Commercial Mowers

Ferris IS 5100Z

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:51:28 +0000

When it comes to commercial lawnmowers, Ferris has really stepped up. They have a really great looking line of mowers. These mowers with there heavy construction and great features are truly commercial mowers.
The IS 5100Z series of full-sized zero-turn mowers features an impressive complement of comfort, performance and convenience. It features easier service access, more horsepower, improved operator comfort and increased performance. They have upgraded their industry-exclusive suspension and Roll Over Protection System (ROPS) as a standard feature.
With the new Caterpillar Diesel Engine it will have plenty of power and durability. The Caterpillar Engine has an expected life of 6000 operating hours and has 33.5 Hp.

Bellow is the Specification sheet for the IS 5100Z.

ENGINE Make-Caterpillar™ Diesel
Horsepower-33.5-hp
PTO-Electric
Cylinders-3
Starting-Electric
Fuel Capacity (gal.)-15

MOWER-Cutting Width(in.)-61 / 72 side or rear discharge
Cutting Height (in.)-1.5 – 6.0
Deck Construction-7, 10, & 12-gauge, fabricated, double top deck, double reinforced side skirts, overlap welded corners
Spindles-Hercules Spindles
Suspension-4-wheel
Transmission-Hydro Gear Pumps and Parker Wheel Motors
Drive Axles-1.25″ Tapered
Drive Tires (in.)-26 x 12 x 12
Caster Tires (in.)-13 x 6.5
GROUND SPEED
Speeds-fwd. (mph)
0 – 12
Speeds-rev. (mph)
0 – 6
DIMENSIONS-Overall Length
7′3″
Overall Width
6′2″ (61″)
deflector down (deflector up)
7′2″ (6′1.5″) (72″)
Dry Weight (lbs.)-2178 (61″)
2218 (72″)

COMFORT SYSTEMS
Premium Seat Package-Standard
Certified Roll-over Protection System-Standard
Instrumentation-Fuel level gauge in each tank. Visual water temperature gauge. Hour meter.

Safety Group
Seat activated engine kill, clutch safety switch, neutral and parking brake safety circuit.
Parking Brake / Safety Circuit-Disk Type

ACCESSORIES
Trailer Hitch Kit

WARRANTY

Engine- 2-Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
Transmission- 2-Year Warranty
Balance of Machine- 2-Year commercial use, front-to-rear, parts & labor excluding belts, blades, tires and brake pads.

Aerators for Frontmount Grasshoppers

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:10:23 +0000

Grasshopper claims The AERA-vator™ aerates and loosens compacted soil in 1/4 the time and with 1/4 the labor it takes with walk-behind aerators. AERA-vator™ eliminates unsightly cores and deep-fractures hard, dry soil combinations within the root zone without irrigation, increasing water filtration by up to four times. PTO-driven tines vibrate in an oscillating motion to penetrate soil, while heavy-duty construction allows use on packed paths and areas containing small rocks and other obstructions that would damage other aerators.

I have seen this unit and the tines and drum are made very heavy! These units are very easy for one person to hook up.

Aeration creates a more resilient surface on playing fields and improves permeability and drainage for all turf.

Toro Company Acquires Assets of TY-CROP Manufacturing Ltd.

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:22:07 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (October 14, 2009) – The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) today announced it has acquired certain assets from TY-CROP Manufacturing Ltd., a leading manufacturer of topdressing and material handling equipment for golf course and sports field applications.

Through the acquisition, Toro has acquired several models of topdressing and material handling equipment that will enhance the company’s position in the turf maintenance industry. TY-CROP products will be marketed under the Toro brand and sold through Toro’s distribution channel in the United States and international markets.

“Comprehensive cultivation and topdressing programs are increasingly important for our customers around the world,” said Michael Happe, vice president of Toro’s commercial business. “Golf courses and sports fields rely on these machines to achieve improved agronomic conditions and to create healthy, consistent playing surfaces. TY-CROP’s solid reputation in this important category complements our existing line of application and cultivation equipment. Equally, it provides our customers with a more comprehensive offering to meet their turf maintenance needs.”

