Do you have a special event coming up and would like to make a "splash"? Check out our Featured Products for those upcoming summer and fall events, July 4th celebrations and different cancer awareness months. Our custom stencil Patriotic Star with Aerosol Paint or Chalk package is a favorite. 

We do offer mixed case orders, just add a little extra time for handling purposes. For example 4 cans each of white, blue, and red. I would suggest paint an all white background and then over painting the blue and red to help the colors stand out. So maybe a 6 white, 3 red and 3 blue can order will work better for your facility and event.

The Cancer Ribbon comes in two different sizes and we offer an aerosol paint or chalk package. http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products-field-striping-equipment-paint-stencils-tarps-tools/featured-products.html?limit=all

Check out several of our other "standard" field stencils for sport specific events.  

Review some of the logo field painting results using custom stencils at the Tru Mark on-line photo album.


Our recommendation for paint usage is one aerosol can covering 25 square feet (5x5), closer to 50 square feet for subsequent paint coverage

Labels: Product_Review, Trends

One of the well known aerosol paint manufacturers suffered a major plant fire/explosion back in March 2013. Due to the event and injuries the state authorities are involved in the investigations and the plant will not reopen until the investigations are completed.

A recent customer of theirs tried to connect with the company but was unsuccessful. If you are a Fox Valley paint customer please consider Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker variety of aerosol paint products for your field marking requirements. Our pricing, especially a multiple case order,  is very competitive and delivery times are as quick as anyone in the industry. All aerosol products are shipped by ground transportation. Express delivery service is not available due to the compressed gas in the cans and restrictions by the airline industry.

• All American AmeriStripe Aerosol Paint (single case pricing white, 12 case or more pricing white ($37.99), color case pricing, and 12 cases or more pricing colored ($39.99).
• US Specialty Coatings EcoStripe Aerosol Paint, higher percentage of water (10 or 20 case pricing white, 10 case pricing color).
• US Specialty Coatings DuraStripe Aerosol Chalk, temporary marking solution, especially for synthetic turf (no cleaning agent needed) (single case pricing white, single case pricing color (blue, red, yellow)).
• US Specialty Coatings DuraStripe Aerosol Paint, semi-permanent for synthetic turf using a Clear Coat followed by a Colored Coat.

Check out how much paint you need based on the sports field you are marking.

Labels: Product_Review

How do you help coaches with little soccer knowledge and coaching experience to be confident and successful? One way is to provide coaching aids such as activity guides that they can use to help organize practice while providing useful skill development drills.

The US Youth Soccer Coaching Department has introduced its latest coaching resources with three age-specific practice activity guides. The three guides — for the U6-U8, U-10 and U-12 age groups — give coaches an idea of what should be covered throughout a season while highlighting activities that focus on development in a low-stress, fun-filled environment. The practice activity guides can be very beneficial to those new to coaching youth soccer and act as a useful resource for experienced youth coaches.

Each resource covers multiple types of practice activities, from warm-ups and individual training to small-sided and group games. The exercises are tailored to meet the cognitive and physical characteristics of each age group.

The guides each contain individual activity descriptions with accompanying coaching points, so coaches are aware of what to watch for during each exercise. With 20 sessions broken down in each guide, there are more than enough activities to meet the needs of any youth soccer season.
US Youth Soccer U6-U8 Practice Activities (2 MB PDF)
- Provides a list of varying characteristics of Under-6 and Under-8 players in regards to sports.
- How to play Small-Sided Games with “large” rosters.
- Activities focus on individual soccer skills that build on one another.
US Youth Soccer Under-10 Practice Activities (2 MB PDF)
- Provides a list of characteristics of Under-10 players.
- Advice on how to connect with the youth athlete.
US Youth Soccer Under-12 Practice Activities (1.6 MB PDF)
- Information on inserting tactics into training.
- Activities geared toward development and decision-making.

Sport play 562-930 Soccer Net (Google Affiliate Ad)
Funnet Goal - 6' x 8' - Other Sports Equipment (Google Affiliate Ad)
PUGG 4' Portable Training Set - 2 Goals - 1 Bag - Other Sports Equipment (Google Affiliate Ad)

Labels: Testimonials, Turf _Tips

Why is a two(2) can inverted aerosol can line painter more beneficial than a single can aerosol athletic line striper? There are several reasons that an organization would consider a 2 can line striper to include additional versatility, time savings, better paint coverage, and crisper looking lines. Let me explain in more detail.

A two(can) aerosol can line field striper provides the sports field marking staff the option to use either one or two cans. For example, to improve coverage for a game field a two can operation is performed while a practice field needs a more economical one(1) can application.

Time savings for the athletic field striper operation is achieved through better coverage on one pass versus going over the same line twice. The field marking staff may be able to walk at a quicker pace with the 2 can operation while applying a quality line.

The two offset (versus vertical) aerosol cans held by the chassis provides much better turf grass coverage which typically is needed when the grass is mowed in different directions causing the grass blade to lay over. This two can application generates a crisper line due to the grass blade being covered on both sides also increasing longevity of the painted line.

In addition the Tru Mark Sharp Stripe Two(2) Can All Terrain aerosol line painter sports a wider axle configuration for better control and reduced variability due to rough terrain.In addition this unit is equipped with four 10 inch foam filled wheels with ball bearings to improve line accuracy and a smoother push action.

