Message Board - Machinery: Graden sand injector
23 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Any thoughts on the above machine ? do you have, or hired this machine in .
Whats the best way of clearing up after .?
Any advice welcome
Mark
23 Nov 2009 by sipho
Hi Mark
Depending on your thatch layer you can either blow it off with a black pack blower or use snow shovels to push off the arisings.
We have used both methods in the past but this past year we used our trilo 960 blower on the back of the tractor which worked a treat.
All this work was undertaken on our gold greens.
Cheers
Sip
Ps Great Machine
Gogga International Affairs Officer
23 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Many thanks sipho for your reply , i have a few questions if you dont mind .
Firstly how long does it take to do a green ( bowls ) how many people do you use for the operation . Can 1 man do it ?
Secondly . do you find other clubs wish to hire in this type of equipment . and finally have you had any problems applying 70 /30 top dressing through it say from B. L
Many thanks Mark
23 Nov 2009 by sipho
Hi Mark
Sorry - my previous post should read golf greens not gold
green.
The sand that we use is kiln dried - as its needs to flow through the machine. Its comes in 20kg bags.
I would say you would need a few people to help you keep the machine topped up as its moves along as those bags tend to get a bit heavy after a while. The banter helps aswell.
My estimation (again all depending on the size of the green) you should be able to complete the graden work in a morning and have the clearance done in the afternoon.
sip
Gogga International Affairs Officer
23 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Cheers Sipho
I was thinking of using a powered sweeper with a box,ride on .
My new guy who started this year quit after the first day of renovations, so i am tending to think i will work on my own next year. And maybe hire in labour for the odd day.
As for the dressing it is kiln dried ,and flows well through your fingers.
Thanks for the help sipho .
Any one else with any views on Graden machines that may be of some help ?
Mark
23 Nov 2009 by volvo
I use SISIS R600 and power sweep with a Westwood and work on my own. Scarify in one and a half hrs power sweep about 45mins. Have SISIS power spreader half ton hopper two mtr brush to brush top dressing in. Young granson helps with top dressing 5ton per green 1500mtrs can dress three in a day.
Vic
23 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Hi Volvo
Dress 3 greens a day , i bet you dont load by hand ? I use a sisis truspread and load by hand , use to be a good fun work out . but its more like work now.
So you can clear a green in 45 mins with a power sweeper ,which is as long as it takes me to cut a green . How much material are you collecting ? .
Many thanks Mark
23 Nov 2009 by Grassman2011
How can you power sweep if you intend to use the Graden sand injector ? Surely it will brush all the sand up, not quite what you want.
I believe they you use blowers has2mow.
24 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Hi Bath
My thoughts are that if i went at 90 degrees to the cut then this would be minimal pick up . I think ?
As most of my kit now looks like the local scrap yard , i need to spend some money . new season approaching , but still not sure on the way to go .
Mark
24 Nov 2009 by Groundsmaiden
Keith used this power broom at a demo I attended:
24 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Many thanks Ellie , i hope they do one with a seat as well . But by the looks of it straight in the line of cut
Mark
24 Nov 2009 by Grassman2011
The power broom appears to be pushing the sand into the surface while sending the arisings skywards. If that was a sisis auto rotorake, would not the sand and everything else not be lifted into the box ?
25 Nov 2009 by Sumomosr
With the Graden Sand "Injector" the sand is already in the surface and some surplus is on the surface along with the 'arisings'.
I too have seen Keith and his Power-Broom (Stihl, Echo, etc all make them) and he is simply brushing everything spare off the surface to an end where it was shoveled up by trusty helpers.
The surface (Bowls I saw) was level afterwards with clearly defined sand-filled slits.
GOGGA
25 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Bath
I see your point, but if i was to go across the line of cuts this would then not allow the bristles to go into the groove and remove the sand fill ?
Sumo
As you have seen both operations in progress , what are your thoughts on this please ?
Many thanks mark
25 Nov 2009 by Barry Pace Last edited 25 Nov 2009
Well I have used Keiths strimmer attachment, helped out at a demo and he has done a couple of Greens for me, also seen a blower go up and down trying to move the arisings off the side of the green.
The strimmer attachment is actually a snow 'broom' best described as rubber flaps across a rotor i spose rather than bristles and is very effective at gettin the stuff off without pulling sand out the groove, yes you have to shovel it up at the ends but hey ho, would be possible to use sweeper collector too when in row at end spose if you had one available but do you want that weight running over your surface?
Bristles and blowers may be easier but will pull sand out the groove allowing the surface to close over very quickly, Sand Injection is a very different game from scarification in terms of what you are trying to achieve IMHO and what works behind a scarify may not be clean enough/too aggressive on some surfaces.
Plastic.... it's The End I tell you... THE END!!!!
26 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Hi Barry
Thanks for the info . Seems i have a good idea of it all Know .
Many thanks all for the info .
Mark
26 Nov 2009 by Sumomosr
Late reply, sorry Mark.
Only to repeat what Barry has stated - that the power-brush doesn't remove the sand from the slits which is good as that's where you want it. The 'beating' action perhaps helps settle it a bit too?
There were some excellent cross-section pics on the Graden/Keiths website (not sure which) and in their brochure showing the sand filled to level with the top of the slit.
GOGGA
27 Nov 2009 by Barry Pace
This is how I would clean up having seen other ways tried unless I had access to something like the Cat 800 Turfmech machine
Plastic.... it's The End I tell you... THE END!!!!
27 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Many thanks Sumo and Barry
I have read up on the graden site ,and also spoken to them on prices . I have also been in touch with people who may wish to hire in a GS 04 or sand injector, if the purchase price is right.
On a slightly different note if you are unaware, there is 100 % right off on machines purchased by the 5th of april up to the value of 50 K. So may be now is a good time to spend if you need anything .
Barry the machine shown looks like part of the stihl combi system .
Mark
27 Nov 2009 by Sumomosr Last edited 27 Nov 2009
That one is and there are other brands.
Baz are you Stihl sweeping?
GOGGA
27 Nov 2009 by Barry Pace
Yes it is but havent used that particular model/make, only used Keiths strimmer one whatever that was, just liked the look of the wider heads and Stihl was easier to google lol
Plastic.... it's The End I tell you... THE END!!!!
27 Nov 2009 by minch
Hi has2
we went to a demo of this on a golf green earlier this year.
The Turfcat 800 and 300 both made mincemeat of clearing up after graden - no sand brushed out of slits - green done and dusted in 31 mins.
Chairman pitched up unexpectedly and started putting and even he looked pleased.
We've always had to do theclearing by hand at our place with snow shovels until now takes six blokes killing themselves all day for four greens, but boss says thats the last time. Otherwise were off!
also tried those sthils - starts off ok but hard work after short time
Cheers.
27 Nov 2009 by Sumomosr
Those Turfcat's are ok - while they are working.
They were never designed with repairers in mind.
Also notice how the one wheel is running on the unswept part of the green?
GOGGA
28 Nov 2009 by has 2 mow
Hi Minch
Thanks for the info over the time factor . We work on bowls greens , and with the equivalent to 27 golf greens plus any extras that come in . will certainly avoid the shovels now. Need something more like a windrow and a comfy seat .
Bath
After reading through the messages posted again, my last reply to you seems i may have come across rude . But it was not meant to be , all the best
Mark
28 Nov 2009 by minch
Hey Mark
turfcat is definitely comfy - and so much easier. Rep was saying they look at the worst jobs on the go and try to design kit to make it easier. certainly got it right this time.
good point about wheel going over line summosa - was dry when we saw it and no prob but might be different in wet. hire kit so not our guy who has to worry about breakdowns
cheers
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