While primarily employed on golf course greens and fairways to improve turf health, control thatch and provide optimal playing conditions, topdressing and material handling equipment is gaining increased acceptance on sports fields. Sports turf managers will use these machines to evenly apply a variety of materials like topsoil, fertilizer, sand, lime, and even crumb rubber for artificial turf.

Based in Rosedale, British Columbia, TY-CROP is a privately held company. In business for more than 30 years, TY-CROP has built a solid reputation around a durable line of topdressers and material handlers. The company’s other businesses, which include trailers and oil and gas products, were not associated with this acquisition and will continue normal operation.

Short History of Shanks

admin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:20:53 +0000

Shanks Lawnmowers began with a man named Alexander Shanks (born in Arbroath in 1801), who is credited with patenting the first (effective) lawnmower.

Shanks had started his own machine making and spinning firm at Ogilvy Place, Arbroath in 1825. His invention was horse drawn and unlike it competitors rolled grass as it cut, creating the all-important smooth lawn. His grass cutting machine as it is described in the original patent document had long low lines, rear guiding handles and a horse towing bar projecting from the front, in appearance similar to an iron plough. with roller, cogs and cutting blades in place of the sock and coulter.

Alexander Shanks needed help in promoting his new machine and turned for advice to William F. Lindsay Carnegie of Boysack, a local landowner interested in new ideas. Carnegie immediately saw the possibilities of Shank’s (horse-drawn grass cutting machine), and ordered one for his estate at Kinblethmont. The first trial of the new cutting machine took place in 1842.

As gardens and gardening gained in popularity with the middle classes, Shanks along with other lawnmower manufacturers began to produce more and better models to cater for this growing market. The firm moved into bigger premises in Arbroath at Dens Iron Works. They opened a showroom and office in London supplying lawnmowers as far south as the Isle of Wight, and diversified into other aspects of ironwork. It seemed that the ‘Grassie’ as the Dens iron Works was affectionately known would continue forever, but in the 1950s the manufacture of lawnmowers in Arbroath was taken over by a Birmingham firm, and in 1969 an era came to an end.

The History of Briggs & Stratton

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:15:34 +0000

In 1908 an informal partnership between Stephen F. Briggs and Harold M. Stratton began. This informal partnership, which flourished into Briggs & Stratton Corporation, is now reaching its centennial anniversary. The Company, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has prospered into an organization that produces engines and end products for a worldwide audience.

Briggs Model F Engine

Within the initial partnership, Briggs was the inventor and Stratton was the investor. This partnership first ventured into the automobile manufacturing business. From there, Briggs & Stratton progressed to manufacturing automobile parts. Some of the parts the Company produced for the automobile industry included locks, switches, and igniters. In 1910 Briggs & Stratton incorporated, and due to the growing demand for automobiles, starter switches became the early mainstay of the Company’s business.

In 1919 Briggs & Stratton acquired and took over production of the A.O. Smith Motor Wheel. The Motor Wheel was used as a power source for bicycles and the Briggs & Stratton Flyer, a four-wheeled motorized vehicle comparable to a go-kart. With the Motor Wheel and subsequent Flyer, Briggs & Stratton succeededin providing consumers with one of the first low-cost means oftransportation.

Briggs & Stratton Ingniter

It also led to the creation of the stationary Type “P” engine. This revolutionized the 4-cycle gasoline engine industry and set the coursefor Briggs & Stratton to become the world’s largest manufacturer of air-cooled gasoline engines. The manufacturer of the “P” engine and following models provided a portable, reliable, and convenient meansto power many applications of machinery.

The new engine powered applications included washing machines,garden tractors, cultivators, and generators. Because of this, Briggs & Stratton empowered people to accomplish whatever they needed to in their daily lives.

