Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
- SimonR
- Posts: 413
- Joined: February 8th, 2014, 12:59 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Grass Type: Santa Ana Couch
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
I wanted to share some pics of my winter project, as around this time of year most of the warm-season members are pulling their hair out at how thick and spongy the lawn has become.
I converted a reel mower to a dedicated verticutter/ groomer last year to attempt to thin out and reduce excessive lateral growth of my hybrid bermuda. The off-the-shelf blades that I used didn't work as effectively as I had planned, so if at first you don't succeed; spend more money!
To keep the cost down I decided to design my own blades based on the JRM/Dyna-blades and have them laser cut out of 2mm sheet steel. I went for slightly thicker material as I wanted to use it for renovation work too if I need to. I also tracked down some 10mm hex shaft spacers to suit.
It has come together pretty well and I think this will provide the results that I am after.
I converted a reel mower to a dedicated verticutter/ groomer last year to attempt to thin out and reduce excessive lateral growth of my hybrid bermuda. The off-the-shelf blades that I used didn't work as effectively as I had planned, so if at first you don't succeed; spend more money!
To keep the cost down I decided to design my own blades based on the JRM/Dyna-blades and have them laser cut out of 2mm sheet steel. I went for slightly thicker material as I wanted to use it for renovation work too if I need to. I also tracked down some 10mm hex shaft spacers to suit.
It has come together pretty well and I think this will provide the results that I am after.
- dfw_pilot
- Posts: 1872
- Joined: July 30th, 2014, 10:37 am
- Location: Lewisville, Texas
- Grass Type: U3 Bermuda
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
Nice work!
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- Posts: 225
- Joined: May 10th, 2014, 2:21 pm
- Location: Gonzales, LA
- Grass Type: Front centipede celebration bermuda blend/ Back a blend of Tifway419 and common seeded
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
Very cool, what brand of mowere was used for this, and overall how dificult of project was this?
- Michael Wise
- Posts: 4554
- Joined: August 3rd, 2010, 10:36 pm
- Location: Hensley, AR
- Grass Type: Tifway 419
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Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
Super cool, Simon!
- SimonR
- Posts: 413
- Joined: February 8th, 2014, 12:59 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Grass Type: Santa Ana Couch
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
Thanks boys! I can't wait to use it so I might find an inconspicuous spot to give the grass a tease.
Jacob, the hardest part was getting the shaft made. Making sure that I had all the measurements correct, as the shaft for the bearings needed to be turned down, a wood-ruff key cut for the sprocket and then a thread cut for the retaining nut. As for the blades, once again it came down to tolerances and making sure that the blades fit snugly on the shaft. It wasn't hard, just a little frustrating at times as I am not exactly a wizz when it comes to using Adobe programs.
Here is the bare shaft.
It is fitted to an Australian made rear drum-drive reel mower called a Scott Bonnar 45.
Jacob, the hardest part was getting the shaft made. Making sure that I had all the measurements correct, as the shaft for the bearings needed to be turned down, a wood-ruff key cut for the sprocket and then a thread cut for the retaining nut. As for the blades, once again it came down to tolerances and making sure that the blades fit snugly on the shaft. It wasn't hard, just a little frustrating at times as I am not exactly a wizz when it comes to using Adobe programs.
Here is the bare shaft.
It is fitted to an Australian made rear drum-drive reel mower called a Scott Bonnar 45.
- Mightyquinn
- Posts: 4354
- Joined: July 1st, 2009, 3:42 pm
- Location: Southeast NC
- Grass Type: Bermuda Tifway 419 Monostand
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
Very nice Simon!!! I wish I had gone with a blade design similar to that when I had mine made.
- SimonR
- Posts: 413
- Joined: February 8th, 2014, 12:59 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Grass Type: Santa Ana Couch
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
What are you running on your JD dethatcher MQ?Mightyquinn wrote:Very nice Simon!!! I wish I had gone with a blade design similar to that when I had mine made.
- Mightyquinn
- Posts: 4354
- Joined: July 1st, 2009, 3:42 pm
- Location: Southeast NC
- Grass Type: Bermuda Tifway 419 Monostand
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
I had some 6 point star shaped blades made for mine that aren't as pretty as yours. Your blades look like they would fit on mine. How big is the Hex hole in the middle?
- SimonR
- Posts: 413
- Joined: February 8th, 2014, 12:59 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Grass Type: Santa Ana Couch
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
The shaft is 27mm which is 1 1/16". I made the bore on the blades slightly oversize by 0.2mm and they fit perfectly.
The Dyna and Dellennium blades are all 1 1/8".
The Dyna and Dellennium blades are all 1 1/8".
