# Cam driven aerator



## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Anyone here ever use a cam driven aerator? They look like they'd be a lot easier to use then a drum style, plus pull better plugs. Pros and cons?


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

I'd love to get one. They seem smaller and easier to handle. The drum style are beasts.


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## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Yes I've seen them the size of a chunky push mower.


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## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Anyone know if there are any aerators that pull extra long cores?


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

Gilley11 said:


> Anyone know if there are any aerators that pull extra long cores?


There are cam-driven deep tine aerators, but you'd be hard pressed to find one available for rent. I want to buy one on the Weeks turf auction, but I don't have anywhere to put it. :lol:

Here's one model which pulls 16" deep cores. Typically hooked up to a tractor.


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

adgattoni said:


> Gilley11 said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone know if there are any aerators that pull extra long cores?
> ...


I can store it for you if you let me use it


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

I have a Plug-R 800 and its awesome!! Night and day difference from a drum aerator...so much less tiring as it practically drives itself forward even through turns and they pull great plugs.


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## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Dang that 16" core is amazing. I need that in my life....although my wife would disagree &#129315;


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

adgattoni said:


> Gilley11 said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone know if there are any aerators that pull extra long cores?
> ...


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

I've spent quite a bit of time on the Toro ProCore 648. You will never want to use a drum style aerator again. They resale for more $$$$$ than I think even a hard-core lawn nut would want to spend. And storing one will eat up half of a single car garage.


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## Lawn stabber (Jun 17, 2019)

I have owned both sizes of Billy Goat Plugr and the 18" is much easier to use than the 25". Although from what I can see they have changed the 25" model to have 6 tines instead of 8 which would make it a better machine in my opinion. I also have a groundsman 345HD from Ireland which is so much better than the billy goat. The groundsman will achieve 5" depth and the billy goat almost 3". The groundsman also has a wide variety of tine holders available and uses universal toro style tips instead of being bent over a barrel buying the mild steel billy goat tips.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Lawn stabber said:


> I have owned both sizes of Billy Goat Plugr and the 18" is much easier to use than the 25". Although from what I can see they have changed the 25" model to have 6 tines instead of 8 which would make it a better machine in my opinion. I also have a groundsman 345HD from Ireland which is so much better than the billy goat. The groundsman will achieve 5" depth and the billy goat almost 3". The groundsman also has a wide variety of tine holders available and uses universal toro style tips instead of being bent over a barrel buying the mild steel billy goat tips.


Love your handle, "Lawn Stabber"! :lol:


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

​


Lawn stabber said:


> I have owned both sizes of Billy Goat Plugr and the 18" is much easier to use than the 25". Although from what I can see they have changed the 25" model to have 6 tines instead of 8 which would make it a better machine in my opinion. I also have a groundsman 345HD from Ireland which is so much better than the billy goat. The groundsman will achieve 5" depth and the billy goat almost 3". The groundsman also has a wide variety of tine holders available and uses universal toro style tips instead of being bent over a barrel buying the mild steel billy goat tips.


Welcome to the forum!

The groundsman 345HD looks like a really nice machine. I wonder what the price of one is compared to the billy goat. Would the groundsman 345HD be able to hold much of a slope? All the YouTube videos I saw were on greens basically. Looks like a nice heavy duty piece of equipment.


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## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Hi and welcome. Is there anyway that you can share a picture of one of the tines along with an outside diameter measurement of the part of the tine that inserts into the machine? Got a link to replacement tines?

Thanks!



Lawn stabber said:


> I have owned both sizes of Billy Goat Plugr and the 18" is much easier to use than the 25". Although from what I can see they have changed the 25" model to have 6 tines instead of 8 which would make it a better machine in my opinion. I also have a groundsman 345HD from Ireland which is so much better than the billy goat. The groundsman will achieve 5" depth and the billy goat almost 3". The groundsman also has a wide variety of tine holders available and uses universal toro style tips instead of being bent over a barrel buying the mild steel billy goat tips.


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## Robby (Jun 18, 2020)

Hi, Have got the BillyGoat 25" and am happy with what it does. I am based on the sunshine coast in Australia and would really like to have contact with someone who uses the needle tines. Ours is mainly used for needling to help decompaction and drainage. I use both the 8mm(5/16) and the 20mm(25/32) needle tines which I am advised are the ones available direct from Billygoat. We have a limited access to billygoat product here in OZ with only one importer for the whole country who is over 1000km(600M) away. The main issue is that I keep breaking the 5/16 tine and would like to know if they are actually able to be used on the 25". The importer is pretty poor with their knowledge about the product, any assistance is appreciated.


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## Lawn stabber (Jun 17, 2019)

Gilley11 said:


> Hi and welcome. Is there anyway that you can share a picture of one of the tines along with an outside diameter measurement of the part of the tine that inserts into the machine? Got a link to replacement tines?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> ...


Hey mate they take any tine that a toro procore will up to 150mm in length. There's heaps you can choose from. I generally use 12mm solids, 6mm id core or 16mm id core tips.


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## Lawn stabber (Jun 17, 2019)

Robby said:


> Hi, Have got the BillyGoat 25" and am happy with what it does. I am based on the sunshine coast in Australia and would really like to have contact with someone who uses the needle tines. Ours is mainly used for needling to help decompaction and drainage. I use both the 8mm(5/16) and the 20mm(25/32) needle tines which I am advised are the ones available direct from Billygoat. We have a limited access to billygoat product here in OZ with only one importer for the whole country who is over 1000km(600M) away. The main issue is that I keep breaking the 5/16 tine and would like to know if they are actually able to be used on the 25". The importer is pretty poor with their knowledge about the product, any assistance is appreciated.


Check out www.tines.com.au as they have replacement tips at a very good price (not affiliated). I just get a length of threaded rod and cut it down to 150mm lengths. You can have 110mm of tine exposed from the end of the rod Maximum to ensure it clears the on the up stroke. I did make some 8mm needles once but due to the way the machine uses the tine in the ground to push itself forward it bent them really quickly.


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## Lawn stabber (Jun 17, 2019)

SGrabs33 said:


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> 
> 
> Lawn stabber said:
> ...


They're better directly up and down a slope than on a side. Front wheel drive pulls it along ok. Price is a big variable I guess. It comes from Northern Ireland so the transport, import, currency conversion and distribution costs would be way different depending on where you are.


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