Briggs Model P Engine

Briggs & Stratton was now providing power for people in every aspect of life. To accommodate the varied demand for small engines during the 1930s, Briggs & Stratton developed several new models. These portable engines were first used extensively in agriculture and military use, but soon found use in other applications.

In 1930 Briggs & Stratton established a nationwide service organization using independent authorized central service distributors. These distribution centers were operated by factory-trained personnel, and provided replacement parts, special tools, and engine repair service.

Briggs Model U Engine

Design, manufacturing, and service are the components needed to obtain world-class manufacturing status. All were brought to bear under the leadership of Charles Coughlin. He was president of the Company from 1935-1972. Coughlin successfully navigated the Company through World War II, labor difficulties, and the incredible growth of the post-war boom years. His brilliance as an industrialist was subsequently recognized by the Harvard Business School.

With the onset of World War I, citizens and companies alike werecalled to action to support the United States. Briggs & Stratton was no exception, and aided the country in its efforts with the manufacturing, assembling, loading, and testing of defense products.

The Power Within™ flourished in several ways at this time – not only through the unquestioning support given to the United States Military, but with the introduction of women to the shop floor to aid in production. This commitment to the home front was once again revitalized with the occurrence of World War II. With the devastating effects of the war being realized, the Company’s manufacturing contributions were noted by the government.

Briggs & Stratton produced many products for the war effort, among them generators, fuse caps, the airplane magneto, the Graham transmission, and the B-5 two lever ignition switch. In 1942, Briggs & Stratton received the Army-Navy E-Flag forexcellence in war production. The E-Flag was a literal representation of The Power Within™, as it was a testamentto Briggs & Stratton’s pride in its work and shared values that enabled the Company to get the job done.

In 1953 Briggs & Stratton revolutionized the lawn and garden industry by developing the first lightweight aluminum engine. Lighter and less expensive than their cast iron counterparts, these new engines made lawn and garden equipment accessible to the masses of Americans moving to the nation’s new suburbs. Once again, Briggs & Stratton was able to empower consumers with the tools needed to power their everyday lives.
By 1957 the aluminum engine accounted for 80% of engines shipped The production of the aluminum engine led to the introduction of the Kool Bore™ engine, which sets the bar for engines today. Throughout the 1950s Briggs & Stratton produced an average of over 2,000,000 engines per year.

With the market for lawn and garden equipment growing tremendously because of the population’s expansion to suburbia, Briggs & Stratton engines were perfectly suited for the lawn mowers that would become an integral part of suburban life.

During the 1960s Briggs & Stratton expanded production in its Milwaukee plants due to the exploding demand for its product. Briggs & Stratton focused on two goals: improving the small engine and finding ways to keep up with market demand.

Leading the expansion and continuous product improvement effort during this period was Chairman Fred Stratton and CEO Vince Shiely. Some of these improvements included Easy- Spin® starting, Lo-Tone™ mufflers, and an automatic choke and starter. Briggs & Stratton also introduced many new product lines to meet the need of the growing marketplace. These lines included the Quiet Power engine, the opposed twin engine, and the I/C® family of engines.

With the onset of the mid-seventies, Briggs & Stratton faced its first serious challenge to its leadership position in the air-cooled engine market when Japanese engine manufacturers, encouraged by the weak yen, began competing in the small engine industry. However, even though small engines were the core of Briggs & Stratton’s business, some of the impact of the new competition was absorbed because automotive locks and keys still accounted for 10% of annual sales. Supplying 40% of the products in a $50 million market, Briggs & Stratton had to expand its lock and key location twice in order to keep up with production levels.

The fuel shortage of the 1970s combined with increasing environmental concerns, also prompted Briggs & Stratton to look into the manufacture of electric motors for use on lawn and garden equipment. In 1980 Briggs & Stratton developed an unusual prototype vehicle, the Gasoline/Electric Hybrid automobile. This electric car was equipped with a small, twin cylinder, 4-cycle engine. The two power sources could be used independently or in tandem according to the needs of the user.

