Made my own Striping kit

[Steve]

Do you ever find that you need to engage the striper and then disengage it? Or no?

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[PineHillLawn]

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Originally Posted by Steve Do you ever find that you need to engage the striper and then disengage it? Or no? Some yards it's not necessary to stripe, simply because the grass is mostly weeds. I can remove it pretty easy if I need to with just 4 nuts and bolts but so far I haven't felt the need to take it off. Even if I don't think the yard is going to stripe, it doesnt get in the way so I just leave it on, for now.

[Steve]

What's your view on this type of design versus a roller? Do you think they perform differently or no?

[PineHillLawn]

Originally Posted by Steve

What's your view on this type of design versus a roller? Do you think they perform differently or no?

From what I've seen, yeah a roller is better, especially if you get the factory made ones that are spring loaded. The simple reason is, it would be factory made to fit your machine and the spring provides more downward pressure to "train" the grass faster. I've looked at several pictures the Scag does with the factory striper, and I think IMO, the roller does help more so than my version. It's more of an even blade fall than mine produces. However, for those of us who can't afford to shell out $400 for the roller, this is an inexpensive way to acomplish the same thing, even if it's not as pronounced.

[Hedgemaster]

[quote=PineHillLawn;106121]

Originally Posted by Steve

What's your view on this type of design versus a roller? Do you think they perform differently or no?[/QUOTE


From what I've seen, yeah a roller is better, especially if you get the factory made ones that are spring loaded. The simple reason is, it would be factory made to fit your machine and the spring provides more downward pressure to "train" the grass faster. I've looked at several pictures the Scag does with the factory striper, and I think IMO, the roller does help more so than my version. It's more of an even blade fall than mine produces. However, for those of us who can't afford to shell out $400 for the roller, this is an inexpensive way to acomplish the same thing, even if it's not as pronounced.

Yeah, it's essentially doing the same as the "flap" on the back of a push mower.

Heck. I may try and rig something similar up to my walk behind if it doesn't get in the way.

[PineHillLawn]

[quote=Hedgemaster;106123]

Originally Posted by PineHillLawn

Yeah, it's essentially doing the same as the "flap" on the back of a push mower.

Heck. I may try and rig something similar up to my walk behind if it doesn't get in the way.

Thats just it, its a flap style and while I think it works fine for the time being, I hope I can get the roller soon to make them really pop. I do think its great for someone on a budget to make themselves. Just a few bolts and a bar floor mat and you get a pretty heavy stripe kit that will work.

[Steve]

If you were to experiment making one with a roller, have you thought about how you would do it? Or how you would ad some spring tension to it??

[PineHillLawn]

Originally Posted by Steve

If you were to experiment making one with a roller, have you thought about how you would do it? Or how you would ad some spring tension to it??

Yeah I've thought a piece of PVC pipe with either sand or cement inside then a couple of arms coming down so the PVC can roll. I havent really worked it out on paper or anything, just a thought right now, but if you put a threaded rod through the center so it could let it spin I think would be a good choice. I'm not sure yet on a spring but I'm sure it could be done.

The real question is, would it be cheaper to go through all that rather than just buy a factory made one?

[boog]

pvc gets beat to death i tried it on a deere 757 laid nice stripes for a week then it feel apart i had a metal pipe on the inside and it got bent bad
good thick rubber on the back of the deck works good

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by PineHillLawn

Yeah I've thought a piece of PVC pipe with either sand or cement inside then a couple of arms coming down so the PVC can roll. I havent really worked it out on paper or anything, just a thought right now, but if you put a threaded rod through the center so it could let it spin I think would be a good choice. I'm not sure yet on a spring but I'm sure it could be done.

The real question is, would it be cheaper to go through all that rather than just buy a factory made one?

I made mine so it rolls without a rod. Just used screws and washers with a chain. It cost under $10 to make but I had a few parts on hand. So far I been using it almost a month without any problems.
http://www.gopherforum.com/showthread.php?t=16547