Best attachment to manage sand beach

[Hojo777]

I have a John Deere 1026R, that I am really happy with. I also have a swim pond with a 15 foot x 60 foot area of nice sandy beach. What would be the best attachment to manage the beach? The issue mainly is raking/sifting the sand and getting the grass that encroaches. Various friends have recommended a box cutter, a rake and a rototiller. Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[joshuabardwell]

Seems to me like that's a job that's tailor-made for a yard rake / landscape rake. A box blade's main purpose is for scraping up material and dragging it from point A to point B, as well as basic grading. But on a sandy beach, a box blade is going to fill up really fast because there's nothing to stop it from digging in. And it's going to be useless for picking out trash from the sand; it'll just pick up everything. I could maybe see a rototiller being useful for "cultivating" encroaching grass, but if that's your only use, you can probably do a lot better for your money with something else, like maybe a cultivator or a chain harrow. Tillers are incredibly expensive, and kind of a waste if you're not actually trying to break ground.

... come to think of it, a chain harrow might be useful for pulling "trash" out of the sand as well. I've seen them used to remove larger chunks of sod and clumps of dirt from fields. Could be two birds with one stone.

 

[kneedeep]

Perhaps a landscape rake to groom the sand and a rock or stone barrier to keep the grass in check. Any that gets past the rocks gets a blast of Roundup or 24D.

Everything Attachments, Tractor, Category 1, 3 Point Hitch, Landscape rake, Root Rake, Rock Rake, York Rake, available in, 60", 72", 84", and 96 inch, sizes, by, trusted, Everything Attachments.com, always, FREE SHIPPING, WITHIN 1,000 MILES

 

[jeff9366]

A Landscape Rake WITH GAUGE WHEELS would be my first choice. You need gauge wheels to "float" the rake over sand.

 

[Scooby074]

How much you want to spend?

 

[bcp]

These look homebuilt.

honda begins beach clean project

Honda Worldwide | May 10, 2006 "Honda Begins Beach Clean Project"

Rake:




Rake dumper:


Screen:



Bruce

 

[Hojo777]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Any recommendations for a reasonably priced landscape rake with gauge wheels that would be appropriate for my subcompact tractor?

 

[Degolyerent]

The best way to manage the grasses at sand beaches is by using a rototiller, I live in an area in Florida that has hundreds of lakes and that is the way everybody maintains the beach to keep the grass controlled and keep a nice clean look.
John

 

[jeff9366]

I would search Craig's List and watch local auctions for a used rake. They are really common in the smaller size you will be interested in; 6-12" wider than your tractor's tires. I see gauge wheels, usually sold separately, at auctions too but not quite as often as the rakes.

Practically every company that sells implements offers landscape rakes, if you want to buy new. I have one from Everything Attachments. Tractor Supply Company has their 'Countyline' brand attachments; the ones with RED paint are for sub-compacts.

I found this dedicated piece of equipment too:

http://www.hbarber.com/Cleaners/SandMan/HowitWorks.html

 

[Arc weld]

The problem with a rototiller in sand is the blades will wear out fast. Years ago MF made the Brighton Beach Cleaner. I think a cultivator(spring tooth) and a harrow would work good.