Lawn Striper

When we lived here before we had a Simplicity walk behind with a striping kit, Tania liked using it and putting different designs in the lawn. When we moved back none of the mowers we looked at had this feature and only a couple as an option. Aftermarket kits are as much as $250 and the internet is filled with homemade options such as chains, brushes and wobble wheels, this weekend I built my own based on PVC.

I purchased a couple of 1.5" diameter wheels on Ebay and pressed them into these 1.5" to 3" pipes.

The outer diameter of these fit perfectly inside a 4" pipe. I cut a length 48" wide inserted one of the "bearings" and filled the pipe with sand before installing the other end and putting a 3/8" axle through the center. I connected the axle to some flat strap and welded it to a section of "L" angle which I kept as close to the pipe as possible to scrape off wet grass.

I then connected everything at a pivot point to brackets I made and bolted to the bottom of the hydros.

The roller weighs around 40lbs and I can add more weight easily if necessary. We used it this weekend and Tania said she can see a difference It is not as drastic as I had hoped. I think though that it may depend on temperature and condition of the lawn. Currently our lawn is maybe a C+ and our old lawn was an easy A. I will play with it as the summer progresses, if I cannot get the way I want I am only out $30. I think though that a lawn on a 90 degree day is going to lay over different than a lawn on a 58 degree day, Ill know soon enough.