- Mightyquinn
- Posts: 4354
- Joined: July 1st, 2009, 3:42 pm
- Location: Southeast NC
- Grass Type: Bermuda Tifway 419 Monostand
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
I believe the shaft on my verticutter is 3/4"(19mm) Hex drive. Where did you get those spacers at?
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- Posts: 1577
- Joined: April 12th, 2015, 10:56 pm
- Location: Southern Georgia
- Grass Type: Platinum TE Paspalum up front and Bermuda in the rear
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
- SimonR
- Posts: 413
- Joined: February 8th, 2014, 12:59 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Grass Type: Santa Ana Couch
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
MQ, I got the spacers from Golf and Bowling Machinery in Melbourne. They were really easy to deal with so I can find out where they source them from as I am sure they would come from the US.
SG311, I am still about a month away from scalping for the start of the season, but I doubt I can wait that long so I will probably give it a whirl and just nick into the canopy to see how effective it is.
SG311, I am still about a month away from scalping for the start of the season, but I doubt I can wait that long so I will probably give it a whirl and just nick into the canopy to see how effective it is.
- Jayhawkmba
- Posts: 287
- Joined: August 3rd, 2014, 8:22 pm
- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Grass Type: Zeon Zoysia, tifGrand, & 419
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
Simon, you just keep 'raising the bar'...designing, custom making your own verticutter!
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- Posts: 1577
- Joined: April 12th, 2015, 10:56 pm
- Location: Southern Georgia
- Grass Type: Platinum TE Paspalum up front and Bermuda in the rear
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
The verticutter I was looking at was a bust. Could not pull the start chord when I went and looked at it. Engine possibly seized. Replacement engine over $600.
Anyone know why a verticutter would need an 11 hp motor? May look to convert a reel like Simon if I can't work it out.
[ Post made via iPhone ]
Anyone know why a verticutter would need an 11 hp motor? May look to convert a reel like Simon if I can't work it out.
[ Post made via iPhone ]
- SimonR
- Posts: 413
- Joined: February 8th, 2014, 12:59 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Grass Type: Santa Ana Couch
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
Thanks Jayhawk, although strictly speaking I am trying to lower the bar! We have 3 kids under 4, so disposable income to spend on new equipment is not something I can do at the moment so I need to get creative with what I have.Jayhawkmba wrote: Simon, you just keep 'raising the bar'...designing, custom making your own verticutter!
Those Gradens are a pretty serious commercial renovation machine and are designed to cut into the soil and mat layer, dredging up all kinds of organic material.Southernguy311 wrote:The verticutter I was looking at was a bust. Could not pull the start chord when I went and looked at it. Engine possibly seized. Replacement engine over $600.
Anyone know why a verticutter would need an 11 hp motor? May look to convert a reel like Simon if I can't work it out.
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- Posts: 1577
- Joined: April 12th, 2015, 10:56 pm
- Location: Southern Georgia
- Grass Type: Platinum TE Paspalum up front and Bermuda in the rear
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
If I were only using the Graden for light frequent verticutting do you think a 4 hp engine replacement would suffice?
[ Post made via iPhone ]
[ Post made via iPhone ]
- SimonR
- Posts: 413
- Joined: February 8th, 2014, 12:59 am
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Grass Type: Santa Ana Couch
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
If you were going to use it only as a verticutter only and not for deep renovation then I couldn't see a 4HP being an issue.Southernguy311 wrote:If I were only using the Graden for light frequent verticutting do you think a 4 hp engine replacement would suffice?
[ Post made via iPhone ]
- Mightyquinn
- Posts: 4354
- Joined: July 1st, 2009, 3:42 pm
- Location: Southeast NC
- Grass Type: Bermuda Tifway 419 Monostand
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
I have an old small Kawasaki engine on mine and it does just fine even when I lower it down into the soil.
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: September 9th, 2019, 11:33 pm
- Location: Brisbane Australia
- Grass Type: Blue Couch
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
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Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
Hi SimonR,
an old post but was just reading it. I am in Brisbane and going to make a Groomer reel. Any chance you can let me know what shaft cost and spacers also. And was one of the shaft lock nut threads left hand.
an old post but was just reading it. I am in Brisbane and going to make a Groomer reel. Any chance you can let me know what shaft cost and spacers also. And was one of the shaft lock nut threads left hand.
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- Posts: 2244
- Joined: May 15th, 2012, 6:04 pm
- Location: Dracut, MA
- Grass Type: Northern Mix
- Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
- Level: Experienced
Re: Groomer/ Verticutter v2.0
It'll be interesting to see if SimonR replies. His last post was in January 2017.
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