Clippings Caddie

This custom made all-aluminum clippings caddie measures 4 feet by 4 feet, with a 37-inch long tongue, 15-inch long riser and 5-inch long coupler mount with a class 1, 2-inch channel width coupler mounted on the end with a 2,000-pound capacity. Aluminum 1/8-inch sheet, 3 inch by 2 inch box channel tongue, 2 inch by 2 inch angle iron and 1 inch by 2 inch channel, all ?-inch thick, were used. Eighteen inch by 8? inch by 8? inch turf tires were mounted on 8 inch by 6 inch rims with a 2-inch axle. The angle of the box is slightly tilted forward when attached to most equipment, thus a tailgate is not required. A 6 inch by 4 inch by ¼-inch thick steel plate, with a 17/8-inch trailer hitch ball bolted to it, was welded onto the rear wheel frame of the 2006-14 Toro Greensmaster 3150 Triplex Mowers. Each of the four trailers cost approximately $1,700 (in 2008) and it took about two days to design, cut, layout, set into the jig and weld into place. Michael R. Wallace is the superintendent at the Naples Lakes Country Club in Naples, Fla. Joe Jullian, with Turf Iron LLC, designed and built them.

Reel Grinder Vacuum Attachment

This 2008 SIP Peerless 1500 Automatic Reel Grinder was fitted in-house with a 2008 Marathon Electric 1 H.P. 3,450 RPM Vacuum Attachment to significantly help remove the airborne metal fillings during the grinding operation by discharging them outside the grinding room wall. A 6-inch diameter flexible plastic hose, with metal rings inside for support, about 4 feet long, was attached from the vacuum housing to a flange made out of old duct work that was mounted to the grinder. The hose moves back and forth nicely. The discharge pipe elbow placed outside the grinding room wall was turned downward to eliminate snow and rainfall from collecting inside. The materials cost about $500 and it took about eight hours total for the installation and fabrications. Jim Zunker, equipment manager, and Mike Davies, superintendent, at the Superior National Golf Course in Lutsen, Minn., are very happy with their good efforts.