Travels with Terry

Cutting Unit Lift Winch
The fixed cutting unit lift mechanism from a 30-plus-year-old Foley reel grinder was transformed into a portable unit with the addition of wooden framework with swiveling caster wheels. The main structure is approximately 6 feet long and 3.5 feet wide and is made of 2-x-6-inch wood planks with 2-x-4-inch cross braces held together with carriage bolts. Ripped 2-x-4-inch wood was also bolted on the inside of the U-shaped metal framework to further attach the metal and wood together. The materials cost less than $50 and it took about two hours to build. Scott Verdun, golf course superintendent, Nate Keller, assistant superintendent, and Dann Steltenpohl, mechanic, are the team at the Kenosha Country Club in Kenosha, Wis.

Buffalo Blower Quick Disconnect
This 2003 Buffalo Turbine blower has a quick disconnect for the control switch cable that is used to move the blower housing electrically from side to side. It was installed as a safety measure in case the blower becomes detached from the tow vehicle so the electrical wiring would not be torn off from the blower control box. The six-pin connector costs about $50 and it is similarly used on 18-awheel semis for connecting the lighting between the tractor and trailer. The metal bracket that holds the female portion of the quick disconnect is 1⁄8-inch thick, was fabricated in-house and it is bolted to the tow-hitch tongue. A plastic split loom is attached to both ends of the cable to help protect it from wear. The labor time to complete the project took less than two hours. Scott Verdun, golf course superintendent, Nate Keller, assistant superintendent and Dann Steltenpohl, mechanic, are the team at the Kenosha Country Club in Kenosha, Wis.