JRM Needle Tines Cancel The title field is required!

1. Heath Puckett

   

   0 posts
   
   1/10/2012 12:01 PM

   I use bayonet tines for venting in the summer on our bent greens, but thinking about trying JRM's newer 14-tine blocks for the Toro Procore with the .200" needle tines. However, JRM doesn't offer turf guards specifically for these blocks, and they recommend removing the turf guards altogether because the Toro guards won't work. My biggest concern is the risk of pulling turf with this setup...especially in July/August. Has anyone else tried these yet??

   
   
   
   
2. Heath Puckett

   

   0 posts
   
   1/13/2012 8:01 AM

   Anyone at all? They seem like a good idea...
   
   [youtube">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zyjLyBp64[/youtube">

   
   
   
   
3. Border Ricky H

   
   1/13/2012 10:01 AM

   We needle tine "vent" w/verti-drain and the multi-tine block w/ no turf hold downs and have little lifting issues if soil moisture and root mass is adequate. We have experienced the "rototiller" effect when dry and shallow rooted. We have taken and hosed down area right in front of machine to help "lubricate" the tines going into the soil.
   
   Rick Border GCS
   Oglebay Resort
   Wheeling, WV

   
   
   
   
4. Corp Chad B

   
   1/14/2012 8:01 PM

   Toro makes a tine holder for needle tines part #09720. it holds 5mm tines and they work great. The kit comes with turf holder and guards. You can aeirate and putt right after you do it!!

   
   
   
   
5. Heath Puckett

   

   0 posts
   
   1/15/2012 7:01 PM

   Thanks for the ideas. The Toro needle tine blocks only hold 5 tines on a 1.6" lateral spacing. We have the quad tine blocks(2x5) that I've also used with solid tines with good results. My biggest concern was the lack of turf guards if I tried the JRM tine blocks. I'm wanting to create as many holes as possible per square foot IF I can do so without disruption or turf damage.

   
   
   
   
6. Michael Posey

   

   0 posts
   
   1/15/2012 8:01 PM

   [u">Don't get them. [/u"> They plowed my greens up unless I had so many spacers in the manual depth adjustment that they were only going about an inch deep. One of the beauties of the pro core is it's undulation following head that the turf guards control. Take that away and put it in manual and you have the tines going six inches deep in the bottom of a swale and 1 inch deep over a hump. When I called JRM they acted arrogant, like there is no way they couldn't have thought of that. Until they can make a turf guard that will work with them the only way I see them being useful is on perfectly flat greens. Luckily, I bought them through Fore-Par/Nivel and the rep took them back and probably ended up having to eat them.

   
   
   
   
7. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   1/16/2012 11:01 AM

   Just a thought, but I've used both the needle tine and the bayonets, and I prefer the bayonets. Personally, I felt that we casued more area of penetration with no more surface disruption than the needle tines at a close spacing. I believe the slits stay open longer than the little holes, and thus creates longer air and water mobility. Also, if you were to set up the bayonets on your tine holder so there is a skip every other tine along the front and the back (on the blocks that hold five and five as you mentioned), you can speed up your ground speed and still be very effective. This has allowed me to vent greens during play with 1 648 and a light weight roller following them across the green. If a group or a single comes through, we simply move off, and finish when they are done. The bayonets seemed to last longer for me. I've been buying them out of JRM with the 3/8" mounting diameter. The one suggestion on the venting situation was to not use the JRM crosstines with the Dilenium tips. They wore oddly above the tip, and ripped things up. Had to mow before rolling. Without that tip, they wore down really quickly.
   
   Just some thoughts.
   
   Kyle Fick
   GCS Bully Pulpit GC

   
   
   
   
8. James Geiger

   

   1 posts
   
   1/16/2012 12:01 PM

   Toro also makes a roller that attaches to the 648 so it becomes a 1 man operation and i believe cost is about $1000 which would pay for itself in no time when you factor in the man hours for the roller

   
   
   
   
9. Robert Wright

   

   0 posts
   
   1/24/2012 6:01 PM

   We just tried some of these out today, and the turf tore up upon lift and drop, not bad in the middle. Still won't be able to use them unless it causes zero damage. If anyone has a tip, please let me know. I only set the depth at 2" and the results just aren't acceptable. Thanks.

   
   
   
   
10. Cooper James S

    
    1/24/2012 7:01 PM

    just a thought but where is the throttle set at. My Toro rep said the machine is designed to be ran at 3/4 idle for pulling cores and 1/2 throttle for pencil or needle tines. Hope that helps

    
    
    
    
11. Heath Puckett

    

    0 posts
    
    1/24/2012 7:01 PM

    I decided against the JRM needle tine blocks, and have purchased a set of 1x6- 3/8" mount blocks from Toro that I'll put bayonets in (we were previously running the 4-tine blocks for bayonets). Bayonets have always performed well for us...was just looking for another way to improve our venting procedures... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
    
    Sam,
    We usually keep ours between ~2900-3000 rpm, but that's the first time I've heard of running them that low... I'll give it a try. Thanks.