Go Bottomwhat and how do you dump your grass clippings
 | yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan 
 Pics
|
2006-02-16 124613
I'm wondering how you guys handle large amounts of grass clippings. If for instance you have a Walker mower with their GHS(Grass Handling System),you can dump from 6 to 9 cubic feet of clippings from their dump bucket. They say that you can tailgate unload it.
How do you do that? I've got some local contractors coming to me for solutions. Currently they are driving up tailgate ramps on some dump trailers and dumping the clippings. They can't pile them very high so they need to manually push it around. If the tires are wet, driving up and down the tailgate gives a pucker factor. They also have some 1 ton to 5 ton dump trucks and dump the GHS system into 30 and 39 gallon garbage cans and lift them over the side.
Is there some kind of powered dumping device available to mount on the dump trailer or dump truck? I'm looking for something powered to lift and dump.
In Walker's "Walker Talk" newsletter they show something made by a landscaping company in Massachusetts. It has a gas engine power hydraulic system and slides mounted to the side of a dump truck. Trouble is, it only dumps in one spot inside the truck.
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photowhat and how do you dump your grass clippings
 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada 
Pics
|
2006-02-16 124621
We handle it in one of two ways. Mind you we also have more grass clippings than the average bear also.
Most commonly we just dump it near the trailer or truck and use the gas-powered vac. system to load it same as we do leaves.
For smaller sites we use a dump trailer with fold down ramps at the front of the curb side. You back up the ramps and dump over the side. When the pile gets too big you just lift the dump up with the tailgate closed, the whole pile of grass slides to the back. It's amazing how much compacting happens doing this.
For really small sites we use heavy tarps and a truck-mounted boom lift, or our crane truck. Spread the tarp, dump grass on tarp, tie corners together, sling whole bundle up onto back of truck and bind them down for the ride home.
BTW, we generate about 500 dump trucks worth of clippings per year.
Best of luck. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photowhat and how do you dump your grass clippings
 | DenisS
Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 367 NJ 
|
2006-02-17 124711
Just out of curiosity, are those 500 dump-trucks of clippings worth anything? Sound like a LOT of clippings to dispose of. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photowhat and how do you dump your grass clippings
| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
Pics
|
2006-02-17 124712
Those 500 loads of clippings render about 100 loads of compost.
I suppose it could be sold, but we use it for various things, by itself as well as blended together with other composted stuff, mostly manure.
Mostly we use it as top-dressing on the fields that have been harvested of turf, before we re-seed them.
We also offer it (usually free) to anybody that wants some.
Best of luck. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photowhat and how do you dump your grass clippings
 | WillieH
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 543 New England 
Pics
|
2006-03-04 125574
Murf -
I think I have a solution for you to save the continent's heating fuel and electricity "shortage".
Recently I saw a show on tv here in VT, where the latest "find", is to take grass clippings (mass piles mind you), and pelletize them, much like one would find for a conventional pellet stove.
Some farmers have converted their systems over to this source of energy/conservation, and are burning their own grass pellets for electricity to power and heat their farms.
Cost of the equipment...ahem, well that is ALWAYS the underlying element. It was disclosed that this piece of equipment that processes the grass clippings into pellets, then burns and reclaims as electricity, has an upfront cost of about one million US dollars. (Thank goodness for grant monies)
However, the efficiency level is very high, as many surrounding homes and farms can utilize from one burner system. Some have even got to the point of selling to the power companies as excess. It was interesting to say the least......
(if I see a glow next time I scan from the satellite over your area, I'll know where you have invested! lol)
- Willie H ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photowhat and how do you dump your grass clippings
| yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
Pics
|
2006-03-06 125609
Thanks for the input. I'm going design and build something for a local contractor that allows one operator to easily dump the clippings from his Walker into a bin that raises and dumps it into a 5 yard dump truck. Going to make it such that it evenly distributes the pile of grass. Will give you an update when it is complete. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photowhat and how do you dump your grass clippings
| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
Pics
|
2006-03-06 125612
There's no need for a fancy system to insure it loads the truck fully.
Dump the grass into the front of the dump box then periodically tip the box up without unlatching the tailgate. The wieght of the grass liding to the back of the box will accomplish some pretty good compaction all by itself.
Best of luck. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo
Go Top
Share This