1980 Briggs Gas/Electric Car

Continuing from the 1970s, the infusion of moderately priced premium Japanese engines and successful cost reduction efforts of its domestic competitors represented a critical challenge to the Company’s leadership position.

At the same time, the retail market for outdoor power equipment began to concentrate in the hands of a few powerful mass retailers who began to demand lower prices and greater product diversity. In the late 1980s Fred Stratton Jr., President and CEO at the time, led an effort to meet this challenge by reorganizing the Company into product-focused divisions. Briggs & Stratton also adopted the “economic value added” discipline in order to better manage operating and capital costs.

Briggs & Stratton expanded its product line and built new plants in order to better deal with the “mass marketization” of outdoor power equipment. New efficient product-focused facilities were built in Statesboro, Georgia; Murray, Kentucky; Auburn, Alabama; Rolla, Missouri; and Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

The largest principle market for a Briggs & Stratton engine has traditionally been the lawn and garden equipment market. However, with the emerging threat to engine sales came competitive intrusions into the industrial and commercial application markets. To counter this threat, Briggs & Stratton introduced several new lines of engines including the Industrial/Commercial line and the Vanguard™ line. These engine lines, which were launched in the 1980s, represented improvements in design and overall performance that helped strengthen Briggs & Stratton’s hold of its share in this market segment.

Briggs & Stratton Daihatsu Diesel Engine

During this time period, Briggs & Stratton continued to explore and introduce alternative products such as the environmentally friendly Smart- Fill® Fuel Can, battery-powered lawn mower, and the electric power head.

In 1985 Briggs & Stratton along with the American Red Cross established a program entitled Knowing Mowing to educate children on safe mowing. Designed with children twelve and older in mind, it provided those involved with the knowledge and skills for safe operation of lawn mowers. As one of the first of its kind, it helped to raise awareness of the near 10,000 lawn mower accidents involving children that occur annually.

The Company has remained dedicated to ensuring that lawn moweroperators, parents, and other child caregivers are educated about the hazards that children face when lawn mowers are operated incorrectly.Most recently, Briggs & Stratton has been an avid supporter of the Safe Kids Know Before U Mow campaign. With the same focus on safety and prevention, education is key. Indeed, knowledge is power.

In 1993 Briggs & Stratton embarked on another new venture and entered the field of kart racing with the formation of the Briggs & Stratton Motorsports Division. The division provides engines, parts, racing gear, and information through a network of about 100 Briggs & Stratton Motorsports Centers in the United States and Canada.

From racing karts to dragsters, from asphalt speedways to off road, Briggs & Stratton makesthe engines that have been the choice of competition racers for years and years. The Company’s commitment to racing runs deep with long-standing relationships with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the World Karting Association (WKA), and more.

Briggs & Stratton’s current Chairman, President, and CEO John Shiely, along with Executive Vice President and COO Todd Teske, have a vision for the Company that exemplifies the core values of Briggs & Stratton’s customers – people who have a can-do spirit, get satisfaction from a job well done, and pass their knowledge to the next generation. This vision, The Power Within™, also speaks to the commitmentBriggs & Stratton’s employees make when they work to provide power for all people; and of course, it speaks to the countless products powered byBriggs & Stratton.

Briggs & Stratton has a long legacy of giving back to the communities in which it has facilities, and this commitment has only grown with time. An example of this support is seen with the major sponsorship of Briggs & Al’s Run & Walk for Children’s Hospital. For the past 11 years, the Company has held the position of title sponsor with pride. Briggs & Stratton employees and their families, however, are the special element that ignites The Power Within™ by banding together as a team and participating in the run/walk. Wearing t-shirts that declare, “There is an engine inside each of us,” they embody what The Power Within™ is all about.

