Harley Rake for roots?

[Charlesaf3]

I'm trying to turn new england Oak forest into lawn and landscaped area. Basically I cut down the trees, dig up stumps with the backhoe, and rototill the area to get the weeds etc killed and incorporated in the soil.

This leaves a plentiful supply of rocks and roots. I was going to rake them with my landscape rake, but after a whole bunch of hours yesterday it occurs to me that this could take the rest of my life.

So the question is, would a Harley Rake solve my problem? I gather from stuff on here it does well with rocks - how is it with roots?

I'd love to actually see one demonstrated, but no way to rent it around here.

[hazmat]

I feel your frustration with the landscape rake. I removed my pool a couple years ago, regraded, tilled and then raked - I still have tons of the gravel left over from the pool in the lawn.

2 solutions come to mind -1 harley rake (MB tractor in Plaistow, NH does rent them for tractors if you don't mind the drive). and 2- collecting the soil up and processing it with a soil screener. The problem is finding a soil screener for rent that is small enough to load with the B3030. Your new M59 should solve that problem (though availability on island could be a hassle).

edit I should mention that I haven't used a harley rake yet, so I don't know how it will do on roots.

[Charlesaf3]

Another pool removal? This is doing a number on my "maybe I should dig a pool" idea.

Thanks for the MB tractor ref - I'll look intop the rental rates there. A pain to get to, but doable if reasonable. I think the soil screener would end up being tough, though its an interesting idea.

[swines]

If you have the roots grubbed out and fairly well chopped up the Harley Rake will wind row them into nice piles.

If you're expecting the rake to rip them out, chop them up and then rake them - I wouldn't use it for that. You'll find that the Harley Rake will wrap the roots around the drum (especially at the ends of the drum), and will bind them tightly around the drum.

You'll be stopping to clean it out quite often. I've had to get slip joint pliers and a variety of other tools to clean out my Harley Rake.

If you've rototilled and the roots are chopped up, you can use the Harley Rake. If not you might want to disk the area thoroughly to chop up the roots, then use the Harley Rake.

[hazmat]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3

Another pool removal? This is doing a number on my "maybe I should dig a pool" idea.....

yup some pix here pool demo

[Charlesaf3]

can't find it online at MB - do you have a link by any chance?

[Charlesaf3]

the rototiller chops up the roots, like a disk.

It then carefully wraps them around the drum for storage... The root removal process has much room for improvement. Swearing at them does not seem to work. Neither does hoping all the darn rocks will knock them off. I am open to suggestions - will try pliers. Maybe end nippers.

[hazmat]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3

can't find it online at MB - do you have a link by any chance?

Nope -but you can give them a call. I seem to remember it was ~$250/day. Might have been a Woods unit vs. Harley.

[Charlesaf3]

thanks, I'll give them a call

[Charlesaf3]

update on root removal - a cordless sawzall with a pruner blade sped the process up a lot.