Striping?

[IKEN LAWNCARE]

I have read the posts and seen the pics. It looks great, but I am not sure exactly how you guys do that? What exactly does it take to do that. I am buying a 36" exmark this winter. What will I need to be able to do that? Do all your customers like that?


Thanks,

Carl

[Crazygator]

Best thing to do is look through Eric's site http://www.elmlawnsite.com
You will find out many useful tips on his site dealing with striping and how to set up a mower.

[CLARKE]

First thing Crazygator right go to Eric site click on the flag of something hes posted, This is one of the key things, week 1 mow north to south week 2 mow east to west week 3 north to south again in the exact same path as week 1 week 4 repeat 2 back and forth next thing ya you have that pattern thing going called
STRIPING

[1grnlawn]

Here is a kit in progress.

[Lawngodfather]

Striping is done with the vacuum of the blades. Not chains/rollers.

Click the marquee below and see it can be done with stock mowers.

I don't use compass direction either.

Pick a good strait line, diagnal or strait at the house and go.

when you get to the end make a 180 degree turn and come back right next to the cut part use just did.

Then make another 180 degree turn and go back down right next to the 2 passes you just made.

Always go the opposite direction of the pass you just made.

Then the next week you come back to mow follow the same lines.

Then the following week switch directions, then keep doind so for the season.

This is how it's done, easy simple, no scientific way.

Also your grass types and cut height will have some beering on how the stripes show up.

Blue grass and rye is going to be the darkest stripes.

Hope this helps

P.S. alot of customer have never said a thing about the stripes, and I have never been able to sell the stripes for extra money.

[1grnlawn]

Striping is done with the vacuum of the blades. Not chains/rollers.

Stiping can be done with vacuum if your mower is capable. If not or you would like more defined stripes use chains or rollers. Striping has been poupularized by the great looking golf courses and baseball fields on TV. They make fancy designs and I have even seen baseballs and bats done in the turf. And guess what they all (golf and baseball supers) use mowers with rollers. So don't despair if your mower is't a stripe-master 2000. Get a kit or make a kit(fun for the whole family) paint your mower silver and tell evertbody its a DC.

[nick1]

could u get me some more pics of that chain stripper i think im going to make one so can u get some close ups and diifernt views? thanks

[Cornell Hall]

I use an exmark viking 48" and it stripes without chains or anything even with the blades off .It has a 2 wheeled jungle wheels sulky on it so that might help define them better but they look OK even without sulky.

[gogetter]

Originally posted by Cornell Hall
and it stripes without chains or anything even with the blades off .

Now that's a new one by me. Are you sure you're talking about "stripes", not wheel marks?

[Romey]

Anyone know how to make the lawn look like an unstriped even smooth looking area of parcel without the so called stripes? I've been experimenting with different proceedures to achieve a look that has no wheel marks, grass vacuum stripe marks etc. I'm thinking along the lines, when I get my hair cut, I'm thankful the barber doesn't leave "stripes" on my head. Also, I've talked with alot of landscapers who have a hard time making these " cosmetic stripes thus wasting time trying to stay inside the lines. Are you really able to get your workers to stay straight and make these lines? It sounds as though the owners are the only ones bragging about these stripes since they're ones doing the actual cutting. Who's tending the shop when the owner is out in the field trying to make perfect stripes on a lawn? Shouldn't the owner be hitting the streets growing the business? I am an owner and I haven't had to cut a lawn myself in 3 years. Sounds to me, you owners are out in the field doing the work instead of training your guys to stripe properly. Give your guys the opportunity to show you, they can cut a lawn as well as you.

[gogetter]

Romey, first, why would you compare what we do to lawns with what a barber does to hair?

Anyway, there really isn't any extra special effort to make stripes.
It's actually more efficient. Ever heard the saying "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line"?.