Pine Needle Rake
The Golf Club at Black Rock in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, has its fair share of pine trees and removing the pine needles has become much easier with the modification to their Toro 3020 Sand Pro rake mechanism. Lonnie Aller, superintendent, and Phil Taylor, equipment manager, learned of this great idea from Darak Bigler, equipment manager, at the Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho. The OEM rake was removed and a 2-inch by 3-inch box tubing main frame was welded together and then welded to a ¼-inch thick steel plate that is bolted to the hydraulic lift mechanism. Down pressure is used as-needed when raking the pine needles from underneath pine trees and to put them into piles for removal. Fifteen pieces of 1-inch square tubing approximately 6 inches long is welded to the box tubing main frame. Each metal leaf rake wooden handle slides all the way through the 1-inch square tubing that are then bolted in place. It took about eight labor hours, $100 for the metal parts and red paint, and $12 each for the 15 leaf rakes.
Mobile Equipment Stand
Measuring 12 feet long, 3 feet wide and 7 feet high, this equipment stand was welded together using a combination of 1-inch square (1/8 inch) and 1-inch round (1/8 inch) tubing ($80). The floor is comprised of seven 3-foot long 1 ¼-inch by 1/8-inch thick angle iron pieces ($34) welded together that support two 16-gauge pieces of sheet metal pieces ($60) measuring 3 feet by 6 feet each to collect any fuel or oil that might leak from the machines. Six lockable caster wheels ($30) are used for easy mobility and maneuverability. Approximately 15 string line trimmers, edgers, engine-powered hedge trimmers and stick chainsaws are easily stored and accessible along with two pieces of rebar for storing spools of string line and a cutter immediately below to cut plastic lines the proper length. It took about a day to build and the total cost was about $204 for parts and materials. John Nachreiner, director of agronomy; Tyler Gullickson, assistant superintendent; Doug Price, equipment manager; and Vicente Sandoval, head mechanic, make up the very creative team at the Shady Canyon Golf Club in Irvine, Calif.
Explore the December 2017 Issue
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