I would suggest that the two(2) aerosol field line striper will provide a much better quality line when aerosol chalk is used for temporary field marking requirements on synthetic turf fields. We are finding more youth sports associations are using city/school facilities but not allowed to use removal field marking paints nor do they have ready access to airless line striping equipment. Thus for a weekend tournament the two(2) can aerosol line striper with aerosol chalk of different colors (white, yellow, blue, red) is a inexpensive and effective solution. The aerosol chalk once it dries performs just like traditional powdered chalk so foot traffic, broom action, and water removes the product, no special cleaning solutions, equipment, or additional time.



Warrior Dynasty AX2 Jr. Protective Equipment Combo (Google Affiliate Ad)
GCI Outdoor Xpress Lounger - Hunter Green (Google Affiliate Ad)

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Lacrosse Field Markings on Football and Soccer Field.

What does the field look like when you stripe a lacrosse field on an existing marked sports field?  This has become a common question for a lot of sports clubs that are playing on fields that were installed for other sporting events. What colors should you use? Is there any hard and fast rules on the color of lines? What are other facilities using, especially on the synthetic or artificial surface sports fields?

Over time Tru Mark personnel have visited many different sports complexes and have collected a few images of some these multi-purpose venues. Review a series of images from the Tru Mark photo album of two sports venues where lacrosse field lines have been applied to soccer and a combined football and soccer field.

Each state high school sports association may have designed color schemes in their by-laws when marking fields that are used for multiple sports. Tru Mark for the most part has seen only white lines for football fields, yellow (or possibly black) for soccer, blue and red lines for lacrosse are very common. Once the athletes understand the colored markings there seems to be little problem with distinguishing the boundary lines for their particular sport.

Typically most high schools will have the football field lines sewn into the artificial turf surface, possibly soccer field lines as well in a different color, typically yellow or in more recent cases black. More club and youth sports associations are wanting access to these synthetic turf venues. Facility managers are trying to balance the needs with the operations and maintenance of these facilities. Some facilities are using permanent and removable paints (such as Tru Mark TrailBlazer formulations, Rally Day removable and Solar Trail permanent) to support these other sporting events while others want a more temporary and less resource intensive product that doesn't require a lot of cleaning and paint removal. This has lead to the introduction of aerosol (DuraStripe Chalk) and liquid bulk chalk (Tru Mark SwitchBack Double Play liquid chalk) solutions.

To help with laying out a lacrosse field, man and women, no matter the size request a copy of the Lacrosse Field Layout Tool. It is a MS Excel template with formulas to calculate the distances from the center and two end points on the field. 

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Are you tired of running out of powdered chalk while doing your baselines, pitchers circle and home plate boxes? Are your foul lines building up a raised surface in the outfield? How can I chalk a line quicker by not waddling behind the chalk marker? Are you trying to reduce the amount of chalk so it isn't dragged all over the infield or baselines? The chalk is discoloring and caking up my infield mix, how can I prevent this? What are the professional baseball team doing to overcome these problems?

Well the Minnesota Twins when their new field was completed invested in a Model EZ-70 field marker in 2010 and began using SwitchBack Ground Boss field marking paint to "chalk" their lines using diluted bulk latex paint and this low volume low pressure 12-volt diaphragm pump technology. The Twins facility staff heard from the Washington Nationals about the unit they purchased in 2009. The Twins field maintenance staff found that there was less over use of "chalk" thus reducing the infield mix contamination. The bulk latex paint since it was biodegradable was not causing problems with the infield mix water retention properties. The lower pump pressure was not creating a dust cloud when applying the diluted paint and once the paint dried the lines were bright white under lights with a higher percentage of the titanium dioxide in the formulation.With the 3-wheel deck construction and the paint shoe and nozzle applicator just outside the rear wheel the operator was still able to eye the string line and walk comfortably with the balanced unit and handlebar assembly. Around home plate the unit could be easily maneuvered to complete the batter and catcher boxes.


This same configuration using SwitchBack Double Play, liquid bulk chalk diluted 1 to 1, is an ideal temporary field marking solution for both indoor and outdoor use on synthetic turf sports fields. Once the liquid chalk dries it preforms like powdered chalk with foot traffic and/or water removing the material from the turf fibers. No cleaning agent are necessary to remove Double Play.

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Customers come up with some very good questions and many of these apply to other users of field marking equipment and paint supplies. Here's a good representative series of questions from a Salvation Army Kroc Center with both natural grass and synthetic turf (in doors) sports fields.

"Could you give me some info on these products? We have 2 Soccer fields and a turf indoor field. would these products be what we would need to have them painted, or appropriate to what our needs may be. I don't know much about them and need to know if its something we would actually need. would I actually need the heavy duty gas powered one or do you think i would just need the little push one. How about the paint would that paint work? How would we go about removing the paint from the Turf Floor? On the soccer fields, would the be sort of swept away when it rained? Just some questions I have about these products before I order them. Thanks you again for working with us on these various items."

And here's our response based on an earlier reply that included field marking equipment and paint/chalk applications.

The Graco FieldLazer S100 can apply both diluted (bulk liquid chalk) and the removable synthetic turf paint (no dilution). The S100 produces sufficient pump pressure to apply the undiluted paint (maybe with a little water, 8 ounces per gallon at most) as well as diluted field marking paint/chalk for outdoor use.

