1

Mowing equipment is the most expensive capital expenditure for a turf maintenance operation. This triplex reel mower used to mow sports fields and golf greens cost about 20,000 dollars. This high quality mower is required to mow at heights below 1 inch. This mower will mow an average football field in about two hours.

2

Reel mowers produce the highest quality cut at heights below 1 inch. Less expensive rotary mowers can be used on higher cut turf.

3

These fiveplex mowers are used to mow large turf areas such as golf course fairways and multiple sports fields. This mower requires less than half the time required for a triplex mower. Even though this mower costs twice as much as the triplex mowing costs are reduced by labor savings.

4

This small rotary mower used to mow this baseball field is inexpensive, but the costs of mowing the field are much greater than with the triplex of fiveplex mowers. It takes this operator ten hours to mow the field with this mower. A triplex mower would require less than two hours.

5

The same field mowed with a reel type mower has much higher quality turf and the costs of mowing is less.

6

Drag type reel mowers are less expensive than the riding mowers, but require a heavy tractor. On wet fields and golf courses the lighter weight riding mowers are replacing this type mower.

7

On sports fields and golf courses reel mowers are sharpened and adjusted daily. Reel mowers cut grasses like scissors between the stationary bedknife and the revolving reel. Fine adjustments are critical to the quality of cut and the lifespan of the reel and bedknife. The reel should not make contact with the bedknife, but should crimp paper placed between the reel and bedknife.

8

Reels are frequently backlapped to put a fine edge on the reel. Dull reels do not cut cleanly.

9

The leaf blade on the right illustrates the effects of a dull mower.

10

Shear points are created by the cutting actions of a reel type mower. The height of cut, the number of blades on the reel and the speed the reel revolves determines the distance between shear points.

11

Where shear points are too wide, the grass has a ripple affect after mowing. This can be eliminated by raising the mowing height, speeding up the reel or selecting a reel with more blades.

12

This field illustrates cutting with a reel mower where shear points (or clip) are too wide. The operator probably mowed at a speed too fast for the mower he was using.

13

Factors Affecting Factors Affecting “Clip”“Clip”

77Number of bladesNumber of blades

77Speed of reelSpeed of reel

77Ground speedGround speed

14

Rotary mowers cut the grass by a single blade revolving at a high rate of speed. Rotary mowers do not cut as cleanly as reel mowers. However, rotary mowers are less expensive, easier to maintain and faster than most reel mowers. Rotary mowers are also preferred in landscapes where the operator has to maneuver around trees and other obstacles.

15

Rotary mowers require frequent checks to find dull or chipped blades. The blade at the top illustrates the effect of the blade striking some solid object, which is a rock. For the homeowner, blades should be sharpened several times during the growing season.

16

This illustrates the correct way to sharpen a rotary mower blade.

17

The effects of mowing bermudgrass with a dull rotary mower. Leaf tips appear frayed and rapidly lose color, giving the lawn a white appearance within hours after mowing.