Synthetic Bio in a Walk Mower?

One of the nice things about walk mowers if the absence of hydraulic oil leaks..  For an Equipment Manager that’s a nice weight off ones shoulders.  Years ago with our new riding mowers we hit about 1000 hours on them, and it seemed every hose that could go, did.  It’s really horrible when you’re watching a mower on a green and a hose blows up..  And we have a hose replacement program!!!   Every job has it’s down times..

So, it was great when we started using the walkbehind greens mowers again.  And then, I came across a green that had unbelievable spots on it.  The transmissions on our mowers are filled with Dextron ATF fluid (hydraulic !!) and turns out they have issues with seals..  So while this wasn’t a massive spill or leak, it was drops all over.

They’ve seen the light, discontinued this model, but we have 6 and will have them for awhile..  So, we had been using Terresolve Biodegradable hydraulic fluid for over 10 years in some of our riding greens mowers.  Jacobsen has had them make a synthetic version for them as well.  We have been experimenting with it in our riding greens mowers, fairway mowers, topdressers, and now with these :)

Very nice folks at the factory.  Whenever I need technical advice I call and there’s someone there to help.

Anyway, I started putting Jacobsens Greens Care Plus, which is a synthetic biodegradable hydraulic fluid in our Toro walk mowers.  So if we have future leaks, we won’t kill the turf..


www.themilitantmechanic.com

June Golf Course Trades online

Thank you for reading the June 2011 issue of The Golf Course Trades. In our cover story, we are introduced to Jason VanBuskirk, superintendent at Stow Acres Country Club in Stow, Mass. Jason became a superintendent at the tender age of 24, and he writes that the challenges set in before the excitement did. He realized right away that managing a huge 36-hole property was not going to be easy, especially since it was his first superintendent’s job.

This month’s Industry Insight article was provided by Rob Crook, managing partner with Floating Island Southeast. In Rob’s article, we learn that the Native Americans of South America built islands made of reeds to build their houses and farms on to avoid attack by an expanding Incan warrior empire. Primarily driven by the need to manage nutrients in the water, floating treatment wetlands these days are used for a variety of purposes and made from a wide variety of materials.

In our Supplier Insight article, A.J. Lepley writes about Vitamin Institute and a product called SUPERthrive. We are introduced to 99-year-old company founder John Thomson, who developed the SUPERthrive formula in 1939, and to this day is still actively involved in running the business. The product isn’t a fertilizer, but a vitamin and hormone regimen to be used in conjunction with standard fertilization procedures.

In our Company Spotlight, we learn more about Illinois-based Aqua Control, a company that’s been manufacturing water features since 1970. Their floating aerators and fountains are the result of extensive engineering to develop innovative new products with an emphasis on pumps that produce high volumes. Aqua Control has specially trained sales representatives at distributors from coast-to-coast, offering products ranging from ½ HP up to 40 HP with over 30 spray patterns.

This month’s Course Focus features Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in Harrison, Tenn., and The Valley Club in Hailey, Idaho. And on our Product Review page, you’ll find Otterbine Barebo Inc., a company that offers aerators and fountains to manage water quality, and Watersaver Co. Inc., a golf course pond and lake construction company that installs lake liners and supplies sediment- and evaporation-control products.