Home Made Landscape Rake

[Makers_Mark]

I decided to make my own rake. Rakes are relatively inexpensive other than in NJ, but by the time I pay for shipping it becomes too expensive. I think the cheapest quote I got in my area was aprox. $600. So here it is. The steel came from local scrap yards - aprox $30. The tines were $2.99 each from Agri-Supply. I bought a total of 38 tines for a 75" length. Assorted lift pins and top link plus shipping came to a total of about $140.00. 1" grade 8 bolt, lock washers and nuts - about $20.00 from McMaster-Carr. The biggest pain was drilling holes. I don't have a press - YET, so for the larger holes I used a plama cutter and the tine holes I used a drill. Any suggestions on better ways to cut large holes (1") would be great.
The first image is computer model of the rake.

 

[Makers_Mark]

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[Makers_Mark]

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[Makers_Mark]

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[Makers_Mark]

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[Makers_Mark]

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[Makers_Mark]

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[Anonymous Poster]

Very nice work! I do not have your talent or tools, but I do have a welder & will steal - er - borrow your A frame pictures for a project of my own.

So my question is, how will you mount the lower 3-point pins into the holes? Did you leave a cutout on the bottom of the tube for a wrench?

--->Paul

 

[Tractors4u]

I would be willing to bet that on the back side of that plate he welded the nut for the lift pins.

 

[Makers_Mark]

<font color="blue"> I would be willing to bet that on the back side of that plate he welded the nut for the lift pins.
</font>
hmmm, good idea, but instead I cut out an access hole at the bottom. I will take more pictures as I progress.

 

[jimgerken]

Wow! This thing looks great! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Makers_Mark]

Thank you. I'm almost finished. I have 3 - 3/4" holes to make in 1/2" steel. Not looking foward to it. Wish me luck.

 

[djradz]

As you won't be able to turn the nut on the lift pin with such a limited space, make sure you get a lift pin with adequate space to grip with a wrench. Many don't have any space or flat surface so you're left using a pipe wrench and chewing up the surface of the pin. Otherwise, since you're such a good welder, just weld the lift pin on.

 

[Hoeman00]

Three holes ???
The factory ones have more holes because in different soils and trash conditionsu may want more angle.
U may want holes on front to turn rake backwards, I have used mine backward to push into rough areas.
Also u can pull forward w/ rake backward to cover seed, less aggressive.
Just some extra ideas to think about while your drilling the other holes.

 

[Makers_Mark]

Lift pin? Are you talking about the pivot bolt? I tried it last night and it tighted and worked like a charm. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

 

[Makers_Mark]

MORE HOLES???? AAUUUGGHH! Yes I have seen the other designs with 360 degree rotation. I thought I would put off drilling more holes till I needed to do so, but now that you mention about seed spreading in a non-aggresive fashion - I guess I'll drill more holes. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Makers_Mark]

<font color="blue"> since you're such a good welder, just weld the lift pin on </font>
Thank you (I hope you weren't kidding)

 

[Anonymous Poster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( As you won't be able to turn the nut on the lift pin with such a limited space, make sure you get a lift pin with adequate space to grip with a wrench. )</font>

I'm the guy that asked about this originally. This is refering to the lower 3-point lift pins that go in the hole on the end of your box beam.

I was thinking the same thing, even with space to fit a wrench in, you might not have space to actually turn the nut.

However, there _are_ pins available with 2 nuts, so you can just hold the inner one, and tighten the outer one. Might have to look at a few suppliers, but you will find them.

I'd not be comfortable welding them, they might be hardened; and a nut might hold the heavy stress better than a weld joint - well, any how with _my_ weling skills. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

--->Paul

 

[Makers_Mark]

Ok. Now I understand your concern. I found these lift pins at Agri-Supply. Worked like a charm. I hooked it up to the tractor to see if everything fir - it did, whew!

 

[Makers_Mark]

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