It’s so easy to err when grinding and sharpening mower reels and blades. Here six common mistakes and some well-honed tips to avoid them.
Properly maintaining mowing equipment is essential to successfully maintaining turf. While the principles behind responsible equipment management are dogmatic, the methods of blade and reel sharpening are more widely debated. GCI reached out to equipment industry leaders to find out what works, what doesn’t, and how superintendents get the most out of their reels and blades year.
When turf managers and technicians run into with quality-of-cut issues they often overlook the most basic question: Is the mower operating with a sharp reel and bedknife? “Going out to mow with dull reels and bedknives is like running a stock car race with improperly inflated tires,” says Lynn Westbrook, principal engineer at Jacobsen. “You’ll never get the performance you need and the results will be less than perfect. It’s amazing how many guys either forget or neglect reel and bedknife sharpness.”
Here are six common mistakes superintendents and technicians make when grinding.
Unfortunately, technicians often leave relief grinding out of their normal routines. “The key to relief grinding is to stay on top of it and not wait until quality-of-cut issues present themselves in the grass,” says Klasie Baard, Jacobsen sales training manager. “Technicians should supplement their spin grinding with relief grinding at appropriate intervals. When you lose the relief grind on the blade edge, it creates additional contact and friction between the bedknife and reel blades, which demands additional horsepower. In fact, studies have shown that five reels running without relief use significantly more horsepower than five reels with relief.” Maintaining a relief on the blade edge does more than save on wear-and-tear and horsepower. “A good relief angle will also throw grass into the baskets more effectively,” says Baard. “A flat grind will actually fan the grass rather than cut it effectively.”
“If there are any two parts you should buy directly from the manufacturer it’s the reel and bedknife,” says Westbrook. “They are designed to work together and have very precise metallurgy to ensure the highest performance. When you add in a ‘may-fit’ reel or bedknife into the mix, the performance of the machine will be sacrificed and the results will show up in the grass. Another benefit is having the backing and support of a manufacturer if you run into any issues.”
While technician’s typically focus on grinding the reel and bedknife, it’s important to not to overlook the rollers, roller bearings, and reel bearings to ensure a stable grind. Any wear in the rotating components can cause the reel or bedknife to move during grinding.
“A brand-new $60,000 grinder will give you a bad grind if your $5 bearing is shot, so make sure everything is working properly,” says Baard. “While you have the machine off the floor, it’s also a good time to check other things like hardware, seals, etc.”
It’s another simple step that technicians often skip. After you’ve married the bedknife to the backing, the top and front faces of the bedknife need to be ground to make sure they are straight and true.
OEM reels are designed to work within certain parameters. Going beyond the manufacturer’s reel diameter tolerance limit alters the original geometry of the reel and bedknife setup, says Westbrook. “For example, on a 5-inch reel, you don’t want to get below a 4.5-inch diameter. When you see the reels worn past that diameter, the reel is simply unable to provide a good quality-of-cut.”
One of the biggest mistakes is not fully understanding that the reel and bedknife are not properly prepared for the task they are being asked to do, says Jim Letourneau, Foley United’s president and COO.
“Using dull reels and expecting a perfect cut will not result in the reels meeting the expectations of the user,” he says. “Doing a partial overhaul and sharpening job and expecting the reels to stay on cut for the entire season will also lead to disappointment.”
When it comes to reel grinding, Tracy Lanier, John Deere Golf product manager, says everyone has their own method that works best for them. But that doesn’t mean a program should be inflexible. “The most common problems that we see are on courses that use a grind-only program,” says Lanier. “These courses tend to grind too much, which can lead to increased cost due to reduced life of reels or bedknives. It can also lead to cut issues during times of stress.”
Lanier recommends a more balanced approach, using backlapping and reel grinding to maintain a good quality cut. Using this approach ensures the bedknife and reel stay sharper for longer.
