Turf-Master Review

[exotion]

I understand.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

Still brings me to the point of which I am still unable to get back to a yard in a couple days should I cut down on fert? Have the customer cut down on water? I am not sure

 

[Ric]

How exactly am I supposed to do that. Go back in two and three days? I am in a different part of town every day they are on either 7 or 14 day cycle the grass does just fine being cut low. Temps get 100 degrees and dry and the grass grows just fine.

I think he my have been talking about if its your own yard.

But he is right you really never want to take more than 1/3 off the height of the grass. Even trees or shrubs never take more than 1/3

If you have yards that are on a 14 day cut and they are getting over 6 inches I don't see how they can look good. Years ago I had homeowners want there grass cut every two weeks cause they said it don't grow I hit them hard with fert and had to cut them every week.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

Actually I wasn't talking about your personal yard. I agree that no yard should be on a 14 day cycle, the only time that should take place is late fall going into winter. If your in a different part of town I would make sure to set time aside or re-schedule a time to go back to the yard in 2 or 3 days and cut it for a second time then continue cutting the yard on your regular schedule dates and it should cut with taking no more than a third at a time. You just have to work the yard to bring it back to a 7 day schedule.

 

[dfbrown]

You have to remember that grass is like 80% water and when you remove more than a third it could or can send grass into what's called physiological shock, which leaves the lawn prone to invasion by weeds and less able to cope with drought and other environmental stresses. If the grass gets so long that you can't get it down to proper length in one mowing, wait a day or two and mow again. The more often you mow and the less grass you remove with each mowing the thicker and healthier your lawn is likely to become.

Perfectly Said, you nailed it right on the head.

 

[scottief]

I am looking at buying the Turf-Master. After reading everyone posts I'm up in the air about getting it now due to people saying it dosen't have enough power to go up hills.

Here is my situation. I have one customer that does not want me using my walker mower on his lawn, as it keeps leaving divots. His lawn seems to be very thin and wet all the time and i assume its part grass and partly the way im using it. I am considering buying the Turf-master to use on his lawn so that i can get it done quicker. I will most likely be using it on other lawns. I don't bag, I always mulch.

My questions are

Is it worth paying out $2000 for this machine to keep a customer that gets me to do his lawn/fall cleanups/hedge trimming?
How many people are having problems with this machine on hills. Most of my places i will be cutting are flat. There may be a few small hills.
Would it be better to buy a 2nd 21 inch machine and just run them both at the one property?
How much time do you save per lawn by using the 30 inch turf-master?

Thanks for any help.

 

[mowerman05]

I am looking at buying the Turf-Master. After reading everyone posts I'm up in the air about getting it now due to people saying it dosen't have enough power to go up hills.

Here is my situation. I have one customer that does not want me using my walker mower on his lawn, as it keeps leaving divots. His lawn seems to be very thin and wet all the time and i assume its part grass and partly the way im using it. I am considering buying the Turf-master to use on his lawn so that i can get it done quicker. I will most likely be using it on other lawns. I don't bag, I always mulch.

My questions are

Is it worth paying out $2000 for this machine to keep a customer that gets me to do his lawn/fall cleanups/hedge trimming?
How many people are having problems with this machine on hills. Most of my places i will be cutting are flat. There may be a few small hills.
Would it be better to buy a 2nd 21 inch machine and just run them both at the one property?
How much time do you save per lawn by using the 30 inch turf-master?

Thanks for any help.

I love my turf-Master, have no problems doing ditches or small hills, I don't mulch only side discharge but shouldn't be any difference.

 

[Ric]

I am looking at buying the Turf-Master. After reading everyone posts I'm up in the air about getting it now due to people saying it dosen't have enough power to go up hills.

Here is my situation. I have one customer that does not want me using my walker mower on his lawn, as it keeps leaving divots. His lawn seems to be very thin and wet all the time and i assume its part grass and partly the way im using it. I am considering buying the Turf-master to use on his lawn so that i can get it done quicker. I will most likely be using it on other lawns. I don't bag, I always mulch.

My questions are

Is it worth paying out $2000 for this machine to keep a customer that gets me to do his lawn/fall cleanups/hedge trimming?
How many people are having problems with this machine on hills. Most of my places i will be cutting are flat. There may be a few small hills.
Would it be better to buy a 2nd 21 inch machine and just run them both at the one property?
How much time do you save per lawn by using the 30 inch turf-master?

Thanks for any help.

It's definitely a different mower. I've been real happy with mine for the most part. They Toro did have a recall a while back with or over an issue with breaking blades but Toro took care of the problem. As far as having enough power it really doesn't lack in that department the Kawasaki KAI engine has got all the power anyone would want or expect out of a 6hp engine. Keep in mind the drive on the Turf-Master is adjustable so if it does lack on drive for what hills you have you can adjust for that.
I like you always mulch and 90% of the time it's St Augustine grass and it does extremely well, it leaves the nicest cut of any push mower I've ever used. The thing I really appreciate is the two point Height adjustment, it only take just seconds, that coupled with the Blade brake saves you a lot of time and work. Depending on the size of the lawn you're mowing you can save anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes mowing time per lawn over a 21" mower. Now that said, is it worth $2000, that's a decision only you can make, for me it was worth every penny. The only two cons on the mower that I have are, it's Heavy and it's noisy.

 

[scottief]

I bought the Turf Master this year. Here are my though on it.

1. Needs a bigger engine on it. Bogs down to much in wet grass or tall grass. I was warned about this at the dealer.
2. Don't have any problems on hills. It is heavy and does take a bit to get it going sometimes, but other than thatn its great on hills.
3. Its a heavy beast but once you get used to it, its not to bad. Its very balanced.
4. I use this mower and a 21 inch. This mower compared to a 21 inch, much better. We have one place we cut and its done so much faster now. Saving me time.
5. I only use the mulch so I'm not sure how the bagger/side discharge are.

Id buy another one. My only complaint is that it needs a bigger hp on it. It should bog down as easy as it does.

 

[exotion]

I thought it curious as to why the commercial 30 uses the same engine as a commercial 21 the tech is there to put a better engine on there with a little more power and would benefit everything about the mower. I get why they didn't with the homeowner 30 that's money management. But the commercial people are already spending the money they probably wouldn't mind spending a couple hundred extra for a proper engine

 

[OldSalt]

Have had my TurfMaster for 2 1/2 months now and have only 1 frustration with it. Regardless of how I set the height setting I am having to double back over my rows due to 'Stragglers' of grass not being cut. Does not matter how high the grass is or the type of grass being mowed.

I cut St. Augustine grass 90% of the time. Have already changed out my blades and still no real positive change. Have also been setting the back wheels 1 notch higher than the front.

Suggestions? I am wasting a lot of time re-mowing and need to find a solution to this somehow.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Ric]

Have had my TurfMaster for 2 1/2 months now and have only 1 frustration with it. Regardless of how I set the height setting I am having to double back over my rows due to 'Stragglers' of grass not being cut. Does not matter how high the grass is or the type of grass being mowed.

I cut St. Augustine grass 90% of the time. Have already changed out my blades and still no real positive change. Have also been setting the back wheels 1 notch higher than the front.

Suggestions? I am wasting a lot of time re-mowing and need to find a solution to this somehow.

Thanks,
Bill

Have you changed out the belts yet? It sounds like the belt is loose or about gone and your not getting the proper BTS.