Most customers will use a product such as SwitchBack Ground Boss for the natural grass fields since this will last longer (at least two passes for mowing) then aerosol and bulk liquid chalk products I provided pricing for. The Ground Boss is priced in the $75 to $100 per pail depending on how many pails are purchased. This product can be diluted up to 4 to 1, most customers dilute 2 to 1 for excellent coverage and duration.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products-field-striping-equipment-paint-stencils-tarps-tools/sports-field-athletic-marking-paint/switchback-ground-boss-natural-turf-white-5-gallons.html

The chalk products, both aerosol and bulk liquid chalk are very temporary and can be removed by foot traffic and water/rain. These products perform similar to powdered chalk on baseball and softball fields. The TrailBlazer Rally Day for synthetic turf application is designed to hold up for tournament and potentially a season depending on foot traffic. This product can be removed with a cleaning agent such as the TrailBlazer Trail Wash. Trail Wash comes in 4 1-gallons cases or 5-gallon pails. You spray it on the synthetic turf using typical hand pump sprayer (it can be diluted). Then you use a brush or mechanical broom to help break down the paint followed by rinsing it with water. The key is not to allow the Trail Wash to dry before agitating the turf.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products-field-striping-equipment-paint-stencils-tarps-tools/sports-field-athletic-marking-paint/trailblazer-trail-wash-turf-paint-removal-agent-1-gallons-4-cans-per-case.html

Depending on the staff support and cleaning equipment I would recommend the aerosol or bulk liquid chalk for the indoor facility, especially if you are playing many different sporting events with different dimensions. Although you would be lining the fields more often you will not have the scrubbing activities to remove the paint.

Here are a couple other blog posts that you may find useful.
http://trumark.blogspot.com/2013/01/sports-field-marker-suggestion-for-high.html
http://trumark.blogspot.com/2013/03/football-soccer-field-markings-for.html

The customer came back with further background.
I do need to clarify that our turf field is indoor. We will not be able to use water to get the paint up is there another option. our indoor field is right next to a basketball court and the water would not be a viable option for this.
We have 2 outdoor fields. We dont have any seasons planned at the moment but we could have tournaments  or such things in the future and would like to be able to provide for those. We will also have various camps in the summer and if its just a bunch of kids playing on it we wont really need to spray new paint on for those,
So we should only need a limited amount but in the future we will need more. just trying to get an idea of how everything is going to work for the future.
Our outdoor fields are:    Soccer Field East: Playing Field 224.5 X 360’ = 80,638 Sq. Ft.
                              -w/ 20 ft. safety zone increases to 105,585 Sq. Ft.
                        Soccer Field West: Playing Field 209.5’ X 344’ = 72,124 Sq. Ft.
                               -w/ 20 ft. safety zone, increases to 95,875 Sq. Ft.
Our indoor field is:  75 X 100 =7,500 Sq. Ft 

So knowing more about the facility and the expected use the following was provided to help the customer understand better his cost benefit analysis and return on investment.

Given what you explained on the indoor facility I would recommend a chalk solution, either/both aerosol and bulk liquid chalk. These lines can be removed by foot traffic or broom action, no water necessary (you might use a shop vacuum to help pick up the dust).

A standard soccer field with penalty and goalie boxes is just over 3,000 linear feet.
Since the indoor facility is less than one third the size thus less than 1,000 linear feet of lines. Each aerosol can will cover 200 linear feet, so for you need approximately 5 aerosol cans each time you line the indoor field(s). We do offer colors in the aerosol chalk besides white, to include blue, yellow, and red.

If the first priority is the indoor facility and if you are concerned about initial costs then I would recommend the SSAT aerosol striper and aerosol chalk. I would suggest the
SSAT, $200.00,
Aerosol Chalk, 8 cases of white (12 lining operations) ($55x8= $440)
Aerosol Chalk, 2 cases of yellow ($65x2=$130)
Aerosol Paint for outdoor use, white (10 cases x $55.00=$550.00)
Subtotal $1,320.00 + $16.95 S&H
Total $1,339.95.

From a longer term investment strategy you should consider the Graco S100 with purchases of the SwitchBack Double Play liquid chalk (indoor use) and Ground Boss (for outdoor use). [This solution would also support the TrailBlazer Rally Day removal paint solution for the indoor use. As part of paint removal with Trail Wash and water you would need to use a shop  vacuum to pick up the rinse water.]
S100, $2,400.00,
Double Play, 4 (5-gallon pails) x $100.00 = $400.00
Ground Boss, 4 (5-gallon pails) x $100 = $400.00
Subtotal $3,200.00, S&H $66.95
Total, $3,266.95.

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Titan Powrliner 850 Out of the Box Without Paint Pail

Are recent inquiry by phone asked for more detailed information on football (soccer) field markings on a synthetic turf surface in South America. Our phone connection and translation efforts were not the best so we provided a response by email.

I’m going to refer to several website pages to help answer some of your questions. Also for translation purposes you can copy my text into the follow Google Translator webpage to convert the language.

Field marking paint for synthetic turf applications is a special formulation to help the paint adhere to the nylon, polyethylene, or polypropylene fibers. The fibers need to be clean prior to painting.