Consider all of the variables
There are a large number of parameters and variables to evaluate to find the best course of action on any given day, says Foley United's Jim Letourneau. Making the decision to completely refurbish reels in the winter is an easy decision. What needs to be done to correct a poor quality of cut situation for a short period of time requires more complete evaluation.
"In most cases the manufacturers have tested and developed cutting units that will stay sharp, use the least amount of horsepower, and stay on cut the longest amount of time if they are returned to the manufacturer’s specifications," Letourneau says. "However, there are many methods that work and produce a high quality of cut and the best program may use a combination of all practices."
Letourneau recommends a program established by the team, not an individual, unless that individual is truly capable of understanding every facet of the reel maintenance program as it relates to the overall course maintenance program.
Pat finds inspiration in Mike Rowe’s dirty job.
When the TV show “Dirty Jobs” first hit the airwaves in 2005, I was mildly amused by the idea of this actor guy who subjected himself to performing nasty tasks like hog castration, snake sexing and bird vomit inspection. We yukked it up along with Mike Rowe and his crew as they got very, very dirty and we learned about the weirder side of America’s lesser-known workplaces.
But, along the way, the stinky and gooey parts of more than 300 different filthy jobs began to take a backseat to another aspect of the show: getting to know typical Americans who work hard behind the scenes and do important things that benefit others.
Over the years I became a regular viewer of “Dirty Jobs,” but I also became a fan of Mike Rowe himself. Here’s a guy who faked his way into an opera singing job 20+ years ago and since then has become an iconic TV host, voiceover king, corporate spokesman for Ford, CAT and others, big fan of the Green Industry and, more recently, an advocate for the idea that not everyone needs a college degree and that labor – hard work using one’s own hands – is a rewarding and valuable thing.
In short, I think Mike Rowe is far more in touch with the pulse of America than any member of Congress or big city mayor. I also like the fact that he’s apolitical. It’s not about politics... it’s about common sense. You can learn a lot of great stuff about his foundation and what he’s trying to accomplish here: www.profoundlydisconnected.com.
I decided I had to talk about Rowe this month after a simple Facebook post he wrote last month pretty much blew my mind because it perfectly captured the whole Millennial angst problem but it also speaks volumes about America today. A young person wrote him for career advice and he responded... well, read it for yourself. Here’s a shortened version. You can find the whole thing on his site:
Hey Mike! I’ve spent this last year trying to figure out the right career for myself and I still can’t figure out what to do. I have always been a hands-on kind of guy and a go-getter. I could never be an office worker. I need change, excitement, and adventure in my life, but where the pay is steady. I grew up in construction and my first job was a restoration project. I love everything outdoors. I play music for extra money. I like trying pretty much everything, but get bored very easily. I want a career that will always keep me happy, but can allow me to have a family and get some time to travel. I figure if anyone knows jobs it’s you so I was wondering your thoughts on this if you ever get the time! Thank you!
“Consider your own words. You don’t want a career - you want the “right” career. You need “excitement” and “adventure,” but not at the expense of stability. You want lots of “change” and the “freedom to travel,” but you need the certainty of “steady pay.” You talk about being “easily bored” as though boredom is out of your control. It isn’t. Boredom is a choice. Like tardiness. Or interrupting. It’s one thing to “love the outdoors,” but you take it a step further. You vow to “never” take an office job. You talk about the needs of your family, even though that family doesn’t exist. And finally, you say the career you describe must “always” make you “happy.”
“Stop looking for the “right” career, and start looking for a job. Any job. Forget about what you like. Focus on what’s available. Get yourself hired. Show up early. Stay late. Volunteer for the scut work. Become indispensable. You can always quit later, and be no worse off than you are today. But don’t waste another year looking for a career that doesn’t exist. And most of all, stop worrying about your happiness. Happiness does not come from a job. It comes from knowing what you truly value, and behaving in a way that’s consistent with those beliefs.
“Many people today resent the suggestion that they’re in charge of the way they feel. But trust me, Parker. Those people are mistaken. That was a big lesson from Dirty Jobs, and I learned it several hundred times before it stuck. What you do, who you’re with, and how you feel about the world around you, is completely up to you.”
