Do I Need A Box Blade and Landscape Rake For My Use

[blb078]

So I've got just over 13 acres. It is all except 1 acre fairly thick woods. The 1 acre was all woods too but we cleared out and are building a house. We in the home stretch of the house build. The 1 acre is about 80% graded. I plan on buying a tiller because we will probably making a garden so I will use that for some grading work. My question is should I also get a box blade landscape rake for the final grading? The rake would be pretty much to just clear up some debris, branches, twigs, etc.

I thought about getting a ratchet rake instead as I can probably get more use out of that later on. The box blade would just be to do some final grading work. However I don't see my self needing that anymore. I do not have a rock driveway so I'm wonder if it's worth the money to get one or just finish off my grade with FEL and a ratchet rake. Any thoughts for those who may have been through this scenario before? I don't want to spend 2-3-4k+ on two implements I will only use once but at the same time if some use for them ever comes up down the road I'd like to have them.

Would also be open to any other suggestions instead of spending the money on a tiller and getting something else that may help with my grading and still be ok to use for a garden.

 

[jeff9366]

Should I get a box blade and landscape rake for final grading? The rake would be pretty much to just clear up some debris, branches, twigs, etc.
The box blade would be for some final grading work.
I'm wonder if I can finish off my grade with FEL and a ratchet rake.
Any thoughts for those who may have been through this scenario before?

You need to revise your TBN profile to show what tractor you purchased. Obviously, the tractor you have is relevant to your questions. Information on your soil type would also be useful. Missouri has a lot of tough clay.

For one acre, less the area occupied by a house, a Ratchet Rake will do every task you have listed. The Ratchet Rake has two other advantages, a short learning curve and minimal storage space. It takes many hours to learn how to finish grade with a Box Blade.

A Ratchet Rake easily clears sod in an area for a new garden. A Ratchet Rake will scarify the surface down to 2", which will make hand spading relatively easy. So, if your desire is to start with a small kitchen garden, possibly to be expanded, the Ratchet Rake will assist, but you will have to spade.


6/09/2016

This post concerns Ratchet Rakes Vs. light Box Blades, such as the 60" Land Pride BB1260/346 pounds/69 pounds per foot.

I searched for the weight of kubota L3301 bucket but could not find a number. I presume L3301 bucket weighs approximately 240 pounds, extrapolating from other kubota specs. 68" Ratchet Rake weighs 88 pounds. Adding 240 + 88 = 328 pounds, pretty close to 346 pounds of BB1260 Box Blade.

In addition, the (operator controlled) weight of the FEL frame bears on the Ratchet Rake. Likewise, weight of the Three Point Hitch bears on the Box Blade. FEL frames weigh much more than ( 3X? 4X?) Three Point Hitch components. So, including some FEL weight, I guesstimate that ground contact pressure on Ratchet Rake and BB1260 would be at least equal, perhaps greater pressure on the Ratchet Rake.

Further in Ratchet Rake's favor you have articulation of bucket/RR combination in two planes from the operator's station and 1-1/2" serrated teeth on the Ratchet Rake.

Box Blade can be raised and lowered hydraulically from the operator's station. Box Blade angle of attack is adjustable via the Three Point Hitch Top Link, but not from the operator's station. Standard Box Blade does not have rippers, standard is a smooth cutting edge.

Ratchet Rake is capable of tearing up sod with its serrated teeth, the initial operation in much grading. The Ratchet Rake will not pull as large a load as a Box Blade but it may pull 40% of capacity of BB1260 per pass, with faster cycles. Ratchet Rake is more intuitive in operation than a Box Blade, which requires considerable experience to operate efficiently.

This is why I feel the Ratchet Rake is superior to light Box Blades for LIGHT grading.

I own both a Ratchet Rake and a Rollover Box Blade.

When I have heavy grading to do, I mount my 60"/625 pound (125 pounds per foot) Bush Hog (brand) Rollover Box Blade on the tractor's Three Point Hitch AND the Ratchet Rake on my FEL bucket.

 

[blb078]

I have an LS 4150hc. The actual land is an acre that includes counting for the house. Yes it is clay. Basically my priority right now is finishing up the remainder of the grading and getting it ready for seeding. If a ratchet rake will do that and help do a small family garden then I'm for it. If I don't have to spend the money on a tiller and box blade even better. The box blade I can't see needing it for anything else, the tiller I guess would be a once a year thing for the garden plus the final grading. But as stated if the ratchet rake will get me through with what I need then I'll plop down the money for one. I just want to make sure it will do what I need it to do.

 

[jeff9366]

I have an LS 4150hc.

You will never be "SURE" from info posted here. You know your conditions better than anyone posting here.

 

[blb078]

Here is a pic of the back yard.


This the only hill on the property that I will somehow need to seed and eventually cut. Not sure what the slope is.
First pic is looking at it from the side of the house, so there is a hill going up the side and then further back you see it going in another direction


This is of the top looking down


And this is at the top looking down the other side

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I would get a Ratchet Rake and grade it with that. And then I'd get a 6' or 8' chain link fence gate, wire a few old tires to it to provide some weight, and make a drag out of it. Then I'd pull that drag all over the place several times, which would level out the dips, hills and valleys left from rough grading it with the Ratchet Rake. You will wind up with a nice smooth surface.

 

[jeff9366]

The 1 acre was woods too but we cleared out and are building a house.

In six to eight years your lawn will develop depressions 3-4" deep where stumps, roots and decaying tree trunks used to be. This is inevitable. You will need to fill these depressions with good quality top soil. Usually the existing grass will spread into the fill top soil.

 

[Creamer]

I have never used a ratchet rake but just thinking about the ups and downs of bucket movement and trying to control it I would much prefer a landscape rake. The float you get will make things much easier to get smooth.

 

[jeff9366]

If you have NEVER USED a Ratchet Rake how do you know you would MUCH PREFER a Landscape Rake?

 

[CADplans]

If you have NEVER USED a Ratchet Rake how do you know you would MUCH PREFER a Landscape Rake?

The way the 3 point hitch allows the landscape rake to "float" makes the Landscape rake more versatile compared to teeth on a bucket.
I raked this in a few passes with a landscape rake,,,

I have teeth on my bucket,, it would never do this job,,,
because the bucket is rigidly connected to the rear axle.

The spring-like motion of the teeth on the landscape rake also allow nicer results,,
compared to a ratchet rake.

The bucket tool will "dig" more,, the landscape rake will finish nicer.

Just my opinion,,,