Since nobody could help you with this, I'll kick something off.

This is about the least effective device to do anything of value to your lawn. I am anti-aeration to begin with, so if you're looking for an excuse to not aerate, talk to me. But if you insist on doing it, you would be ahead by renting a machine rather than buying this contraption.

WAIT! You're in Naples, FL? You'll NEVER need an aerator.

Okay you're not the same HU-y03495230835052350-384u650293680-i4235683409247534-68u27-837-68 that I saw in Naples. Is the HU number assigned if you don't pick a screen name?

My fear is that the rolling drum is not sturdy enough to use even one time. The hole in the side is to fill it with water to get enough weight to penetrate the soil. By the time you have enough weight it seems like the spikes would bend and break.

Here's how you fix hard soil. First of all, compacted soil is caused by repeated mechanical disturbance of waterlogged soil. This is typical around a livestock pond (or a tank in Texas). The soil at the apron of the water is saturated. When an animal walks in the feet sink into the mud and drive the air out of the soil. When the heavy foot is removed, the hole fills with water instead of air. The soil melts into the old airways and causes the soil to become a solid clod. On the other hand hard soil is caused by a lack of beneficial microbes in the soil. Specifically we're talking about fungi. You've seen a bread bag that sat out too long and filled with a green mass of mold. That same thing can happen in the soil if you set it up for that. You need to water deeply to make it happen. If you cannot water deeply enough, you can help the water to penetrate the soil by adding some clear shampoo - like baby shampoo is clear and not cloudy with conditioners. The shampoo helps the water penetrate deeper into the soil. Repeated apps of soap (3 ounces per 1,000 square feet) can be applied - you cannot overdo it. Apply the shampoo followed by 1/2 to 1 inch of water, and give it 3 weeks to work. Before you do that try pushing a screwdriver into the soil. Then after 3-4 weeks, do the screwdriver test again to check for "softness." This soap process takes the place of core aerators.

No lecture just the link

https://smallhire.com.au/product/lawn-drum-aerator/