Rake Rockhound, Harley Rake, and m59

[Charlesaf3]

So I gave in and bought the Bobcat Landscape rake 6B. Clearly from looking at it, a rockhound with bobcat labels on it.

Played (I mean worked) with it for an hour or 2.

First impressions. Its for final prep, not initial ground work. Seems to want pretty smooth terrain or it bridges gullies and the rocks end up there. Seems like it would clean up nicely after a harley rake or rototiller. May try it with a rototiller on the 3pt backing up.

M59 runs it no problem on the FEL. Seems to need less flow than the Harley. In general, I've been happy running bobcat stuff on the m59, though I bet I'm at the bottom of the flow range. Messicks rigged up a toggle switch which I can sub in for the buttons on the joystick - makes it easier with stuff that requires constant flow. I plan on wiring up some STDP switches to allow easy switching between controls.

All in, if I were only going to own one, I'd guess the Harley Rake would be more useful. It would appear to have a number more uses. Rockhound / landscape rake seems easier to use so far - harder to accidentally gouge, etc.

Rockhound does scoop up more topsoil with the junk than I expected. Still worthwhile for me I think - it appears to be less than the harley rake.

I'll update this as I use them more.

 

[art]

I think those machines are great in tight areas where the Harley is good for larger areas.
At least thats how it works around here as we often have lawns that are in excess of an acre and the rock hound style makes it so you have to keep going back and forth to empty.
The harley double roller has always done the best job with all types of our soils and rocks.

I've only used the harleys on the back, which might have something to do with not having a problem with it digging in to much.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Yeah, I could see it being easier to run the harley off the back. I've found the differences between a york rake on the back and front to be interesting. Both have their roles, but if I could only have one it would be the back york rake.

My Harley is ATI preseeder. Only 1 roller, so that might affect things.

But yeah, the Harley seems more useful. I plan on using it to do the prep, and then the rock hound to pick up the windrows and final seed bed prep.

Rockhound also seems to handle branches/twigs et al better

 

[art]

The double roll harley does the best of all as far as working with the stones and windrowing. We often go two three and more times around if the amount of stone isn't to much.

I've even had to use the ag units before you could get in with a finish rock rake to cut the amount of head size stones done to a managable amount on some lawns.

 

[Charlesaf3]

yeah, I've been using scarifiers on my box blade to pop things to the surface. Also sometimes rototiller, and sometimes york rake. Haven't really come up with the perfect system yet.

I've noted that neither harley rake or rock hound pop head size rocks very well. If the rock is really embedded, they bounce over it.