The line striping application is very similar to applying diluted bulk latex paint to natural grass sports fields. However, the TrailBlazer Solar Trail formulation (custom colors) is designed to be applied without any dilution and needs to be applied using an airless paint machine that can generate enough pressure to apply the paint, no less the 1000 pound per square inch but closer to 3000 PSI. (70 kg/Sq cm – 210 kg/sq cm).
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products-field-striping-equipment-paint-stencils-tarps-tools/sports-field-athletic-marking-paint/trailblazer-solar-trail-permanent-turf-paint-custom-colors-5-gallons.html

Once the intersections are designated on the field you need to pull string lines between these intersections so you can walk a straight line while applying the field marking paint with the line marking machine. You can use one of our MS Excel spread sheet layout tools (Soccer, Lacrosse, Rugby) to help locate the intersections no matter the size of the field dimensions  Select the particular tool from the right hand side navigation links.
I would recommend one of the walk behind field markers similar to the Titan PL 850, PL2850, Graco S90, S100.

I’ve included a video web page of one of our gasoline powered airless pump line striping machines to help show the field striping operations.http://trumark.blogspot.com/2012/04/graco-fieldlazer-operations-and.html

A good overall field marking help guide and other related material.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/docs/Field_Painting_Strategies.pdf
http://trumark.blogspot.com/2011/10/indoor-soccer-turf-field-with-rubber-in.html
http://trumark.blogspot.com/2012/02/temporary-sports-field-marking-on.html

We look forward to hearing from you in the near future. We can provide you with shipping costs for the 5-gallon paint pails. You should plan of 60 pounds per pail (27 kg) . Each gallon of paint will cover 300 linear feet (3.8 liters cover 91 linear meters).

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Saving time is saving money in most cases and that is especially true for volunteers and coaches that are short on coaching time yet need to get sports field marked for practice and games. Tools typically are designed to save time, reduce fatigue, and save money which is what Eazy Crease does many times over.

Eazy Crease consists of a plastic covered cable with loops at appropriated distances for particular sporting events, a stake with a loop to hold one end of the cable and a clamp at the opposite end of the cable to hold an aerosol can in an inverted position. Insert the stake, select the appropriate loop for hold the cable, and insert your aerosol can and you are making circles, arcs and crease. Check out the video below using Eazy Crease for a women's lacrosse field.

There are different tool kits depending on the sports, for example the soccer and field hockey, a separate kit for men's and women's lacrosse, and a fast pitch softball.

Couple the Eazy Crease with the associated Tru Mark Field Layout Tools for soccer, rugby, lacrosse, and ultimate frisbee using a MS Excel template you will be almost guaranteed to mark out an accurate field.

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Graco FieldLazer S100

Graco FieldLazer Spring Promotion was announced for customers making purchases from March 1 through July 15, 2013 and submitting a Graco FieldLazer coupon with invoice postmarked on or before July 31, 2013.

For the FieldLazer S100 a customer has the opportunity to receive 4 Free RAC 5 Striping (LL5xxx) or Stencil (286xxx) Spray Tips. This is a value up to $160.00.

http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/docs/Graco/2013_Graco_FieldLazer_Spring_Promotion.pdf  (1MB PDF)

Labels: Product_Review, Services

Titan PowrLiner Speedflo Spring Marketing Promotion, good through April 30, 2013


Titan Tool recently released a spring promotion for customers making purchases between March 1, 2013 and April 30, 2013. Promotion values range for $230 for the PowrLiner 850 to $1,021 for the PowrLiner 4950. Also included is a 2 for 1 purchase, buy one TR2 spray tip and receive another for free.

To receive a benefit directly from Titan Tool you need to mail in a Titan Proof of purchase coupon (1.8 MB PDF) along with purchase receipt and serial number.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/docs/Titan/2013_Titan_PowrLiner_850_2850_4950_Bonus_Promo.pdf (1.8 MB PDF)

Here are the details associated with the Titan PowrLiner promotion.

Buy a TR2 (TR2 1908/519, TR2 1708/51TR2 1708/517) Line Striping Tip and get one free

PL850—Value of $230
•    Front Wheel Caster Cable Assembly
•    39" Handicap Stencil
•    1 TR2 Line Striping Tip

PL2850—Value $510
•    Starter Stencil Kit
•    3 TR2 Line Striping Tips

PL4950—Value $1,021
•    4 GUN FILTERS
•    Inlet Screen
•    Manifold filter
•    Repacking Kit
•    SureTrak Floating Gun KIt
•    3 TR2 LINE
•    STRIPING TIPS

Labels: Product_Review, Services

Landscape Staple 6 Inch (25)

How do you hold down a custom flexible stencil on a sports field when painting, especially during windy conditions?  How do hold down a infield tarp or protective cover? There are several options to consider, sandbags, masonry blocks, 2x4 boards, PVC and cardboard tubes, or landscaping staples or stakes.

 For holding down custom flexible stencil we recommend folding the corners and the inserting the staple through the double sheet. For larger area stencils staples my be needed in the interior of the stencil, especially during windy conditions. The sheet plastic strength is normally not harmed by the small holes made the staples, nor do they significantly increase the opportunity for tearing.

These landscaping staples work well for holding in place sports field tarps and protective covers. One leg of the staple is inserted into a grommet and the other leg is pushed down outside of the tarp or protective cover.

