11 Jul 2011 by adam fairbrother
Need a scarifier for our wicket can I have some idea what is a good one to get... usual probs small club limited budget etc etc ...
11 Jul 2011 by Vic Demain Last edited 11 Jul 2011
Hi Adam, look for a secondhand Sisis Autorotorake, can pick them up fairly cheap and you may be able to get other fittings like a brush reel. Others will say Graden or big machines but the ARR4 should be fine for a small club.
Added, in fact one on the used machinery section for £380.
Vic.
Think you wil find that is a trio Rotorake Vic, best of luck pushing that.
I still say, big club little club, hire in heavy duty machine or contractor with one, well worth the money and the jobs a good one. Adam, try your county board, they may operate a channel four trailer, meant for clubs just like you. Contact your county pitch advisor.
Hold on a minute, you don't only use a scarifier once a season do you? Unless I'm doing something wrong, I use mine every week in preping a pitch. So hiring one in or getting a contractor in , is not a practical proposition is it?
My Sisis mark four is fine for in season prep and if you have a brush attachment, that works fine too, but the spiker reel is cr&p.
End of season Reno is another matter isn't it?
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
Ouch Grassman, think you will find I added the bit about the one on here. Only trying to help folk, no need to push anything and best of luck with the pitch advisors.
11 Jul 2011 by Zippy
Sisis Trio Rotorake with verticutt reel should be ok for controlling surface thatch and vertical growth during the playing season and wicket prep if you don't need to go too deep into the surface. Then look to hire graden/sisis 602 or TM1000 for end of season work.
There are other verticut alternatives (Protea etc) or another option is the Dennis FT which could replace wicket mower as well.
Small club, limited budget. Main point.
Barry I think we've been here before. Yes I hire in a scarifier once a season for deep renovations and yes, I do all the rest with the Sisis combirake. 90% of the effectiveness on the track is produced that way and it's hard work. The machine scarifier will produce the extra 10% that outperforms my efforts AND gives that perfect linear finish which my efforts cannot come close to. The cost however is astronomical compared to the rake. What price a reliable secondhand Autorotorake let alone a new Graden? Someone suggest some numbers here. Adam, are you using a combirake at least before looking at a powered machine?
In terms of the hugely variable budgets for clubs Vic, £380 is about 25% of my entire grounds budget for the year, loam and seed (but not fuel) included. The smaller clubs have to be imaginative.
Eddy a new combirake must cost at least £380 but then I wouldn't know as I have never bought one and don't sell them either, but would imagine you could pick up a ARR4 for about £1,000. If mine ever finds its way back from the mechanic I may consider doing you a deal but then he's only had it since Xmas.
Wouldn't want to be your paid groundsman on that budget!!!!
I think a new Combirake is now over £700 plus vat.
I don't know how big your square is Eddie but the bill for loam, seed and 4 bags fert for mine is over a grand.
Fuel on top of that is about £500 now.
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
I remember spitting out my tea (ok, beer) when I read this article by Andy Dixon at Dean Park from last year...
"But, it was the outfield that thwarted Hampshire CCC's attempt to return to the ground they last played on twelve years ago. A warm-up 'friendly' Twenty20 game against Dorset, prior to the start of the Friends Provident T20, had to be called off due to a waterlogged outfield. "It's another area I have got to address," says Andy. "I carry out regular slitting, but that is not enough. It really needs a good deep aeration programme but, with an annual budget of just £3,000, that simply isn't viable. And, anyway, I've already allocated £2,000 of that to end of season renovations!"
£3k for a ground like that! What planet do some committees live on?
Tony
Too much information coming up but I'm talkative and this is my contribution:
Hear hear Magnum. There is a strong argument for properly costing the price of a match day for hire, depending upon the level required. My rough guess for a BUSA or Northern League standard match would be about £300 plus teas and cleaning on the open market. For Dean Park, well it's a much higher standard again. Fond memories from the late sixties watching matches there. Great ground.
Vic if you have an ARR4 in full working condition I have a car and Ifor Williams willing to visit. Would look forward to being down your way again after many years.
Barry a new combirake is about £450 inc VAT at the moment which is dear enough.
I have 10 adult match decks, 2 junior decks (ie < U16), 2 net decks and 2 artificial pitches to maintain on my square. We host on average 65+ matches on grass plus practice and 20:20 plastic evening games. I operate by necessity on 110 - 135 bags of loam, 2-3 bags seed, 3-5 bags of fertiliser/feed and weed and perhaps £100 of supplementary chemicals per annum. This takes me to say £1000. Machinery hire takes this total to perhaps £1200. I maintain the machines myself through the season and spares and lubricants typically take up another £150. Lining paint adds another £100 (complicated set up here with up to 3 continuously maintained boundaries until the end of July). Winter machinery maintenance adds whatever is necessary in terms of reel and blade sharpening but that is out of my remit, I only advise what is absolutely necessary. The average bill will be about £700 which is costed separately to my seasonal budget. The only effort, much to my shame, we put into the outfield is an early March cut and box off by the council to shave and take away the moss so that the Allen National can function at the start of the season. That's another £100. Otherwise the outfield is "au naturelle" but very short and acceptable. Water bills are minimal. We haven't had to water a track for 3 years, nature has done it for us.
18 Jul 2011 by paul.
All
Not had the best morning !
Cancellations on work due to start next few weeks /State of the square after second team played water polo on it sat etc etc!
However even after all this time,i now Just think of Poor old Andy Dixon and all my troubles just melt away !!!
Somebody tell me he`s got the job he deserves!!!!
Good luck Andy!
oh Adam
Doubt the triorake is what you want!!!
The ARR4 would be sensible (ebay but be carefull)
Sisis 600 think there is Still one at Etc machinery approx £2000 would be nice!!!
Second hand Graden if you can find one coz they are that good would be utopia!!!!
Paul
The rain yesterday and today has washed and cleaned my square nicely. We got on in spite of water under the 40 x 90' cover sheet to win a reduced overs match by just 3 runs and 9 minutes to spare. Not much left of the deck though. Just called off tonights final u10s matches. And still it rains. Still I could be the club next door. Their septic tank has filled and flooded. Very unpleasant.
18 Jul 2011 by paul.
Eddy
Please cheer me up and tell me your next door to Dean Park!!!
If money is that tight then keep an eye on Ebay and pick up a Sisis lawnman for 50 quid (max).
Hire in for end of season reno's, and use the lawnman and a yard broom in season.
You can have it one of two ways: cheap and hard work, or easy and pricey.
With a lawnman and a yard broom you can get stunning results, but it takes effort.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
I've been looming on eBay for a lawnman for nearly two years!
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
Paul, ha ha, no I' m 300 miles from Dean Park but I know what you're thinking.
Mr Lawrence, you're absolutely right, it's either physical work which is my lot at the moment or machinery at a price. The downside of the latter is not only the outlay but also the maintenance. Once you have the dogs bollox in scarifiers it can cost a similar fortune to maintain them.
There is an aside here in terms of the plant hire firms around my part of the world. They are moving to the flail blade rather than fixed blade machine which minimises their maintenance costs. The truth is these machines are strong but only do half the job on a cricket square. Not ideal.
Barry, an engineer of any decent skill can make the frame and axle, just buy the spings and tines.
A good springbok rake can do the same job as a lawnman just takes longer
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
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