Throughout its history, the event has raised more than $8.5 million to help Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin provide medical care, conduct research to advance pediatric medicine, advocate on behalf of children, and educate medical professionals and the community about issues related to children’s health. Today, Briggs & Al’s Run & Walk primarily supports the Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units, each the most advanced of its kind in Wisconsin, and the Hematology/Oncology/Transplant Unit, where children with cancer and blood disorders are treated.

Briggs & Stratton’s Engine Power Products Group continues to manufacture and produce high-quality engines for outdoor power equipment. These engines may be used on various applications, from lawn mowers to go-karts. The Company remains the world’s largest producer of small gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment.

An important segment of Briggs & Stratton’s Engine Power Products group is its Commercial Power division. The days are long and the work is relentless for people who rely on commercial equipment to earn a living. These hard-working people need commercial equipment powered by robust, high-performance engines that never back down. Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power designs and manufactures, premium-grade Vanguard™ engines that are application-engineered to power equipment that works for a living.

Whatever the commercial application requires – single-cylinder, V-Twin, even a 3-cylinder that runs on diesel, propane or natural gas, horizontal or vertical shaft, air- or liquid-cooled – Briggs & Stratton has powerful, reliable engines that start fast, work long, and finish strong. Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power is all about the design, manufacturing and support of hard-working engines for people that work hard.

Briggs & Stratton Corporation’s Diamonds in the Rough program is open to youth baseball and softball players who nominate a mentor or unsung hero who helped him or her discover The Power Within™. In the competition’s first three years, Briggs & Stratton is proud to have donated more than $325,000 foryouth baseball.

Each year’s grand-prize essay winner receives $10,000 for field improvements, a Briggs & Stratton-powered tractor for field maintenance, and a clinic hosted by a former Major League Baseball player, such as Carlton Fisk, Lou Brock and Tino Martinez. This competition works to raise awareness among young people that The Power Within™ at work can help achieve many great things.

The largest principle market forBriggs & Stratton engines has been the lawn and garden equipment market. However, as the industry has changed, so has Briggs & Stratton. In 2000, Briggs & Stratton Corporation purchased Generac Portable Products and renamed it Briggs & Stratton Portable Products Group, LLC (BSPPG). The purchase allowed the Company to enter the end-products market. This group is the outdoor power equipment manufacturing division of Briggs & Stratton producing pressure washers, portable generators, standby generator systems, outboard motors, welders, and pumps.

In June 2004 Briggs & Stratton acquired Simplicity Manufacturing, Inc. of Port Washington, Wisconsin. Simplicity Manufacturing is a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad range of premium outdoor power equipment used in both consumer and commercial lawn and garden applications. Simplicity’s products are widely distributed through independent dealers under the brand name Simplicity®, Snapper®, Ferris®, and Giant Vac®. This acquisition represents the Company’s first attempt in its history to serve the lawn and garden industry directly. This purchase helped to build closer relationships with its OEM and retail customers from an operational, sales, and marketing standpoint. Simplicity is the second acquisition that has focused on engine-powered products.

In 2007 the Company purchased an existing structure in Newbern, Tennessee for use in its manufacturing of yard power products. This new plant serves to make Briggs & Stratton’s manufacturing footprint more efficient than ever. Its optimal proximity to Briggs & Stratton’s other locations only works to optimize its manufacturing footprint.

In Briggs & Stratton’s goal to provide power for all people, the Company makes engines and end products available in emerging markets across the world. Globally, the Company’s engines can be found on diverse applications such as milking machines in Mexico, sugar cane crushers in Puerto Rico, fishing boats in Vietnam, rice harvesters in the Philippines, and cocoa pod grinders in Indonesia to name a few.

In 2002, as the Company was looking to grow its engine business, Briggs & Stratton identified Asian markets as having the greatest long-term potential. Agricultural mechanization in Asia has created the largest untapped small engine market in the world. These engines are traditionally more costly than their vertical shaft counterparts and therefore at a disadvantage when competing in the worldwide market. The competitive disadvantage was especially noticeable when compared to the low cost Chinese manufacturers.

