and we experience softer soil conditions; this is the time to change to smooth rollers to reduce stress and the possibility of marking issues.
With the onset of winter, we experience colder, wetter weather and soft soil conditions. Smooth rollers would be the
PC JUNE/JULY 2014 I 127
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Most modern greens triples now have steering heads to reduce side loads, but they are not completely removed, and fitting an aggressive front roller can cause unforeseen
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