# Drag Mat Specs Inquiry



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

We've got some handy individuals on here. My challenge is typically not knowing where to go to source materials. Anyone looked at making their own chain drag mat? If so, where did you find the steel linked part of the mat. I'm talking something that matches a commercial product, versus a piece of chain link fence being pulled around.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

https://www.mcmaster.com/#mats/=cbb300c9668d48c48179a5975d899e0cjgxolj6p

This is the closest I've seen. Anyone got a better source?


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

Any reason not to just buy a ready to go drag mat? The drag mats off of amazon are cheaper than buying that stuff directly from McMaster, then you need everything else still and the labor to put it together.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

gijoe4500 said:


> ...The drag mats off of amazon are cheaper than buying that stuff directly from McMaster, then you need everything else still and the labor to put it together.


+1, I don't see any reason to overthink this one.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Yeah it was just driven by curiosity. If the materials were $40, I'd happily put it together on my own. In this case, purchase a finished product is looking like the right choice.

For any of you guys pulling one by hand - what size drag mat size are you pulling? 3x3? 3x5? 4x6?


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I had a 3x3 (I think) from @Topcat. I have a small yard. Sometimes I wished it was longer or wider but mostly it was perfect.

If you have long flat stretches and not a lot of obstacles I'd rather have wider than longer.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

I'm going to hi-jack my own thread and modify the title.

Any suggestion for rubber vs metal vs the brush style mats?

How do you all avoid the mat flexing and pulling material out of trenches?

Any suggested size?

I am learning towards the metal 3'x5' style.


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## Llano Estacado (Jul 18, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Yeah it was just driven by curiosity. If the materials were $40, I'd happily put it together on my own. In this case, purchase a finished product is looking like the right choice.
> 
> For any of you guys pulling one by hand - what size drag mat size are you pulling? 3x3? 3x5? 4x6?


I have a 5'x3' drag mat. My yard is around 4700 sq ft and it was no problem to pull by hand.


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## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@Movingshrub Ive got my 5x3 Im about to use to level my yard. You are welcome to come and drag my yard to try it out .


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

@Movingshrub @kur1j you Alabama guys should start one of these threads. :thumbup:


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## ericgautier (Apr 22, 2017)

@Pete1313 made his own. See this post (1/2 way down the page). Not sure if he posted a "parts list" though. Maybe he can chime in.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

ericgautier said:


> Pete1313 made his own. See this post (1/2 way down the page). Not sure if he posted a "parts list" though. Maybe he can chime in.


I went into more detail on it in this thread https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=276. It works well, and is made from an existing drag mat that I had lying around.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

kur1j said:


> @Movingshrub Ive got my 5x3 Im about to use to level my yard. You are welcome to come and drag my yard to try it out .


I might take you up on that just to see the size and have a feel for the weight. To be honest, I actually was considering PM'ing you to check out your reel mower but figured I'd wait until you got the reel fixed. I'm really interested in the Toros, the JDs, and the Jacobsen 500 series and want to learn more about the ergonomics of operating and using one. My yard is a 1/3rd of an acre, plus my front yard has a slope where it averages out to a drop of 5/8th of an inch, every foot. Unfortunately for me, the rate of drop off isn't constant.

There's one guy on RSA who told me he has a McClane, Toro 1600, and Toro Flex 21. I definitely want to check out the two Toros he has and also encourage him to join TLF.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Ware said:


> @Movingshrub @kur1j you Alabama guys should start one of these threads. :thumbup:


Good idea.


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## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

Sure thing. Just hit me up whenever and we can figure something out.


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