# My Conversion over to Reel Mowers and leveling



## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

My yard when I was using a rotary riding mower



Did my first leveing job and converted to a reel mower. Mclain 20inch





after the bermuda snapped back, my first cut


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

I then got hooked. I purchased a Tru Cut 27 and sold the Mclain. I then decided I was gonna take it to the next level and get a Toro GM1600. My yard was still not as leveled as I wanted it. on 7/21 I scalped the yard and started from scratch. It was the hottest weekend of the summer thus far. I scalped with the tru cut at .475" and then areated.



oh yeah, I decided not to do this manually again. Lmao. I was in so much pain the first leveling job.


Areator


Dingo


Top Dresser


25 tons of Sand


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

Now Time for some serious work.








Had to raise the water meter box 2" also





The hardest part was getting the plugs up from aerating. Wasn't really necessary, but just did it anyway.


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

Sand is down and now time to level with sweeper.


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

3 days later the grass started breaking through the sand. 


Overall I am pretty happy with the outcome. Still haven't filled completely in, but we haven't had any rain since. I will have to probably level once more next season. I am cutting at .475" every other day to try to get it to spread. I am also thinking of rolling the yard after a heavy rain.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

This is epic - good job! How did you get your hands on a topdresser?


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

Ware said:


> This is epic - good job! How did you get your hands on a topdresser?


My local rental shop had one. It was really messed up though. It wouldn't pull the weight of the sand. I couldn't load it up completely.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Man, that lawn looks great! Are you going to have to relegate the zero turn to towing around the yard duties?


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Man, that lawn looks great! Are you going to have to relegate the zero turn to towing around the yard duties?


Basically yes. I only use the zero turn for the backyard now.


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

First cut today with the toro, I love this thing. It will take a minute to get used too. I am still using the Tru Cut mower to do my clean up pass with the rest with toro. Yard is filling in pretty good though.



Still have some sandy areas. But filling in pretty good.




love this thing.


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## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Stro3579 said:


> First cut today with the toro, I love this thing. It will take a minute to get used too. I am still using the Tru Cut mower to do my clean up pass with the rest with toro. Yard is filling in pretty good though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you mind telling us what the price was for eveything?
Dingo, attatchments, sand, etc?

By the way, killer job, looks awesome!


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

ajmikola said:


> Stro3579 said:
> 
> 
> > First cut today with the toro, I love this thing. It will take a minute to get used too. I am still using the Tru Cut mower to do my clean up pass with the rest with toro. Yard is filling in pretty good though.
> ...


Prices may vary. All equipment for the weekend was like $400
Sand would be around $600 but I own a dump truck and was able to get it myself.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Makes me want to start to bring beers and lunch to the grounds crew on the golf course. Tell them to leave the top dresser and core aerators at the fence for me to use for a few hours..


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

FATC1TY said:


> Makes me want to start to bring beers and lunch to the grounds crew on the golf course. Tell them to leave the top dresser and core aerators at the fence for me to use for a few hours..


 :lol: Lmao!! I just couldn't see doing it manually again after the first 2 times I leveled. I had to take the next day off of work because I was in a lot of pain from shoveling and wheeling the wheel barrow.


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

ajmikola said:


> Stro3579 said:
> 
> 
> > First cut today with the toro, I love this thing. It will take a minute to get used too. I am still using the Tru Cut mower to do my clean up pass with the rest with toro. Yard is filling in pretty good though.
> ...


I sent you a PM


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

I've priced out dingo/verticutter/aerator before in the Raleigh area and its 500ish a day.


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

SGrabs33 said:


> I've priced out dingo/verticutter/aerator before in the Raleigh area and its 500ish a day.


That's expensive. That's without the top dresser and trailer.

I rented a trailer, ride on areator, top dresser, and dingo. $469 for weekend. I got the areator for a day rate I believe. I got the areator 3pm on that Friday and returned by noon Saturday. The rest I kept all weekend.


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

Picture from this morning. Grass is fillng in really well. Finally got some rain.


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## chapman (Jun 6, 2017)

What was the process of raising your meter boxes?


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

chapman said:


> What was the process of raising your meter boxes?


I wet the soil with water hose, Dug around meter box with shovel. I then used a large pry bar to raise it enough to get some 2inch bricks under the boxes on every corner. Then filled with the dirt I dug up and sand.


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## chapman (Jun 6, 2017)

I have two boxes that need to be raised at least 3 inches. Will probably be a project for next spring. Your yard is looking great! Thanks for the info.


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

chapman said:


> I have two boxes that need to be raised at least 3 inches. Will probably be a project for next spring. Your yard is looking great! Thanks for the info.


Thanks a million.


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## CMOG Dibbler (Jul 10, 2017)

Incredible job! Yard is looking smooth and green, really great work! Did you contract this out or did you rent the equipment yourself and do it? I wouldn't know where to begin to get equipment like that. Did they give you any training on how to use it, or was it pretty straightforward?

I have about 10,000sq-ft and i did it manually twice last year and having a hard time to get the motivation to do it again this year. I'm almost to the point of ordering 7 pallets of play sand just to make it easier to place it in the yard (but its about 4x the price of delivered bulk sand)


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

CMOG Dibbler said:


> Incredible job! Yard is looking smooth and green, really great work! Did you contract this out or did you rent the equipment yourself and do it? I wouldn't know where to begin to get equipment like that. Did they give you any training on how to use it, or was it pretty straightforward?
> 
> I have about 10,000sq-ft and i did it manually twice last year and having a hard time to get the motivation to do it again this year. I'm almost to the point of ordering 7 pallets of play sand just to make it easier to place it in the yard (but its about 4x the price of delivered bulk sand)


Thanks, I rented the equipment and did it myself. The rental place will show you how to operate the equipment. It was pretty straight forward though. My front yard is a little over 8500 sq feet, so I can relate to not wanting to do it manually again.


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

This morning picture 8/10. Yard is filled.


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## CMOG Dibbler (Jul 10, 2017)

Lookin awesome! So smooth.. :mrgreen:


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

Awesome and great job!! The right tools make the job a lo easier!!


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## Stro3579 (Jun 30, 2017)

chapman said:


> I have two boxes that need to be raised at least 3 inches. Will probably be a project for next spring. Your yard is looking great! Thanks for the info.


Thanks a lot. All of that hard work is paying off. 😁 My yard has 2 also.


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