Rake Pulverizer or rake?

[bsmith]

Looking to do finish grade on clay soils. In the past I have used a box blade but it takes me forever. I can't afford a harley. Am I better off with a pulverizer or a rake with gauge wheels?

By the way, I will be using a Bx 2200.

Next question, Can you recommend a manufacturer and give me some idea on price and some features I should look for?

You people have always been real helpful. Thanks in advance,
Bill Smith

 

[micromike]

I'm sure there are pluses and minuses for both and someone will be able to address both.

FWIW My brother works for a large contrator who builds homes in new developments. He told me the guy who does their new lawn installs uses a New Holland and a pulverizer exclusively and does a great job.

 

[rdbrumfield]

Something that works for me on large areas for leveling. I take a 2X6-8 10' long and bolt it to the cutting edge of the loader. I just lay the bucket down on it flat and lag through the holes that are there into the board. After tilling and loosening up the soil I back back blade with the board. It works quite well. In tough clay I have raised the back door of the tiller and in backed up tilling in low reverse, have to use the 3pt hyd to keep it from digging too deep, but it does loosen up better than going forward.

 

[DDT]

A pulverizer is my main tool for the work you want to do. They do pull hard in hard ground. I would not know if a BX 2200 would have enough weight (traction) to pull it. The other side: If you take shollow bites you might be allright. I use a 6' LP with a 35hp

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I've used a 60" Landpride pulverizer and a 72" Frontier rake. They have different capabilities. The rake is a little like a rear blade, best at things like moving loose soil, levelling, removing small/med rocks, etc. It can be angled which the pulvzr cannot, for windrowing or moving dirt out of the way. Does a good job smoothing, but has very limited ability to dig up and turn over the soil.
The pulvzr has two functions -- it is heavy and the teeth are rigid harrow types that can dig down and break up the surface. Although not as much as the scarifiers on a box blade. The other function is the rollers (1 or 2) that have studs which creat pockets for grass seed (useless in my experience).
Both the rake and the pulvzr work best in dry soil conditions, which is a rarity in clay. If you need to break up the hardened ground's surface, the rake is less capable than the pulvzr.
Have you seen a rotary rake? Some implement places offer these, which function liked a hay rake, only they rotate horizontally across the ground instead of vertically. They appear to have aggressive teeth, somewhat more than the conventional rake. If I hadn't just bought the Frontier rake, I'd be looking hard at these.
jim

 

[Turfman]

I'm lost here. What is the difference between a pulverizer, power rake, harley rake, or any of the other seed bed prep tools?

I've seen a Howard renovator, how does that compare?

 

[CTyler]

Take a look at www.woodsonline.com they have both.


The "Harley" rake is a brand of power rake.
http://www.glenmac.com/