Tru Mark is repackaging 6 inch landscaping staples to better support customers with smaller quantity requirements. These are steel staples that are oiled to reduce rust while being stored and after use. The staples are packaged in 5 per sealed plastic pouch and grouped in 5 sets for a total of 25 staples. Also a box of 100 landscaping staples can be purchased.

Landscape Staples 6 Inch (100)

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Over the years we have received more requests for the manufacture of custom field stencils replicating logos for painting on soccer fields. The soccer programs may not have had the history or booster club support as football in the past. But in some school systems there is a trend where high school soccer programs are becoming just as important to school spirit as the historic football programs. This is translating into the upgrade to playing field and the areas surrounding the field with visual effects such as painted logos.

As school systems continue to search for revenue to support their programs, many schools are allowing advertising to be placed on the field or on the sidelines of the playing field. Booster clubs are looking for multiple revenue streams to help with fund raising. We are seeing more volunteers helping with field marking operations with the use of aerosol and bulk latex paints (easy to clean up) that are non toxic to the environment and the equipment becoming simpler to operate and maintain.

A recent request called for two logos, one for boys and another for the girls team along with school lettering. These stencils were painted on the home field side of the field straddling the center line.

“Thanks, everyone has raved about how good the field looks. We have had a great reaction to them and the players really like them which is why we wanted to purchase them. It was hard to get a good photo of the entire thing because it is so wide.”

SALADO Lettering, 4' x 25’, SOCCER Lettering, 4' x 25’6”

Boys Soccer logo, 6’9” x 8' Girls Soccer logo, 5’9” x 8'

Check out an earlier post on professional field marking tips and tricks.Send us a email with a good quality image and we'll provide a size and price quote for a flexible custom stencil. Please let us know where on the field you plan to paint the logo. http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/field-stencils/custom-flexible-field-stencil.html  Check out some the images of our other custom field stencil painted logos.

Labels: Product_Review, Testimonials

If you have not read about George Toma, the Super Bowl groundskeeper guru, then read a recent article about his efforts associated with Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. I had the pleasure to meet George at my first STMA annual conference in 2003. Years earlier he had endorsed our Tru Mark Model E-100 12-volt battery operated airless diaphragm pump 3 wheel deck field marker as a new entry into the field marking industry, first introduced in 1995.

George Toma has been recognized many times for his tireless work ethic and support to the sports turf industry. The Sports Turf Management Association have a annual award, George Toma Golden Rake Award, to recognize annually a sports turf professional. He is one of the few recognized for the Professional Football Hall of Fame Pioneer Award, voted in in 2001, never having played in a professional football game, and more recently voted into the KC Royals Hall of Fame, 2012.

In 2000 the radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh recognized George Toma's attention to detail while supporting the Super Bowl XXVIII, George's statement, "You always do everything you can and then a little more". Rush went on to recognize this statement in 2007 as his own EIB philosophy.

George Toma has collected many of his tricks of the trade to make sports turf managers job more efficient and playing surfaces safer for the participants in a book, Nitty Gritty Dirt Man, George Toma and Alan Goforth, 2004. An excellent short biography can be found at George Toma: From Single A to the Super Bowl . . . and Then Some, By Kevin Burrows, LSMP Editor.

Labels: Testimonials, Turf _Tips

Aer-flo continues to introduce innovative products for the sports turf industry using their Vipol open mesh vinyl coated polyester material.

The newest introduction includes the Landing Zone™ ballasted pit covers for long and triple jump pits. The material is the same as the Sideline Turf Protectors, but includes a vinyl wrapped galvanized steel chain perimeter to keep it in place. Your sand stays where it belongs, in the pit, protected from wind, animals, and children. But rain, sun, and air penetrate the material, eliminating water pooling and mold.

A football sideline tool was recently released to help with special team organization.  The Huddle Zone™ Special Teams Mat, 9' x 15', with 3' x 3' marked areas for player positions and wind weighted ballasted using galvanized chain border are sure to help coaches minimize penalties and unscheduled time outs. Light weight and flexible to allow for transport to away games.

And for the backyard play time enthusiast that wants to protect their sandbox, select a Vipol sandbox cover with a chain ballast border to keep them in place. Priced by the square foot.

Labels: Product_Review

Now available--as of May 22, 2013. Graco's FieldLazer S90 is first battery operated high pressure (900 psi) walk behind sports field line striper. Their 12-volt maintenance free battery unit for multiple field marking operations before recharge features the standard RAC5 spray tips. The three wheel deck with an adjustable handle bar assembly features a on/off button for sprayer control. The integrated 6-gallon tank and pump allows for tipping for paint removal and easy cleanup operations. The S90 features adjustable spray shields, a similar design to the FieldLazer S100 unit, but in light weight molded plastic.Visit the Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker website for a  2 minute video of the FieldLazer S90 unit in operations. Units begin shipping March 2013.

The March 2013 issue of the SportsField Management Magazine that covered the annual Sports Turf Managers Association conference highlighted the Graco FieldLazer S90. The improvements in field marking paints were also noted in the article. Tru Mark agrees that since 2002 there have many many new field marking products introduced to help the facility and sports turf manager more effectively mark and maintain their sports fields. Check out the aerosol and bulk chalk solutions and the removable paints for synthetic turf that are offered by Tru Mark.

FieldLazer S90 also included in the latest version of Graco's FieldLazer field marking video (2:16 min)

Labels: Product_Review

What sports field marker would you suggest for a high school with natural grass fields to include a competition football field plus two practice fields and a softball field with a soccer and baseball fields in the spring? We are currently using an aerosol paint field marking solution.

