Tool for picking up rock

[5030tinkerer]

During my construction process, I had to drop three loads of 3" limestone gravel on an 1100' drive to help the trucks get in and out. Now that that's over and I have my permanent drive in, I have a need to pick up that gravel and allow it to go back to being the corn field that it started out being. Any ideas on the tools I could use for this job? I was thinking about using my tiller after a rain and at slow RPM to dig up the gravel (it's gotten compacted in a lot of places) and then going over it with the Landpride Powered Rake (it's an older unit with the splined shaft) to windrow the rocks to one side. Would this work or would I damage my tiller or rake? Then again, maybe this is what these tools are (or reasonably could be) for?

The challenge then would be picking up the rock, but perhaps keeping the bucket in a float position would pick them all up. Thoughts? Outside of these tools, I own a rear blade, but I can't see that helping.

 

[IslandTractor]

?Landscape rake angled.
? Rock bucket on loader
? Harley rake (same as the powered rake you mentioned I believe.

In any case, I don't think you are going to do it with one pass of any tractor powered tool.

Good luck.

 

[MarkLeininger]

I'd put teeth on the bucket and use that. Probably have to bring in some dirt unless you have a lot of topsoil and could drag some to fill in where you dig out.

 

[Lasgambler]

Rock Bucket on FEL and a good bit of seat time would be my guess.

 

[Rara Avis]

During my construction process, I had to drop three loads of 3" limestone gravel on an 1100' drive to help the trucks get in and out. Now that that's over and I have my permanent drive in, I have a need to pick up that gravel and allow it to go back to being the corn field that it started out being. Any ideas on the tools I could use for this job? I was thinking about using my tiller after a rain and at slow RPM to dig up the gravel (it's gotten compacted in a lot of places) and then going over it with the Landpride Powered Rake (it's an older unit with the splined shaft) to windrow the rocks to one side. Would this work or would I damage my tiller or rake? Then again, maybe this is what these tools are (or reasonably could be) for?

The challenge then would be picking up the rock, but perhaps keeping the bucket in a float position would pick them all up. Thoughts? Outside of these tools, I own a rear blade, but I can't see that helping.

Your other option is if you have kids, if not hire a cub scout troop, and pay them to put last of the gravel into your FEL bucket...

 

[dangerdoc]

During my construction process, I had to drop three loads of 3" limestone gravel on an 1100' drive to help the trucks get in and out. Now that that's over and I have my permanent drive in, I have a need to pick up that gravel and allow it to go back to being the corn field that it started out being. Any ideas on the tools I could use for this job? I was thinking about using my tiller after a rain and at slow RPM to dig up the gravel (it's gotten compacted in a lot of places) and then going over it with the Landpride Powered Rake (it's an older unit with the splined shaft) to windrow the rocks to one side. Would this work or would I damage my tiller or rake? Then again, maybe this is what these tools are (or reasonably could be) for?

The challenge then would be picking up the rock, but perhaps keeping the bucket in a float position would pick them all up. Thoughts? Outside of these tools, I own a rear blade, but I can't see that helping.

Packed in rock will take forever to scoop up with a tractor and loader. A blade is going to just scoot it around and spread it out farther. I'd hate to think what that much rock would do to a tiller.

Honestly, hire a trackloader and dump truck. They'll clean up the mess in short order and can put it directly where you want it. In order to get rid of all the rock, you will lose a significant depth of topsoil, the trackloader can fix that in short order also.

 

[wstr75]

Contrarian Thought:
Get what is easy to get out with your equipment and then plow the remaining gravel deeply into the soil with a turning plow. Your planter will skip and jostle around when going through that area, but the corn when its growing and during harvesting won't care.
Bill in NC

 

[sugarmaple]

Contrarian is on the best track, I believe, with cubscouts being a close second, but 30-40 yds of rock is a lot. A rock bucket, perhaps outfitted with a smaller than three inch and somewhat wornout screen from a rock crusher on a skid steer and dry soil conditions should work, as would several cycles of breaking up the soil with scarifiers, leveling, rockbucketing, and York raking as necessary. Invite a TBNer or two with equipment, have a barbecue and a bonfire; sounds like fun, too bad you're half way across the country. And you would end up with a very useful pile of 3" stone!

 

[have_blue]

During my construction process, I had to drop three loads of 3" limestone gravel on an 1100' drive to help the trucks get in and out.

I was thinking you could run an ad, and someone may agree to remove the stone and replace it with 3 loads of topsoil. It would be close in my area, where gravel is getting pretty spendy.

 

[gabby]

The easy part would be to stir it up with scarifiers to loosen it and work the rock to the surface.

The hard part will be picking it up. That's a lot of rock. Good luck!