In light of this, Briggs & Stratton decided that building a facility in China to manufacture horizontal shaft engines for sale in China, and the rest of Asia, was the best strategy to reach its goal of tapping the larger Asian market potential. Additionally, after a careful analysis it was decided that this facility should be situated in Chongqing, China and that the facility should be run by a reformulated Joint Venture with the existing partners in the PUYI-B&S JV. The reorganized Joint Venture company (Bai Li Tong Engines Chongqing) is 90% owned by Briggs & Stratton with each partner having a 5% stake in the business.

Most recently, Briggs & Stratton built its first manufacturing plant in Europe, located in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The factory, found in the Hrabova industrial zone, manufactures vertical-shaft engines for various lawn and garden applications. Production at the plant officially started in December of 2006. The Company is committed to remaining the industry leader of quality engines on a global basis. This investment in Central Europe further expands the ability to serve the special seasonal needs of the lawn and garden industry in Europe.

The European demand for Briggs & Stratton engines continues to increase, and this new facility will allow Briggs & Stratton to better fill this demand. Building engines closer to the customers’ factories lets the Company respond more quickly to their needs, just as having a comprehensive dealer network in Europe ensures fast Briggs & Stratton service after the engine is put into use.

Villiers Mowers and Gas Engines

admin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:23:30 +0000

Decided to write this post because of the influence Villiers had on the eairly mowers, especially the 1950’s.

Villiers Engineering Ltd was a manufacturer of motorcycles and cycle parts, and an engineering company based in Villiers Street, Wolverhampton.

In the 1890s John Marston’s Sunbeam had become extremely successful, by relying on high quality of production and finish. But Marston was dissatisfied with the pedals on his machines, which he bought in. In 1890 he dispatched his son Charles to the USA on a selling trip but included in his instructions that Charles must discuss pedal engineering with Pratt and Whitney in Hartford, Connecticut and come back with a high class pedal and the machinery for making it. Charles said that the Villiers Engineering Co. was “the ultimate fruit” of his trip to the USA, being impressed by the production system and the labour saving devices. He pointed out that “it was not possible to develop these at Sunbeamland, which had long been working on another plan, but it was possible to start them in a new factory”.

As a result of the tour, in 1898, John Marston bought a small Japanning works based in Villiers Street, Wolverhampton. Under the direction of Charles, the company made cycle parts for the Sunbeam company. As the factory was producing more parts than Sunbeam required, it sold components to other manufacturers.

1902 was a momentous year for Villiers. Firstly, John Marston sold the company to his son Charles for £6,000 on a loan against future profits. Secondly, it developed and patented the cycle free-wheel, which every cycle manufacturer required. The production of free wheels reached its peak just after World War II, as the company produced 80,000 per week or 4 million per year.

In 1911 engine production commenced, but sales were slow until 1913 when the first two stoke was produced. In 1956 Villiers produced its two millionth engine and presented it to the Science Museum in London.

In 1936, L. E. Baynes and Sir John Carden, as Carden Baynes Aircraft Ltd of Heston, Middlesex, launched the Carden Baynes Auxiliary, a light aircraft which was essentially a motorized Scud 3 glider. This carried a retractable 249 cc Villiers engine driving a push-propeller and producing 9 bhp, and the fuel tank held enough to run the engine for thirty minutes. The 249 cc Carden Baynes Auxiliary is believed to be the lowest powered aircraft in the history of powered flight.

In 1957 Villiers absorbed JA Prestwich Industries Ltd, makers of the J.A.P. engines. In 1962 the company were claiming that: “jointly the two companies produce a vast range of two-stroke and four-stroke petrol engines and four-stroke diesel engines from 1/3rd to 16 b.h.p. These are the engines which power many of Britain’s two-stroke motor cycles, scooters and three wheelers and the great majority of the motor mowers, cultivators, concrete mixers, generating sets, elevators, pumping sets. etc.”