This is remarkable advice on a bunch of levels. First, it’s a nice slap upside the head to a generation of young workers who aren’t particularly interested in working. Second, it reminds us that the simplest things matter most: I’ll take someone who’s hard-working and reliable over someone who crushed their ACT or interned someplace fancy anytime. Finally, he really nails it by stating flatly that happiness doesn’t flow from your title... it comes from walking the talk.
This country needs way less Kim Kardashian and way more Mike Rowe. Let’s never forget there is honor and great reward in simple hard work. And let’s teach our kids that lesson, too.
They’re a great asset to not only the golf course, but also to the irrigation system.
When it comes to irrigation maintenance and repair the responsibility at most golf courses usually falls to the assistant superintendent or second assistant. Why? Because repairs and troubleshooting need to be done by someone who is responsible and has the ability and understanding of how important the irrigation system is to the overall maintenance and operation of the course. If water management is a factor, due to limited water supply or public perception, there is even more reason to have a management-level employee dealing with the irrigation system. Have you ever thought of designating someone to perform all your irrigation maintenance or hiring an irrigation technician instead of letting it fall to the assistants?
An irrigation technician is a great asset to not only the golf course, but also to the irrigation system. Having a staffer who is solely responsible for maintaining the irrigation system helps the system operate better, have fewer problems and most likely save water. Irrigation technicians are proactive with maintenance as opposed to being reactive, which is the case at most courses.
Most high-end courses have irrigation technicians, with some facilities employing more than one. Whether there is an irrigation technician (or technicians) is usually dependent on how large the irrigation system is or how much trouble it is causing.
Intuitively, the more sprinklers the system has the more maintenance it requires. Likewise, an older irrigation system needs more maintenance. Consider designating an irrigation technician if system maintenance is taking too much of your or your assistant’s time, or if it is taking more than 75 percent of one of your staff’s time.
There’s no hard and fast rule. I know many 18-hole courses without an irrigation technician, and at least one course with three. One irrigation technician can maintain approximately 2,000 or so sprinklers with their associated controllers, valves, wiring and piping, but this will vary by course and number of holes.
What duties will an irrigation technician perform? First and foremost, addressing issues as they occur. These will include: broken pipes, leaking fittings, weeping sprinklers, non-operating sprinklers and controller or wiring issues. Routine work includes troubleshooting the system as necessary, as well.
When immediate issues do not have to be addressed, the technician can level sprinklers and set them to grade, check sprinkler arcs and nozzles and perform audits to improve irrigation scheduling. They can perform preventive maintenance, such as cleaning out controllers, exercising gate valves, tightening grounding clamps, replacing and leveling valve boxes, and cleaning and painting the pump house and pump station.
Above all else, patience is necessary to provide these services. Troubleshooting a strict sequence and customer service as the irrigation technician is always out among the members and players making repairs.
Of course, being mechanical oriented and not being afraid to get dirty doesn’t hurt, either. Wire tracking and fault finding is a necessary skill, but unfortunately it is one only perfected with experience. With new technologies – such as integrated decoder type systems and the use of HDPE pipe – more skills and training are needed because these systems use more sophisticated equipment.
Most superintendents determine the watering schedule and have the irrigation central control system in their office. However, in some cases, the irrigation technician may be watering or implementing the schedule. Usually the technician maintains the irrigation system central controller database. As we have discussed in this space before, it is essential to have an accurate database. The irrigation technician is best positioned to ensure that the correct sprinkler, nozzle and arc that they have serviced in the field are reflected in the database. By performing audits, they can also use the data collected to fine tune precipitation rates and runtimes.
Unfortunately, good irrigation technicians are hard to find and they are beginning to earn higher salaries. There is no real training program other than experience. Much like a spray technician, if you can identify someone on your staff with the right skillset you can train them on irrigation repair and send them to electrical troubleshooting or auditing classes.