Although we don’t have a comprehensive comparison sheet on field marking solutions we do have some information that should be helpful. First I would recommend reviewing a "How to Select a Field Marker" document that briefly describes the different technologies that are available from our FAQ web page. http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/faq
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/docs/How-to-Select-a-Field-Marker.pdf

Our Tru Mark 12-volt battery operated airless diaphragm pump units, Tru Mark E-100 (preferred for your situation) and the Tru Mark EZ-70 Stow-in-Go have been well received by the youth sports and high school programs, whether operated by volunteers or paid staff. Here’s a comparison of the two units.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/faq#faq-E-100nEZ-70
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/walk-behind-striper.html
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/walk-behind-striper/tru-mark-model-ez-70-stow-n-go.html
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/walk-behind-striper/tru-mark-model-e-100-athletic-field-marker.html

There are two gasoline powered airless field markers we would suggest with the Titan PL850 providing a pavement striping capability as well (for those organizations responsible for parking lot striping). http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/walk-behind-striper/titan-powrliner-850.html
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/walk-behind-striper/graco-s100-fieldlazer.html

Given the number of fields you mark in the fall and spring I would focus your evaluation on the Tru Mark Model E-100 and Titan PL850.

Please contact us for additional information. We would be glad to provide you with a price quote for purchase order processing.

Please review some of our other field marking supplies such as marking whiskers, field line anchors, string winders, and field marking paint.

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Futsal (Five-a-Side Soccer) is typically played on basketball courts in the US. Recently we received a call from a customer asking how to temporarily mark the 20 foot arcs for the goal area. Normally a court marking tape such as the vinyl rubber backed marking tape such as the 3M 471 has been a suitable solution. However in this particular case, the tape backing was causing an adverse reaction to court floor covering. The facility manager suggested they paint/roll the lines using a washable Tempera paint.

The challenge for the customer was how to quickly and accurately apply the paint to the court, especially the 20' arc which is measured from each of the goal posts thus requiring a 10' long line to connect the two 90 degree arcs.

Initially the customer was considering a stencil so that it could be quickly laid out, paint the arc/line, move the stencil and continue the process. The key would be aligning the arc with the touchline. Unfortunately the flexible field stencils used for a turf surface requires additional work for the Futsal court customer as the the flexible stencil material must be held in place with tape or ballast to prevent any "bleed over". This is typically not a issue with applied on turf fields.

Another possible solution is manufacturing a section of the 20' arc from a piece of 4' x 8' 1/8" or 3/16" thick HDPE sheet plastic. Painting the quarter arc becomes a task of using two (or at least one) 20' string lines to align the arc edge from the goal post and then paint, moving across the court. These rigid stencils work are very effective for running track marking operations.

The customer decided that with the resources available he would use 20' string line and a broom stick to establish hash marks and then use a 2" roller brush to connect the dots forming the painted arc.

Tru Mark needs to test whether the DuraStripe Aerosol Chalk, white, product will also work. We are not sure at this time whether the propellant (butane) might affect the floor finish. It works extremely well on synthetic turf surfaces. The aerosol chalk does come in red, blue, and yellow colors. Let us know if you have effectively used this product for court purposes and we'll share with other readers..

Labels: Trends, Turf _Tips

Where can I locate a company or organization that can provide field marking services? We receive numerous calls from youth sports organizations that need a one time or recurring field marking service. One of the best resources is the American Sports Builders Association.

ASBA supports a Certified Field Builder Program to help raise professional standards and to improve the practice of field construction. Typically field marking is one of the requirements for a company in completing or renovating a sports field. Many times these companies use subcontractors to satisfy all the requirements. Although contacting one of these companies may not result in an immediate solution, they typically have a list of subcontractors that do provide field marking services.

The ASBA has an organizational search directory that allows users to search by an individual state and different categories such as Tennis, Track, Indoor, Synthetic Turf, Natural Turf, and Other. Some companies offer services for specific category of surfaces. The check boxes act as an "and" function versus an "or" function which is opposite of my assumption, thus more selections may provide less listings.

If you are a field marking service provider please send us an email with your contact information and we'll post it on our Links webpage.

Refer to one of our our earlier blog posts--Sports Field Marking--How to be a Pro.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

A customer recently found that their soccer youth organization became  responsible for field marking operations for the next spring season, well after the fall season had concluded. The currently painted soccer field lines were fading quickly and they wanted to mark the intersections so they wouldn't have to layout the fields from scratch in the spring.

Their solution to this dilemma was installing the Tru Mark Standard 6" Marking Whiskers with Raptor Stakes to indicate the intersections for the soccer field boundaries as well as the internal penalty and goalie boxes. This would allow them in the spring to quickly locate the intersections so they could then pull string lines and complete the line marking with their field marking equipment and supplies with minimal volunteer resources.

Marking the field intersections begin by inserting the Raptor Stake (same dimensions as a 60 Penny or Common Nail), a composite 6 inch nail, through the horse shoe metal clasp that secures the UV protected nylon 6 inch strands or marking whiskers and then driving the unit into the ground with a hammer.

Also at the minimum if they could designate the center of the field and the center of the goals then knowing the dimensions they could use the Tru Mark Soccer Field Layout Tool to quickly determine the intersections using two tape measures.