Villiers manufactured a range of single and twin two-stroke engines (from 98 cc to 350 cc) for light motorcycle and vehicle manufacturers until the 1960s.

In the early 1960s the company was taken over by Manganese Bronze, and in 1966 together with AMC became part of Norton Villiers

In 1999 Villiers Plc acquired the healthcare company Ultramind and renamed the company Ultrasis.

Here is a few Pics of some 1950’s Villiers powered mowers.

A few links for Parts and Info that might help for Villiers
Pivot Power Products
Atco England

You can also email Lee-Archer & Co. at:

1949 Eclipse Reel Mower

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:08:37 +0000

I don’t know much about the Eclipse company at this time. But from what I have found out is that the founder was Fred Adams.
Freed Adams was an Illinois farm boy who later trained as a jeweller. His idea of a self-sharpening lawn mower came way back in 1900.
The next year he started the Eclipse Company in Prophetstown, Illinois. One of the first mowers the company produced was the sidewheel “Lady” mower.
Eclipse also made many other sidewheel models during its early years. In the 1950’s a wide range of powered machines were made.
In 1960 the company was taken over by Hahn.
This is all I know about the Eclipse company now, but will try to find more later on.
If any one has anything else on these mowers or the company, please fill free to comment.

Ferris Comfort Control™DD Mower

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:32:05 +0000

The ComfortControl™ DD series is built super-tough, with a low, wide stance that results in unparalleled traction and stability. The new “Comfort Control” design gives this mower the smoothest, most userfriendly operation in the industry. The Cruise Control Bar with independent steering override allows the operator a multitude of handling options. These mowers are also equipped with electronic sensor-grip operator presence system which senses your hands on the handlebars. This anti fatigue safety system requires no additional pressure to operate the mower. Available in various cutting widths, you’ll be sure to find the one that fits you best.
Specifications
ENGINE
Make Kawasaki V-Twin
Horsepower 25-hp, 19-hp, 15-hp
PTO Electric
Cylinders 2, V-Twin
Starting Electric
Fuel Capacity (gal.) 5
MOWER-
Cutting Width (in.) 36, 48, 52, 61
Cutting Height (in.) 1.75 – 4.75; 1.5 – 4.5 (36″)
Deck Construction 10-gauge, fabricated, double top deck, double reinforced side skirts, overlap welded corners
Spindles Aluminum Greaseable
DRIVE TRAIN
Transmission Eaton 771 Two infinitely variable hydro transaxles; dual Hydro-Gear ZT-2800 hydraulic transmission (36″)
Drive Axles 1″ Tapered
Drive Tires (in.) 18 x 6.5 (36″)
18 x 7.5 (48″)
18 x 8.5 (52″, 61″)
Caster Tires (in.) 9 x 3.5 Flat-free, 9 x 3.5 Air (36″)
GROUND SPEED
Speeds-fwd. (mph) 0 – 6
Speeds-rev. (mph) 0 – 2
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length 7′ 3”, 6′1″ (36″)
Overall Width 4′0″ (3′1″) (36″)
4′9″ (4′4″) (48″)
5′1″ (4′8″) (52″)
6′0″ (5′7″) (61″)
Dry Weight (lbs.)
555 (36″)
648 (48″)
680 (52″)
720 (61″)
OPERATOR CONTROL & COMFORT SYSTEMS
Control / Safety Group Cruise Control Bar with independent forward control levers. Sensor grip operator presence and foot activated neutral.
Parking Brake / Safety Circuit Internal Transaxles
ACCESSORIES
• Mulch Kits
WARRANTY
Engine 2-Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
Transmission 2-Year Warranty
Balance of Machine 2-Year commercial use, front-to-rear, parts & labor excluding belts, blades, tires and brake pads.