Irrigation technicians can be well worth the cost especially if you have an aging irrigation system that has continual problems as they are less expensive than a new system.
If you have the budget to hire or the available staff, an irrigation technician will improve the operation and lengthen the life of your irrigation system. It should also provide for better playing conditions as the irrigation system will cause less issues on the course and have improved uniformity when compared to an irrigation system only maintained and/or repaired when necessary.
B rian Vinchesi, the 2009 EPA WaterSense Irrigation Partner of the Year, is president of Irrigation Consulting Inc., a golf course irrigation design and consulting firm headquartered in Pepperell, Mass., that designs irrigation systems throughout the world. He can be reached at bvinchesi@irrigationconsulting.com or 978/433-8972.
Wisconsin turf profs band together to consolidate funding resources.
I read John Kaminski’s March column with great interest. I’m glad he wrote it and, for the most part, he’s right on the mark. I suspect most of his academic colleagues would agree with him, too.
Funding has been an issue for as long I as I have been in the turf profession. The lack of industry financial support was the catalyst for the Wisconsin Turfgrass Association in the early 1980s. A serious turf disease was having a negative impact, especially on sod production, and a group of sod producers visited the University of Wisconsin’s college of agricultural and life sciences dean for action. In a nutshell, his response was: “You’ll have to help with funding.”
The WTA is an umbrella organization that covers golf turf, sod production, lawn care, sports turf, cemeteries, manufacturers, and distributors. From the beginning, there has been a broad base of support. Our success is due to our focus and hard work supporting turfgrass research at the UW-Madison, just like the dean suggested. We zero in on faculty need. In addition to membership dues, we started a field day, a winter conference and a golf fundraiser. Various turf groups now have their own events to raise money for the WTA.
We started giving scholarships and making research grants. The amount of funding wasn’t large, but we had priorities in mind. We had our eyes on a really big project – to conceive, design, build and gift to the university an agricultural research station for turfgrass like most other states already had. Being the last to build a turfgrass research station allowed us to learn and build the best. Due to good timing and fortunate politics, we acquired the land we needed contiguous to the new university golf course that was underway. Once fund raising started and was well known, we had an anonymous donor step up and match what we raised, which shortened our time frame. Before we knew it, the building was designed and The O.J. Noer Turfgrass Research and Education Facility was open and ready for business. By the way, we didn’t deed the farm and all the amenities over to the state until we were completely finished. We did it all our way.
Our support of faculty has covered other areas. Over the past 25 years we’ve averaged half a dozen scholarships each year. The WTA has funded the first-year salary and benefit package for two new turf profs to secure their hiring. We’ve funded individual projects, purchased all kinds of equipment from computers and data loggers to mowers and trucksters. Equipment and soft goods manufacturers have been extremely supportive as well. Our ARS has hosted urban field days, our own WTA Turfgrass Field Day, Grandparents University and even the TPI Field Days. The Noer Facility houses our turf diagnostic lab, a development that happened only after we built the station. The WTA also funds half of the program assistant’s salary.
Another big step was taken when we established a relationship with the UW Foundation. This organization helps with fundraising, manages our money and deals with legal and investment issues. The WTA now has four WTA Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowships, each one supporting a grad student. This fellowship fund gives access to the earnings of our $2 million corpus and is accessible only to turfgrass faculty for grad students. We also have a WTA Turfgrass Research Sustainability Fund in the UWF to support research requests. And we are initiating a legacy endowment fund in the UWF to help industry people with estate planning, legacy gifting and similar needs. This fund does not allow any invasion of the principal; only the earnings support research.
To John’s point about decreased GCSAA research funding, I am guessing GCSAA dues and income are at the point of what traffic will bear, and I doubt they can help it.
But I do know in a relatively small state, Wisconsin turf professionals have done an excellent job in support of our land grant university and its turf program. Our mission is to keep it going; after all, we are only helping to help ourselves.