The customer placed the order on Thursday requesting 2nd Day Service so they could complete the field marking activity over a 3-day holiday weekend. Tru Mark personnel were able to expedite the order and used FedEx 2nd Day Saturday delivery service to meet their needs. They provided the following comment, "We got them and they are perfect.  Thank you for your help!"

 A more permanent field marking solution, especially for the major corner intersections is the Field Line Anchor with Whisker Plug product line. These zinc platted steel anchors with a 3 inch diameter top can be located with a magnet tool. The additional capability of inserting the Marking Whisker plug, a concrete insert with a marking whisker is slid into the 3/4 inch diameter hole of the Field Line Anchor. The marking whisker can be trimmed to the height of the grass to reduce the shaggy result when a dull mower blade mows the turf. This product then allows for a Tru Mark Turf Stake or another staking tool for pulling string line for subsequent line striping operations.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/marking-whiskers/field-line-anchor-marking-whiskers-plug-6.html

Labels: Product_Review, Testimonials, Turf _Tips

Double Play Scuff Tests

We have customers with interesting challenges that many of our products and equipment can help solve. Lately we've been receiving inquiries on temporary lines at their facilities. Here's the question,

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

AthleticFieldMarker.com uses the Magento open source eCommerce website platform that allows for many third party developed plug-ins to be evaluated and incorporated. The Magento Connect control panel allows for a straightforward implementation,

We've taken advantage of a couple of these that help our international and mobile device customers.

• Bongo International provides a US warehouse address where they then forward to the overseas customer's address. The customer registers from a link, such as the Tru Mark FAQ Shipping Rates area to the Bongo website where they receive a US shipping address for a very modest fee along with their billing information for the international leg of the shipment. Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker only charges the customer for the traditional US shipping costs using the AthleticFieldMarker.com shopping cart.
• TenFoot has developed a Magento plug-in for our website that improves the access to the athleticfieldmarker.com website when viewing from a smartphone and tablet. Tru Mark recognizes the increase in customers using these modern mobile platforms and is trying to improve their experience.
• While evaluating an Android tablet capabilities we were able to confirm that the Polaris Office application suite successfully executes the Tru Mark Field layout tools for soccer, lacrosse, rugby, and ultimate sports field dimensions. This latest desktop solution for the mobile platforms follows the Office Plus solution for the Apple iPhones and Documents to Go on a Blackberry device.

Connect to our blog site and get notifications when posts are made using the RSS technology. Also we use a Facebook business page to keep friends updated. This Facebook site also has listings of our products using the StoreYa plug-in and Beetailer plug-in. Also we can be connected through our Tru Mark Twitter posts.

Labels: Services, Trends

Attract more attention to your Cancer Awareness Month activities by painting a pink cancer ribbon on your landscape, lawn, sports turf field, field sidelines, softball/baseball infield, field entry way, and pavements.

Tru Mark has two different sized cancer ribbon stencils to choose from, 4.5' x 9' ($129.00 + $16.95 S&H) and 8.5' x 17.75' ($249.00 + $16.95 S&H).

We offer these two "one color" stencils with a case of aerosol field marking paint as a package for savings in cost and time. Check out the pricing for the Cancer Ribbon Stencil Package, Small 4.5' x 9', One Color, with Pink Aerosol Paint ($169.00 + $16.95 S&H) or the Cancer Ribbon Stencil Package, Large, 8.5' x 17.75', One Color, with Pink Aerosol Paint ($289.00 + $16.95 S&H).

Labels: Product_Review, Trends

Over the course of product support we'll receive calls from "new" customers that have inherited a piece of equipment. The woman's soccer program at Northwestern State University became owner's of a poorly maintained Model E-100 that was not performing properly, e.g., providing a sufficient spray fan coverage for a 4 inch line. Tru Mark provided a couple suggestion on cleaning, trouble shooting, and likely replacement parts that would return the unit to full operational performance.

An image of the Model E-100 represents a late model unit with the pump head facing the rear for easy access to pump valve kit without removing the pump motor from the deck and a rigid intake line assembly to improve the maximum paint uptake from the paint tank. The spary wand hose is connected on the side of the deck using the quick connect/disconnect coupler.

There is a serial number on the bottom of the deck that can be used to help pinpoint the date of purchase (and original owner) when contacting Tru Mark.

The customer had demonstrated the unit operated with clean water, which is a recommended setup and operational procedure during the course of the field marking season. If the pump doesn't prime with water then additional trouble shooting steps need to be taken. For example putting your hand over the intake line assembly (screened end) and verifying the vacuum affect from the pump operation. If there is no vacuum/pumping affect when the pump motor is running then the pump valve kit or pump diaphragm kit is the likely offending part. Please refer to the Tru Mark Photo Album with descriptions on the parts replacement process for the Shurlfo pump.

For a closeup of the "plumbing" of the Model E-100 please refer to another Tru Mark Photo Album with many of the E-100 parts details.

Here are some of the common Model E-100 field marker replacement parts.

• E-100 Field Kit,
• A listing of all Tru Mark Field Kits and Upgrades,

• Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker Parts Listing,
• Model E-100 Shurflo 3.3 GPM PumpValve Kit(Viton),
• Tru Mark TeeJet Brass Spray Tips,
• Tru Mark Spray Systems Brass Check Valve with 50 mesh Screen, 
• Tru Mark Spraying Systems Brass Nozzle Cap,

Please refer to the FAQ page for additional information.