Ferris® Industries
5375 N Main Street
Munnsville, NY 13409
Toll Free (US & Canada) 800-933-6175
Tel: (315) 495-0100
Fax: (315) 495-0109

Business Hours (Mon –Fri) 8:00AM – 5:00PM EST
www.ferrisindustries.com

British Anzani Engine Company Ltd

admin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:12:46 +0000

British Anzani Lawn Mower History

Here is a picture of a award winning Steam Powered Anzani Lawn Mower. This picture was taken at the Peterborough Vintage Tractor show 2008.

Anzani went into lawnmower production in the late 50’s with a range of equipment of mostly larger scale 14”, 16” and 24” mowers for professional purposes. Production went on until the late 1960’s from their new factory in Aylesford in Kent. The range included the Lawnrider (a 150cc 4 stroke sit-on mower in 18” and 24” widths), the Ridamow (another sit-on mower with a detachable seat for self propelled operation, 150cc 4 stroke 24” width), the Powermow (a self propelled 24” width mower) and for smaller areas the Easimow, (a 14” self propelled 4-stroke 48cc machine). All the petrol driven mowers included the Heli-Strand flexible drive power take-off system which provided a range of additional tools that could be driven directly from the mower. These included a chain saw, hedge cutter, log saw, pruning saw and rotary grass cutter. The range also saw the Company’s first electric mower the Whispamow, a 14” two-speed battery driven machine with built-in charger. They produced add-ons too for a descendant of the Iron Horse: the Honda F30 tractor. The Heli-Swift 30 was a 20” grasscutting attachment belt driven from the tractor costing £35 15s 0d. The Foldakart was a heavy duty wheelbarrow designed to compliment the mower range.

Reverse Osmosis water treatment systems

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:28:51 +0000

Produce Irrigation Grade Water From Brackish Or Seawater

In recent years golf course managers have begun installing Reverse Osmosis water treatment systems which provide an excellent quality of water for irrigation and at a much lower cost than that of municipally supplied water. The use of RO for treating water for irrigation is not new. Seaside hotels in areas such as the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and the Mediterranean regions have been using RO for many years to desalinate seawater for potable water and irrigation needs.
There are several factors driving the trend towards RO water treatment for golf course irrigation. Golf course managers who buy their water from a municipal source may find rising prices to be of major concern. The cost of municipal water for irrigation may be the single largest cost expenditure your organization may have. During periods of draught not only are water bills very high but municipalities may not deliver the amount of water that’s required. The reduction in potable municipal water use by your organization should also have a positive environmental impact upon the community water resources. Shallow wells, a common source of irrigation water, are becoming highly regulated with limits on how much water maybe withdrawn each day. In coastal areas, shallow wells may be subject to salt water intrusion making them unusable for irrigation.

In Florida, the South Florida Water Management District, which manages the state’s water resources, provides Grants to cities and private entities, i.e. Golf Clubs, for development and use of alternative water sources for irrigation that otherwise might not be useable. The Floridan Aquifer, a highly brackish water supply located beneath most of Florida can now be utilized using Reverse Osmosis. These are just a few of the factors that are driving the trend toward private ownership of a Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant. Perhaps the most important reason is the ability to provide a consistent high quality source of water for beautiful greens and fairways.

Fortunately, in much of the coastal USA there exists brackish water aquifers that have no practical use and are not as highly regulated as wells of sufficient quality for potable water use. Reverse Osmosis is a valuable tool that allows golf courses to utilize this brackish water as a feed source to produce water of an excellent quality for irrigation.

Given these circumstances the most effective benefit of a Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant is the cost savings that it provides. The actual operating cost depends on many variables but the range is somewhere between $.50 and $1.45 per thousand gallons of product water when brackish water is available, and an estimated $2.00 to $3.00 per thousand gallons when seawater is the only available water source.

How much are you paying per thousand gallons, now? If your answer is “much higher” then you will be glad to know that the savings your clients will realize by making their own irrigation grade water is very likely large enough to return the capital cost of entire Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant in three to five years.

Now is the time to consider developing and alternative water supply and operating a privately owned water treatment facility for your organizations irrigation water needs.