After using the mix tank for a couple weeks, we added a few new features to make it more usable.  To facilitate faster filling, we plumbed the irrigation water from the South Course directly into the tank.  Filling the entire 275 gallon tank with the irrigation line takes under 5 minutes.  To help screen out any of the debris that makes it through the irrigation lines, we installed a fine mesh strainer screen.  There’s also a quick disconnect in line, in case we ever have to move the tank for some reason.  In the event that the irrigation is not pressurized, a 3/4″ female hose thread swivel connector was installed to allow the hose from the well water to be hooked up to the fill line.

For ease of rinsing containers and the mix tank itself, we also installed a 6′ hose with quick connect and a nozzle to the fill line.  Valves allow one or both to be operated at the same time.

-Justin Parker, Equipment Manager

One of the most important cultural practices here at Stow Acres Country Club is spraying our greens, tees and fairways.  On average, we spray twice each week.  We have two dedicated sprayers, one 175 gallon Spraytek DS175 for greens and tees, and a 300 gallon Toro Multipro 5700 for fairways.  Given the volume of the tanks, and the precision with which the sprays are mixed, it can take upwards of an hour to fully load the sprayer.  Each spray is typically 2-3 loads, which requires 2-3 hours or more of mixing and loading the spray.  This season, we decided to change the process up a little.

We built a Pre-Mix Tank to facilitate mixing the spray while the spray technician is in the field treating the turf.  The first step in the process was selecting a tank.  We used a 275 gallon bulk fertilizer tank.  275 gallons of water, at 8.35 lbs per gallon, weighs 2300 lbs.  With this in mind, we built a pressure treated stand of the same design as a hot tub deck.  The stand also includes an area to stand on while loading the mix.

The tank was then modified to fit our design.  We cut in a bulkhead with straining screen.  The mix tank is powered by a 3/4 hp sump pump that drives a sprayer fill valve, in line strainer screen with bypass, and agitation nozzles to keep the products adequately mixed prior to loading.  The tank is filled from our 120 psi South Course irrigation.  An inline strainer screen filters the water before entering the tank.  A custom aluminum fill hose frame was built and hinged to the tank.  To facilitate the arm swinging without binding the fill hoses, we installed swing joints at both pivot points (upper and lower fill hoses).   A platform was mounted to the tank cage with a cutout for the calibrated mixing cup.

Once we started using the mix tank, the time spent by the spray technician at the shop between loads has decreased from an hour or more, to only 5 minutes.

For more information on the mix tank, feel free to comment on this post, or contact me at JParker@StowAcres.com.

-Justin Parker, Equipment Manager

Having the right tools certainly makes any job go easier and quicker (and often times much safer).  Here in the shop, we’re constantly hoisting machines up, trying to squeeze underneath, or bending down to adjust reels.  To our excitement, a Golf Lift GL9  9000lb turf lift was worked into the budget for this season.  This lift is designed specifically for the turf industry, with a pan that spans two of the lift arms to accomodate three-wheeled equipment.

It was a very tight fit in our shop, with less than 0.25″ to the beam above the top of the lift post.

The lift definitely gives us easier access to the underside of our machines.

It has even provided more storage in the shop overnight with all of the Managers’ utility carts parked in the shop.

-Justin Parker, Equipment Manager

Last year we purchased a Toro 5400 fairway sprayer, considered by most to be the Cadillac of sprayers. This replaced our very outdated Smithco Spraystar 3000. The vehicle itself was in decent enough shape, with just over 1000 hours on it. The sprayer part of the machine was in dire shape, however. With bent booms, sporadic lift actuators, a temperamental foaming system, and outdated calibration technology, it was time to upgrade to a more efficient sprayer. The Spraystar 3000 sat unused last season.

We manage a large property here at Stow Acres. With such a historic country club, we spend a fair amount of time renovating and renewing features of the course to their intended beauty. Moving material across the course for this task has proven to be labor intensive and troublesome on the equipment. The 90+ years of golf played on some parts of this property has developed a character of undulating turf, which is sometimes tough on the lighter utility vehicles we have, which are constructed with aluminum frames and relatively small cargo beds. The need to move large amounts of dense material such as sand, soil, stone, and cart path material could be filled by the same machine that was built to carry 3000 lbs of water.

We began by stripping the Spraystar of it’s sprayer components. The booms, tank, pump, electronics, computer, foamer, and lines were all removed.

From there, we began to prep for paint. The acrylic windows were removed, all loose rust was sanded smooth, body filler was applied to any dented or mis-shapen area, and primer applied over those spots.

The vehicle was then painted GM Onyx Black with a one step urethane paint. The frame and gondola dump box arrived and were placed on the chassis.

The lift cylinder was installed and plumbed to the lift valve.

Lights were added to the roof, and a hitch constructed for trailering our Toro Procore 648 aerator.

With the lift cylinder in operation, we tested out a load of stone in the bed:

Custom decals finished off the project:

-Justin Parker, Equipment Manager

One of the most tedious tasks involved in aerating is actually transporting the aerator.  With a transport speed equivalent to a casual walk, travelling from green to green can be painstaking.  For fairway spot aeration, 90% of the time required for the job is often spent transporting.

Assistant Superintendent Kevin Bracken came to us this winter with the idea to build a custom trailer for our Toro Procore 648 aerator.  Since the manufacturers haven’t ever tackled this project, we hit the drawing board.

We started with a 1500 lb capacity trailer from harbor freight.  The tires were too tall and too narrow for this application, as they increased the approach angle, and would leave ruts in the turf.  We switched them out for shorter, 2x wider tires, which were rated for 2000+ lbs.

From there, to help accomodate the weight of the aerator, we switched the 3 leaf 1500 lb springs for longer 4 leaf 2000 lb springs.

Since the aerator has such a short ground clearance and wheel base, the breakover angle of the machine needed to be factored into the angle of the tailgate ramp.  To accomodate this, we stretched the tailgate 12″.

The deck and tailgate were covered in 3/4″ plywood, and we fabricated tie bars and mounts to hold the tailgate up during transit.

To quickly and effectively secure the aerator during transit, we used spring loaded rigging hooks, 3/8″ chain, and d-rings.

For storage, a trailer jack was added.

The aerator fit very well on the trailer, and was balanced with approximately 50 lbs of tongue weight.  It will be pulled with our newly fabricated material hauler, which we’ll showcase in the next post from The Shop.

-Justin Parker, Equipment Manager