Rake Agri-Fab Landscape Rake

   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake #1  

Iplayfarmer

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Joined
Jul 11, 2005
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5,316
Location
Idaho
Tractor
Massey Ferguson 1215, Case 801B
I took posession of my new Agri-Fab Landscape Rake on Saturday. I special ordered it so the guy gave me a discount on it. He gave me an additional discount if I'd put it together.

I took some pictures while I was putting it together. I'll post them along with some narrative. When I finally get to use it I'll try to post back with a review.
 
   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake
  • Thread Starter
#2  
The first picture is just of the box that it came in. The second and third pictures are of the mast assembly as it comes out of the box and then folded out as it is used. The fourth picture is just a picture with the 24 tines layed ready to be assembled.

Notice how Agri-Fab has accomplished securing the tines with just a single bolt. There are slots along the back of the pivot assembly to hold the tines in place. I'm not sure how this is going to work. After I've used it a bit, I'll post back with the results.
 

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  • LS Rake Mast folded .JPG
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  • LS Rake Mast out.JPG
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  • LS Rake w tines.JPG
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   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I bolted the tines on using an impact wrench that I turned way down. The Nylock nuts that they send with the rake go on slower than regular nuts, but I think I'm going to be glad I've got them a few months down the road When they're still tight.

The hardest part of putting the tines on was fitting the tines directly under the plate that the mast and pivot turn on. I put those four tines on last, and there wasn't any room to get my hands in to start the nut. The holes in the plate aren't big enough to fit the impact socket into; so I had to use my hand socket. The picture below shows the trick I played by putting a gob of grease in the socket under the nut to hold it in place until I could get the threads started.

The second picture is out of order since the rake is complete, but it fits into the narrative right here since it shows the tines all crooked. I went through the whole thing twice and this is as even as I could get them. Once I got the tines as good as I thought I could, I turned the impact up one notch and gave each nut a good torque down.
 

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  • Grease in Socket Trick.JPG
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  • LS Rake Tines Crooked.JPG
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   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Putting the mast support and braces together was pretty straight forward. The instructions are well illustrated and easy to follow.

Start to finish I spent about an hour and a half. I was talking politics the whole time with my liberal neighboor and had a few other interruptions. Given perfect working conditions it might have come together even faster.

The picture below shows the completed rake. As you can see in the picture, It was dark by the time I got it finished. I'll wait until Monday to try it out. After I've used it a little, I'll post back with my review.

Already I can tell you it doesn't look too heafty, but then again my tractor is only a 17hp tractor. I think it will be perfect for my place.
 

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   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake #5  
Congradulations on the purchase. Now we can wait to see some action shots!:) By the way, do you have any pictures of how the plate mounts to the piece of angle holding the tines. I am assuming that the entire project bolted together. I am refering to the plate that is sandwiched between the angled iron and the three point assembly.
 
   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake #6  
I just bought the Swisher one over the weekend from Outsideshopper.com for a pretty decent price. I have been looking at the local Farm and fleet stores and and saw both the Swisher and the Agri-fab. I thought they look pretty similar, but the Swisher one was a better value. I have purchased some other Swisher products over the years and have been very happy with the quality and function, so this also helped with my decision. I haven't received it yet, but will let you know how the set up goes. and how it holds up.
 
   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake
  • Thread Starter
#7  
kwolfe said:
By the way, do you have any pictures of how the plate mounts to the piece of angle holding the tines.

I don't have any pics right now, but I can take a few when I get home and post.
 
   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake
  • Thread Starter
#8  
kwolfe said:
By the way, do you have any pictures of how the plate mounts to the piece of angle holding the tines.

I've attached a picture of the pivot mechanism. I don't know if you can see what you're looking for in this pic.

The tines are actually in a piece of slotted "U" channel. The tines go through the slots and then bolt with a single bolt.

The plate above the "U" channel upon which the whole thing pivots is actually welded to the channel that holds the tines. The large pivot bolt is welded to the plate too.
 

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   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake
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#9  
No pics of it in use yet. Since I put it together I've been using it from the time I get home from work until it's too dark to take pictures (or see what I'm doing).

So far I'm pleased with the results. I've never used any other landscape rake, so I can't compare it to other brands; but I know this one is downright useful.

I was expecting that I'd have to add weight, but this has not been the case. I've been raking up branches and twigs from under trees in the pastures, and the rake will fill right up without needing any weight.

I also used it to level out the garden before tilling. With my small tractor, I could angle the 4' rake and still cover my tracks. I went over the garden in a few directions and it leveled things out pretty good. I anticipate that adding guage wheels to the rake will really improve the results. It took some practice to use the rake on the 3 pt. I had to open up the lowering flow restrictor valve to compensate for the light weight of the rake.

Another thing I did with this rake was loosen up leaves in the lawn that I left last fall. The light weight of the rake helped with this. I was able to rake over the leaves without tearing up the lawn. I think that a heavier rake would have left more scars in the lawn.

The biggest disadvantage I anticipate is that the rake only has one angle. It can be in this same angle left or right, forward or backward, but there's only the one angle. So far it's met my needs, but I can see down the road wanting the angle to be a little more or less "steep" depending on what I'm doing.
 
   / Agri-Fab Landscape Rake #10  
That looks like a great rake. Do they make a set of gauge wheels for it.
I have a similar rake, but it came with a set of wheels. They allow me to adjust the depth and are a real help going over unever ground.
 
 
 
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