Brilliant 170 Fine Cut 24"
Electric start engine, used trailing seat option.

Specification

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Specification

- The mower has a reclaimed Atco chassis, sandblasted and epoxy powder coated with original rear roller. All other components are new.
​- ​​The battery recharges as you mow, making external charging unnecessary. 
- Machines are delivered "ready to go". Just top up the fuel and you can start mowing.
- ​​Stainless steel, height adjustable front roller.
- Shaver blade. Min cut height 3mm
- 14 blade cylinder 170 cuts per metre
- 6.5 hp Lifan electric start engine (with integrated pull start recoil)
- Clutch operated on handle bar
- ​Aluminium clipping box
- Optional back-lapping socket. 
- Brilliant Mowers are covered by a 12 month Warranty. If a component fails due to faulty manufacture it will be replaced free of charge. General wear and tear is not covered by the warranty.
- Future-proof. Everything on this mower is replaceable.
- Servicing can be by your local mower engineer or Ready Set Mow Ltd who offer a service contract at a cost of £400 per annum.

photos

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review

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Review

The Brilliant mower is now used by clubs around the country. I have one with a trailing seat here at the Great Dunham Croquet Club and am delighted with everything about the machine. 
Speed is adjusted with a control on the handlebar - I like to set it and leave it. This means I get a constant speed without having to fiddle with anything. The clutch is a simple hand lever, after engaging  you can take your hand away - there is no need to maintain a constant grip as you do on some machines. The cylinder is engaged  using an on/off lever on the side of the machine. Again, no need to faff around with controls on the handle bar. 
The Brilliant mower is a delight to use, rugged in design and it tows the autosteer seat very easily. The finish at 170 cuts per metre is amazing and equal to mowers that cost more than double the price. The clipping box works well, with a good capacity. The box is easy to empty, one tip does the trick! 
The machine is future proof and it should never be necessary to replace it. Spare parts are readily available and don't cost an arm and a leg. Everything on the machine is replaceable and being based on a classic ATCO Royale is not expensive to service. 

Duncan Hector

about mowing

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About Mowing
- The length of grass on a croquet lawn directly affects the lawn speed. The normal cut height for a flat croquet lawn is 5mm during the main playing season and 8 to 10mm during the winter months. If there are undulations it may be necessary to increase the height of cut to slow the lawn down.

- As a general guide, it should be possible for a player to hit a ball from Corner 1 to Corner 3. Lawn speeds are usually quoted in Plummers and are explained here Lawn Speed Calculator. It is generally accepted that a speed of 10 Plummers is expected as a minimum for tournaments and other competitive play.

Suitable mowers

- A cylinder mower is essential for the task, rotary mowers cannot achieve the quality of cut required.

- Most clubs use a 24" wide mower, this size is easy to handle and can usually be fitted with a trailing seat. 30" or 36" mowers are big and heavy, difficult to turn and, as a result can damage the grass.

- A  20" mower is too small, it can't tow a trailing seat and takes about 20% longer to mow than a 24" mower, more walking and more wear on the machine.

- A 24" mower can tow a trailing seat which helps the rolling effect and smoothness of the lawn. Another advantage is that when fitted with a trailing seat, the mower can be used to tow a sprayer. This makes spraying quick and easy.

- Triplex mowers have three cylinders and can be used where there are a lot of lawns but there is some compromise on the quality of cut.

Clip Rate and Washboarding

- The clip rate is measured in Cuts Per Metre (CPM). A mower with fewer blades will produce a washboard finish. This looks similar to corrugated iron or parallel waves of long and short grass. Such a finish is not desirable and will produce a slower playing surface. The Brilliant 170 has a clip rate of 170 CPM. At this rate, the finish is smooth and produces a high-quality playing surface.

Cylinder Blades

- Three factors effect the cut rate. The number of blades, the rotation speed of the cylinder and the diameter of the cylinder. The Brilliant mower has more blades than most fine turf mowers, thus reducing wear.

- BEWARE when you have your mower serviced do not get the cylinder reground unless absolutely essential. There is only so much blade to grind and replacement cylinders are eye-wateringly expensive. Back lapping is a better option. 

Adjustments

- The cut height can be adjusted by raising or lowering the front roller.

- It is also important to adjust the cutting blade. This is sometimes called the bottom blade or bedknife. It should be adjusted so that there is "whisper" contact with the cylinder. Ideally the blade should not contact the cylinder blades. The adjustment can be done using a piece of paper or blades of grass to test. The method that I find the easiest is to adjust until just touching and then back off a fraction. 

Frequency of mowing

- During the growing season, it is usually necessary to cut twice a week. It takes about 30 minutes or so to cut a full-size croquet lawn with a 24" mower.

- It is important to mow occasionally during the winter to a height of 8 to 10 mm in order to maintain sward density. If grass is allowed to get long and lanky, the sward will thin. 

Comparison
Brilliant 170 - 14 blades 170 cuts per metre £3595
Dennis - 10 blades 160 cuts per metre £7500+
Allet Tournament - 10 blades 217 cuts per metre £9300+

Made to order - please check lead time.
Built by Shane Cox of RSM Ltd

Shipping is calculated in the cart​

​- The Brilliant Fine Cut mower was developed for me by Shane Cox of Ready Set Mow Ltd. 

- Incorporates a reclaimed Atco chassis, sandblasted and epoxy powder coated with original rear roller. All working parts and the engine are new.

- The use of a reclaimed Atco Royale chassis means there is a large cost saving and a greener footprint.

- Thousands of these were made from 1964 to 2011. It was one of their most popular mowers and still exists today as the Allett Buckingham since Allett bought the manufacturing rights. Using a reclaimed frame reduces the cost and the carbon footprint. 

- The cutting width is 24" which is ideal for croquet because it is easy to steer in pedestrian mode and when using a trailing seat. It has a 6.5 hp engine, a 14 blade cylinder and "shaver" blade for mowing down to 3mm.

- The rear roller is ribbed rubber which ensures good traction, essential for towing a trailing seat.

- The 14 blade cylinder produces a superb finish with 170 cuts per metre for a super smooth, fast surface. The clipping box is tailor-made in aluminium.

- A further advantage is that an autosteer trailing seat can be attached which improves the rolling effect and is often the choice for croquet clubs because it makes mowing much easier.

- The mower has a 12 month warranty.

- Servicing can be by your local mower engineer or Ready Set Mow Ltd who offer a service contract at a cost of £400 per annum.

- Spare parts are widely available and special parts such as gears are available from RSM Ltd.
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Warranty
- ​If a component fails due to faulty manufacture it will be replaced free of charge. General wear and tear is not covered by the warranty.

Trade in
- If you want to trade in your old mower, please take photos and send to me. Shane will make an offer if he likes what he sees.