Monroe Miller retired after 36 years as superintendent at Blackhawk CC in Madison, Wis. He is a recipient of the 2004 USGA Green Section Award, the 2009 GCSAA Col. John Morley DSA Award, and is the only superintendent in the Wisconsin Golf Hall of Fame. Reach him at groots@charter.net.
A note to golfers about this winter and its impact.
This was a tough winter for most turfgrass managers. The discussions surrounding winterkill in both cool- and to a lesser extent warm-season turfgrasses was prominent throughout the industry. Many shared their stories of death and destruction while others were happy to be able to post images of healthy greens.
Winterkill on annual bluegrass putting greens was rampant on many courses throughout the mid-Atlantic and Northern US. Even our research plots at the Valentine Turfgrass Center were pretty much a total loss. Thankfully, I didn’t have any ongoing research in these areas and we hope to have them back to full capacity by the time our anthracnose trials begin in June.
The bad part about our death and destruction is that we had originally thought that we made it through with minor problems. We did exactly what we preached to all of you out there and pulled samples from various areas, placed them in a greenhouse and waited to see if anything survived. Surprisingly, we observed pretty good recovery in nearly all samples that we pulled in early March.
Unfortunately, the winter didn’t want to let go and the damage had yet to be done. Despite what appeared to be relatively unharmed in March, April thaws and refreezes coupled with prolonged periods of cold weather put the final nail in the coffin. We ended up with 100 percent death. It was like an episode of Game of Thrones when Ned Stark was about to be freed only to have his head chopped off. So much hope killed with one swing of the sword.
Just like us, many of you who thought that you made it through the season in decent shape didn’t come up with a contingency plan to deal with the death. This means unexpected increases in labor and budget to get the turf back in playing conditions. It also means delayed openings, reduced rounds and decreased income for the club. Based on this, members will be pushing to get things back to normal.
For those superintendents that had to deal with (or are dealing with) dead turf, there will be nothing normal about this season. While overseeding and resodding may have taken place and the putting surfaces now look like they are in prime condition, they’re likely far from it.
If you were one of the fortunate ones who got the go ahead to resod with creeping bentgrass, you will probably be in the best spot. However, you will still be dealing with very young and relatively shallow rooted turfgrass as we head into the summer.
For those that did what we did in our research plots and simply poked as many holes as possible to allow the existing Poa seed to germinate, you may be in for a struggle. These young seedlings have about 1-2 months to become as healthy as possible before the summer stress wallops its punch. There’s a reason we don’t open a golf course 2 months after seeding.
So what do the members and golfers need to know?
They need to know that this was one hell of a winter and you’re not alone in your struggles. They need to realize that there’s a reason the course down the street didn’t lose turf and you did. They need to realize that there’s a real difference between the creeping bentgrass greens on the neighboring course and the annual bluegrass on yours. They need to realize that the hybrid Bermudagrass they thought was a bulletproof choice on their greens may be challenged in a winter like this.
They need to know that it’s not your fault that one of the greens on your course died while another didn’t. They need to understand that variation in drainage or shade on golf course surfaces as well as microclimates from one green to the next can have a tremendous impact on plant health and survival.
They need to understand that preventive maintenance practices help to reduce the possibility of these dramatic events, but that even the best laid plans are sometimes not enough.
Hopefully one thing that will come out of a winter like this one is that clubs will start to realize the potential negative impacts of a harsh winter (similar to harsh summer) and allow for modifications. These may include converting from annual bluegrass to creeping bentgrass or installing internal drainage to improve water movement. Each case is different and the only person who knows what best for the course is the individual superintendent managing the course.
The bottom line is that the members and golfers out there need to realize a few things.
Although the golfers will likely feel angry and upset about the conditions and/or delays in course opening, I can assure you that the superintendent and their staff will be feeling 10 times the pressure and stress. Believe me, they hate losing turf more than you.
J ohn E. Kaminski, Ph.D. is an associate professor, Turfgrass Science, and director of the Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program at Penn State University. You can reach him at kaminski@psu.edu.