Rake Do I need a Landscape rake?

[txdon]

I have a chance to pick up a used 6' landscape rake for $300. I have been working a lot with dirt the past month and I am questioning if one would benefit me. I don't know of anyone in the area that has one. Most of the soil is sandy and I am becoming quite efficient with a Top & tilt box blade. I'll post 2 pictures of my box blade work and pose the question: Would a Landscape rake benefit me? How?

pic#1 leveling out building site.

 

[txdon]

Making a trail.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Txdon, if you wouldn't have posted the followup picture of the trail, I was going to ask if you were scraping your on turnpike??? Your tractor looks kind of small way across the other side of your "pad"!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Yes, Just what are landscape rakes used for???

 

[RobS]

I'd say you HAVE become quite proficient with that blade Don, you can come help me out any time! Having said that though, I'll confess that my landscape rake is one of my favorite implements. It's much more foregiving than a blade. Think of your blades as shovels and the rake as... well a rake. Once you've got the rough work done with the blade, do the final smoothing with the rake. Seed then turn the rake around backwards to rake the seed in a bit. I also use my rake for grading my drive, the tines to a better job of stirring up the fines in the stone.

$300 is an OK price for a used one but you can get a low end (King Kutter) for not much more than that new.

Again, it looks like you've more than mastered the grading touch /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[tinytractors]

Great job on the grading with the box scraper... There are just some jobs that seem to need that final touch that only a rake can give. If the one for $300 is a sturdy one from a "brand name" then I would go with it, parts will always be available for it. It's not overpriced. A lifetime of use is left in it and you will find new uses for it on a regular basis. I use mine with a 3pt universal QA on my FEL to reach in and pull brush and vines from along my trails. I like the idea of going in forward and being able to see what I am doing.

 

[txdon]

<font color="blue"> I was going to ask if you were scraping your on turnpike???-Kyle </font>

If it wasn't so depressing I would be laughing. Think the Texas Department of Transportation will hire me?

Note: For those not in Lee County the new Trans-Texas Corridor, TTC35, has put an alternative route across our lands. We will not know until the Fall if we will have flowers or pavement next spring. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[KennedyDiesel]

It looks pretty darn clean to me! While a guy can always use another toy, er implement, I'd say an old bed spring or section of chain link fence would be faster and more efective unless there are a lot of rocks or debris that I do not see.

 

[texbaylea]

TxDon

With all the competing interests in Texas it will be years before anything is decided. In general TTC is a good idea but there will be so many political fights about it, I seriously doubt that it will ever happen.

Keep up the good work. I recently bought a 6' landscape rake from our dealer in Houston at a good price. Been using it to rake up the small stuff left from my brush clearing and it works well for that.

Vernon

 

[twinstackram]

that's what I'm going through,do I buy a landscape rake or not,I just went yesterday and picked up a box blade,rea blade,and a scoop,but I thought a rake might be a nice attachment to have,maybe I should since my wife is being so generous,I i would have went ahead and got the rake but I was wanting a 5' and the smallest they had was 6' should I go ahead and get the 6' or wait for a 5'.

 

[RobS]

I'd get the biggest rake you can fit but here's the test... You'll want to be able to pivot it around without hitting the tires or anything. If you can do that with the six footer, I'd go for it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Henro]

Don,

After looking at your photos, I would say, no you don't NEED a rake. You're doing excellent with the box blade.

BUT you might WANT a rake, WITH gage wheels.

In my limited experience I was pretty happy with my box blades ability to smooth things when tilted way back. But I like what I can do with my rake + gage wheels better. I can use a 6 foot rake on the back of my B2910 ( heck, it even will swing around on the back of my BX) so you could probably use a 7 or even 8 foot on the back of your larger tractor.

The gage wheels are what make all the difference in the world as far as what I can see goes. They enable the rake to do a better job at making things "level" since the rake with the wheels behind it tends to follow dips less, and fill the voids so to speak.

I don't think you need one though. You question indiactes you are starting to realize that you WANT one though... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

By the way, adding wheels to my rake (which cost about half what the rake did) made the rake about three times more useful to me. You could even make your own gage wheels later and save some bucks...

Like was said above, a KK rake only costs a bit over $300...or at least used to. I would be incllined to get a wider one than 6' unless the one you mentioned is a better grade than the KK. Now if it already had the gage wheels with it, for that price I would jump on it. I paid about $175 for the gage wheels for my 6' kk rake last fall, which including shipping.

 

[Panache]

IMHO you also want it wider than the tire tracks.

 

[greg_g]

If tidying up after you box blading is all you want the rake for, you might want to consider a chain harrow instead.

//greg//

 

[RobS]

<font color="blue"> IMHO you also want it wider than the tire tracks </font>

Definitely, but also wider than the tires when angled if possible. Wider also helps cover the tire tracks when turning.

 

[ronjhall]

Henro
I have a 7' landscape rake for my B2910. It works great. I believe that Don could use a 8' with no problems with his 5030. A 6' may be on the small size for his tractor. I did my neighbors 1 acre lawn after a new septic field was installed. Rake with gage wheels got rid of all the rows of dirt like Don shows in his picture of his building site.

 

[Budinohio]

It depends on the finnish you want. Like what was posted before a shovel will not do what a rake will and visa versa. a landscape rake that angles, has guage wheels, and covers your tire tracks while fully angled will leave you with a much finer and level finnish if you are gonna seed grass. The landscape rake would really do wonders on the ridges left by the box scraper and the angling allows you to windrow stones, limbs, and etc.. On your trails the land scape rake would give you the same results if you have loose dirt but would not do much if anything other wise. If you will only use it a couple of times a season or less I would try to rent one instead of buying.

 

[Bill_Calmes]

Ditto on considering the chain harrow. You can vary the aggresiveness by turning it around or turning it over. I've found a rake is good for debris like rocks, but you don't seem to have any.

 

[txdon]

Thanks for all the responses, I have read each one carefully and appreciate your thoughts on the rake. I think I will not get one until I see the need on specific project. The $300 was not that great of a deal unless I really needed it now.

Oh, Texbaylea the TTC-35 land grab project is continuing on schedule and it will happen, as most Texans sleep, just like the toll SH130 project. Did you know there is not a map out there that has the SH130 on it and they have already taken the lands and started construction. I have attended the public (warning) meetings on TTC-35 and have spoken to several of TX dot's engineers and environmentalist. Their motto is - The needs of the individual do not matter when compared to their need to build this tollway. Wake-up Texas! Oh, by the way a Spanish company got the initial contract and millions have been paid out already.

 

[Dartagnan]

Yes you do, you just don't know it yet. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I've 22 pics of the tractor on the harddrive, and every one has the rake in it too.

Dart