Rake landscape/york rake

[Mosey]

After reading "Boxblade Usefulness Survey" I have begun to wonder, what is a landscape rake or york rake used for? What is the difference between a landscape rake or york rake or what King Kutter calls a yard rake? What will I be able to do with one that I can't already do with a tiller and a grader blade? For example, would I be able to use one to rake grass and/or leaves?

 

[ronjhall]

Danny
<font color=blue> difference between a landscape rake or york rake or what King Kutter calls a yard rake</font color=blue>

York is a manufactures name. They are all similar products.

<font color=blue> would I be able to use one to rake grass and/or leaves?</font color=blue>

A landscape rake is used primarily for raking rocks dirt and sand. Some models are better suited for preparing a site for seeding. It depends on how the tines are made and spaced.

 

[blurrybill]

Thanks, Mosey. I, too, would like to follow a discussion on how this implement is used. Any with experience/knowledge could enlighten us novices. Problem for me is that everyone of these threads makes me think I really "need" that particular attachment. As I get closer to my tractor purchase, I need to sort out what will be necessary versus what I want. So far, have spouse support, but that and money can be limited. So, guys, let us know about these rakes. Do you use them annually or only when doing prep work? Where do they stack up in the priority list (FEL/MMM, boxblade in order for me so far)? Thanks

Bill

 

[Thomas]

I purchase a York rake w/the fold down grader blade,and use for a number of things such as..grading the driveway,finaly touches of dirt work,pulling lose hay to one side,cleaning ditches w/the blade down etc..
I don't believe one could compare a rake to a box blade,for the box blade better built and can do the harder work where a rake really can't.
If you purchase a good York rake it will put a dent in the check book. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

 

[Boondox]

I have the King Kutter 6' model with the wheels. Unfortunately, the wheels are mounted on bars that stick straight back from the end of the frame. When the rake is angled, the wheels stick out further to the side than the tines, so I can't get close to stone walls, buildings, etc.

I use my rake to spread gravel, to crown the road, to rake up leaves in fall, and to rough up dirt for the chickens. It was a cheap thrill, and for some tasks works better than a blade. Wish I'd gotten the Land Pride unit, though.

Pete

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I borrowed both a pulverizer and landscape rake when I was putting in lawns at my place. They work great for that purpose, both for windrowing the rocks, and for final workup before seeding. I found that I wanted to go slow for windrowing rocks and other trash, but the faster the better for final smoothing of a large area (making the dirt fly a little really loosens it and smoothes it).

You can't really rake rocks out of the grass without tearing up the sod, so I see it as more of a seeding prep tool than anything else. Blades work OK for me for doing the drive, etc.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

For my uses the rake is a worthwhile implement. I've put in a couple of
lawns now, and I don't know how I would have taken care of the thousands
of rocks and roots and branches and clumps of vegetation without a rake.
Well, you could use a dozer but then you lose all of your topsoil of course.
I turn the rake around backwards and rake into windrows, which I scoop
up with the loader and use for landfill.

I have meant to try the rake on leaves, but every year I forget. You might
try this under a big leaf tree in a pasture, but it would be too hard on a
lawn I think.

It's handy after you've cut down trees then go over the limbs with a brush
hog. There will be all sizes of woodchips and branches left over, and a few
passes with the rake will get these up pretty well.

I used to use my rake for grading my driveway, but I have since realized
that the box blade is much better for this, at least for me. No matter what
position you put the rake in, it's going to want to spread the gravel out
wider than it is, whereas the sides of the box blade will prevent the gravel
from spreading.

When I first got my rake I thought the wheels on it were invaluable. They
are sometimes, such as when you are going over bumpy ground --
without wheels the rake will rise up over the ground or dig in too deep,
depending on the angle of the tractor. However I use my wheels much
less now than I used to, not sure why I don't need them as much.

One implement that is somewhat similar in function to the rake is the
blanket harrow. I love my harrow. It's a blanket of very large chain
link, including open link posts that have a more or less aggressive action
depending on how you orient the blanket. The blanket harrow is excellent
for final seed bed preparation, for scratching grass seed into the dirt,
and for dethatching grass. I love the smell of my pastures after I drag
the blanket harrow over them a few times. It is more inclined to pull
out broad leaf plants than grass, too. It would not do your raking for
you either, at least not so well. It does pull a lot of debris out of the grass
though. Things such as rocks that do not get matted into the harrow
will be left on top of the grass, and therefore easier to clean up.

One time you will really want a rake is to smooth out topsoil that you
have deposited in small heaps with the loader. The blanket harrow
and tiller will tend to leave these heaps in place, but the rake will smooth
them right out. In my opinion the box blade is inferior for this task.

 

[WVBill]

Like most of the others, I use my 6' landscape rake for leveling/crowning my gravel driveway and for dragging the gravel back onto the roads in my subdivision.

I also use it in the spring to gather up all of the downed twigs & small branches fron along the tree line. I don't have a real "lawn" there so the damage the rake does to the "grass" in the process isn't really noticable.

I don't have guage wheels so I don't think mine would work very well for "raking the grass or leaves" if I had a real "lawn".

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The other thing about an actual York brand rake is it's a heavy unit with heavier tines than I've seen on other manufacturers' rakes.

 

[MChalkley]

Thomas - I've got a York rake with the grader blade option, endplates, and gauge wheels, and a quick-attach mount, of course. It's a nice unit. Very heavy duty. I especially like the float feature that lets it tilt with respect to the loader arms. As you obviously know, the grader blade sure is handy.