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Titan Tool and Plymouth, MN played host to a turf and pavement line striping demonstration for the Titan Speedflo Powrliner 4950 and PowrDriver Easy Liner with turf tires option, organized by D. Ervasti Sales, Sauk Rapids, MN and Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker, Norfolk, NE. Tom Heine, Titan Tool representative and several other Titan marketing members used two Plymouth, MN locations to show case the Powrline 4850 two gun unit with a PowrDriver with turf tires for nine sports turf managers from the Minnesota Sports Turf Managers Association chapter. The demonstration opportunity exposed observers to the PowrDriver with turf tire option in the latest introduction to the Titan line striping capabilities when it comes to self-propelled riding turf and pavement striping

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker has created a self-propelled rider line striping package featuring this same demonstration configuration with the addition of a 12 gallon paint hopper for longer duration striping before refilling. The demonstration used ready to use sports field marking paint as well as pavement striping bulk latex paint.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review

Many organizations are looking for a lower cost solution when transitioning from aerosol spray painting to bulk liquid paint operations. The Tru Mark Model EZ-70 fits the needs for many organizations.

A photo album depicts many of the features of EZ-70 Stow-in-Go  versatile 12-volt battery operated diaphragm pump airless line striper.

Prospective customers want to know the comparison between the Model E-100 and EZ-70. A website FAQ table describes many of these features. Both units support the Tru Mark Terrain Following Paint Shield Assembly Technology.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review, Trends

A recent question was asked about the differences between the Graco S100 (FieldLazer) and the Titan Speeflo PowrLiner 850 line stripers. As a owner of both these units for demo purposes I can offer several insights. The Graco S100 has been on the market for about 5 years while the Titan 850 a little over 2 years. Both have gone through some equipment upgrades.

Besides a price comparison the Titan 850 has several advantages over Graco S100:
1) swivel front wheel,
2) 50' versus 25' of spray hose,
3) better quality and easier mounting bracket for spray wand handle,
4) supports TR2 spray tip (quick switch tip for two different line widths),
5) adjustable pump pressure for applying undiluted paints for pavement and synthetic turf applications.

The Titan 850 requires the Tru Mark Titan Spray Shoe Assembly accessory to duplicate the Graco S100 Spray Shoe Guards.

A couple design considerations where the Graco S100 shines include the handlebar assembly which  is more rigid when in the operational configuration and the intake line from the paint tank is of higher quality material. The Graco S100 uses the Honda GTX 35cc engine which is well respected in the industry.

There are a couple YouTube video clips that may be beneficial for reference purposes.
Using the S100 on a discus pit   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKqp9g8RzzU&feature=g-upl
Graco marketing video for the S100   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PET1j8uu0cA
An early Graco marketing video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfGKCtsGZFE
Titan marketing video primarily on pavement  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Q5vBBgFXg
Titan Facebook business page  http://www.facebook.com/titansprayers

Labels: Product_Review, Testimonials, Turf _Tips

"I have some patches I would like to cover in my backyard... I am planning to reseed the areas, but in the meantime didn't want to have numerous brown or earth-covered  patches. Would any of your products (aerosol or aerosol pump) fit this bill?" Jeffrey, Toronto, Canada

There are couple options you might consider:
1)    Aerosol Paint, Turf Green, covers about 50 square feet per aerosol can. This inverted can application uses a T-tip that is normally associated with an aerosol line striper but can be used by hand.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/paint/ameri-stripe-aerosol-paint-color-12-cans-per-case.html

2)    Bulk Latex Paint, Turf Green, one diluted gallon will cover approximately 100 square feet, dilution ratio of 1 to 1 for good coverage (1,000 square feet per 5-gallon pail), can be applied using a pump-up sprayer.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/paint/switchback-ground-boss-natural-turf-green-sweep-5-gallons.html

3)    Turf Colorant, dilution ratio of up to 9 to 1, this can be sold in 1 gallon cans, $29.00 per gallon plus shipping ($16.95), and can be applied using a pump-up sprayer. If there is anything you don't want covered please avoid (concrete, brick, etc.) as this acts as a permanent "stain".
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/products/paint/switchback-kameelyan-blue-turf-colorant-5-gallons.html

Here's a photo album of test strips on grass and a blue spruce tree using turf colorant. This turf colorant held up for weeks on the dormant grass and over the winter on the tree.
http://picasaweb.google.com/105832309948818480130/TurfColorant
Another photo album of turf colorant being used to cover existing white field lines.
http://picasaweb.google.com/105832309948818480130/TurfColorantOverWhite

Item 3 is what golf courses use as well as real estate companies selling property with dormant grass.

Applying the paint/colorant during the cool part of the day will help minimize the absorption by the plant leaf, especially the aerosol paint, and any adverse impact to the plant's recovery.

A recent article about an entrepreneur helping out homeowners with dormant grass is receiving excellent reviews from neighbors (and saving on watering).
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/07/27/4132488/turf-painting-spreads-as-drought.html 

Here's an earlier blog post when Texas was experiencing their drought last year, "turning brown turf green".
http://trumark.blogspot.com/2011/07/turning-brown-turf-green-with-sports.html

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips