Creating a simplified Landscape Rake

   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #41  
RE Use for swivel of rake.

I use the swivel feature of my landscape rake for only one purpose - to run it in reverse. I first use the rake in the normal orientation to pull washed-out sand from the edge of the water back up onto my lakeshore and fill in the eroded gullies. All the weeds and debris get raked up during this process as well.

Then I make a final smoothing pass with the rake reversed to erase all the wheel ruts. It rides nicely over the top of the sand with just enough pressure from its own weight to smooth without digging in. The sand looks like its ready for a pro volleyball tournament when I am done!

- Rick
 
   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #42  
I realize this is an old discussion, but I found it useful this morning when searching for info on landscape rakes. I would like to address a question here to member RonMar. I found your notes very helpful, and I see you mentioned adding gage wheels on your next one - is that something you have done since these last postings? If so, how much did that cost, and do you like the way you made them? Could you let me know what materials you used, and send plans and/or pictures? You can reply directly to me by email if you like. thanks very much.
 
   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #43  
Hi Guys I'm new here but I'm trying to figure out the best type of rake to use on my driveway. It's 1/4 mi. long rock country drive. the main prob. I have is keeping the rock in the drive. We got big rock last hoping it would stay in place better but no luck. I've been using the bucket to try to pull it back into the tracks but all I'm doing to to make the drive very wide. The snow drifts bad so our township road guy always plows it for us. Should I make it the width of the plow? He always hates to tear up everyone's yard but we do have to get out. We have every thing from road pack to fist size rocks on it now. I really like the idea of building something, would it work to have 2 sets of tines one behind the other, with one of them that could be adjusted side to side so that I could control the size of rock i'm moving? the other question I have is: I know it would need to pivot so I could run up and down the drive to pull the rocks in from the sides for maintenance, (after I get all of the rocks out of the grass). Is there any thing I can add to the sides to make it kick all of the rocks it hits back into the drive instead of further out in the grass? I'm thinking of some kind of scoop or something? Would a round tine be less destructive to the grass than flat wide ones? Oh an I only have a baby tractor its a kubota bx22. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Oh one more thing, if I were going to get my husband a welder what would you reccomend He grew up with an oxy accetelyne torch and an arc/stick welder. Lets say he would use it to build my rake. Thank you for your time and suggestions
 
   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #44  
Hi Guys I'm new here

Should I make it the width of the plow?

...would it work to have 2 sets of tines one behind the other, with one of them that could be adjusted side to side so that I could control the size of rock i'm moving?

I know it would need to pivot so I could run up and down the drive to pull the rocks in from the sides for maintenance, (after I get all of the rocks out of the grass). Is there any thing I can add to the sides to make it kick all of the rocks it hits back into the drive instead of further out in the grass? I'm thinking of some kind of scoop or something?

Would a round tine be less destructive to the grass than flat wide ones? Oh an I only have a baby tractor its a kubota bx22.

Oh one more thing, if I were going to get my husband a welder what would you reccomend He grew up with an oxy accetelyne torch and an arc/stick welder. Lets say he would use it to build my rake. Thank you for your time and suggestions

First off, welcome aboard! I have received so much good information from TBN that it's the first place I go when I log on.

The 2 sets of tines idea is novel - I have never seen it used and suspect you'd need to play around with various configurations until you found the combination of tooth spacing that works for your particular situation - so maybe not the first way I would go. The typical rake is a very simple device and should work without much modification, once you develop some skill and experience using it.

I think if you angle the rake so that it guides the rocks to the center of the drive you won't need to add a thing. Basically, if you drive down the right side of your drive and angle the blade 30 or 45 degrees so the left outermost tine is rearmost & near the center of your drive it should "windrow" the rocks to the center. For this to be effective, you want the rake to be about a foot wider than your rear wheels are when measured to the outside edges.

I think the flat wide tines are the norm because they work best and you don't need as many of them for a given width of rake. This reduces cost and complexity.

Your husband is a lucky man! Short answer is "Yes, and you'll want both" here's why: The torch is very useful for cutting and forming the simple steel stock shapes (tubes, channels, etc) into more complex shapes that can be welded together to make a finished product. It can also be used to weld, but that's a very fussy process that I'd only try if I had no other options. A stick or MIG welder can be had for a reasonable cost and will find many uses besides building the rake. Your husband will be thrilled, but make sure he's involved in the selection as he has experience and probably has some thoughts on what will work best.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

-Jim
 
   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #45  
I finally got around to building my rake, for the front of my Steiner. I saw no need to make it angle especially given the articulated nature of the machine. I really just wanted it to rake up branches and debris, from felling huge dead trees.

I thank the information I got here for getting tines at ASC.

I did have a brainstorm though. Rather then getting a laser burned angle to mount my tines on, I opted to mount each tine on a bushing, mounted on a one inch shaft. This way each tine follows the contour of the ground, which is NEVER level. I can raise a bar with a couple of nuts to arrest the tines or make less travel, should I wish to level some dirt or something like that, so that I have the best of both worlds.

I didn't listen when told that the shaft would bend, and sure enough with only moderate engagement, there was a substantial amount of deflection. I have inserted a couple of bushings that will be mounted to the frame for intermediate support.

There are twenty four one inch tines with one inch spacers.

So far, this project appears quite promising for the intended purpose.

DSC03393.jpgDSC03394.jpg
 
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   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #46  
I would love to see some video of this in action as it really looks like the tines would pivot back and lose the debris. Not doubting your build, which is fantastic, I am having a hard time seeing it in action.
 
   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #47  
jinman said:
Eddie, I used to know a machinist who went "nuts" the first time he saw me using oil to drill with. He yelled at me to get some cutting fluid instead. I've never forgotten what he said, "Oil is for lubrication and cutting fluid is for cooling." I don't know if he was right, but I have a bottle of cutting fluid I use on anything heavier than sheet metal. I'm always afraid he'll yell at me again.:eek:

Coolant is about 50% water so it cools better as the water evaporates at lower temperatures and carries the heat away with it as steam. This preserves the cutter. If it weren't for rust and lubrication, coolant would probably be 100% water thermally speaking

I really want to build a fel rake now with wheels out front. If it could flip around backward it would be the berries
 
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   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #48  
I used oil, usually just motor oil, for drilling for decades and only recently switched to cutting oil. Can't say that I find it any better. In a cutting machine with pump and some substantial flow, I could see merit to the water component. But a few drops on a drill bit, I am not so sure. I have an old germen machinest friend who screams at me a lot too! Did you know a woodworking chisel gets rid of those weld splatter blobs? But, of course, you need a hammer!

Another friend just introduced me to a gell cutting substance. Apparently, it sticks better, or is it just that the marketing folks say everyting must now be in gell form?

As for my rake. I still have not finished the supports for the shaft. I will see about trials and possible video as time permits.
 
   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #49  
I can see this rake design working well as it's similar to the old dump rakes some of which are still in use today. I remember riding on a dump rake as a kid back in the fifties. My job was to push the foot pedal at the appropriate time to dump the load in line with the previous swath to create a windrow for later bailing. The problem was with the sheet metal seat which had large perforations. Part of the trip mechanism would come up and pinch one's butt quite severely if one wasn't sitting just right.
 
   / Creating a simplified Landscape Rake #50  
Industrial Toys said:
I finally got around to building my rake, for the front of my Steiner. I saw no need to make it angle especially given the articulated nature of the machine. I really just wanted it to rake up branches and debris, from felling huge dead trees.

I thank the information I got here for getting tines at ASC.

I did have a brainstorm though. Rather then getting a laser burned angle to mount my tines on, I opted to mount each tine on a bushing, mounted on a one inch shaft. This way each tine follows the contour of the ground, which is NEVER level. I can raise a bar with a couple of nuts to arrest the tines or make less travel, should I wish to level some dirt or something like that, so that I have the best of both worlds.

I didn't listen when told that the shaft would bend, and sure enough with only moderate engagement, there was a substantial amount of deflection. I have inserted a couple of bushings that will be mounted to the frame for intermediate support.

There are twenty four one inch tines with one inch spacers.

So far, this project appears quite promising for the intended purpose.

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=284918"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=284919"/>

Can I ask, where did you source the tines from, and how much were they?

Thanks,

Thomas
No matter where you go; there you are...
 
 
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