Hi BDA and rossf, the choice of a striped lawn is not an optional feature if you use a correctly set-up cylinder mower...It comes with the territory, so to speak.
What is occurring during the cut is initially the front roller, and has 2 functions; it controls the height of cut and it lays down the grass in front of it, which then causes the grass to spring up in the path of the front edge of the bed-knife blade and then precision scissor cut by the rotating cylinder reel.
It then is immediately rolled flat again by the weight of the machine on the rear roller.
This then has the mowed strip with the grass laying down in one direction. When you mow in the opposite direction the grass is laying down opposite to the first pass....causing the lawn stripes.
You can get the same effect on a pile carpet with a vacuum cleaner....
BDA, the reason your lawn is not striping much now can be the result of the lawn, which has previously been cut by a rotary mower will be getting used to being cylinder mown, and will soon settle in to being manicured. Another reason may be the cylinder to bed-knife adjustment, or it could mean time for a reel and bed-knife sharpen.
Don't worry if you don't like the stripe effect, once you water the lawn or just naturally the grass stands up again, the stripes will tend to disappear...
Personally, I like the effect, it makes your lawn stand out in the street...and I like the guy next door trying to get the same effect with his rotary!!
