Rake ETA Landscape Rake: Delivery + Setup // PHOTOS

[PhysAssist]

Hi Jeff,

And welcome to TBN!

If I can ask, why do you only have one gauge wheel, instead of a pair?

Secondly, (as has been said many times before here on TBN) that tractor is too dang clean, aren't you using it yet? (My little tractor is jealous of its big shiny cousin ).

Seriously, beautiful ride, heavy duty implement, and nice-looking piece of the woods, at least as much as could be seen in your pictures- it looks like you are off to a great start, keep on posting and we'll see you
around.

Thomas

 

[jeff9366]

I managed to bend support arm on other gauge wheel assembly on first outing. It was a the welding shop having the bent pad replaced. Heavy duty does not necessarily compensate for careless.

My tractor is not clean. In fact, I 'hogged twice last week. You are witnessing one of the miracles of DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY, the equipment LOOKS clean.

 

[PhysAssist]

I managed to bend support arm on other gauge wheel assembly on first outing. It was a the welding shop having the bent pad replaced. Heavy duty does not necessarily compensate for careless.

My tractor is not clean. In fact, I 'hogged twice last week. You are witnessing one of the miracles of DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY, the equipment LOOKS clean.

Dude, sorry about putting salt in that particular wound, and that your new toy, errrr, tool needed repair.

Like I told my wife when she creased the corner of our new metal pole barn before it was even finished by running into it with the overhang of our boxblade, look on the bright side, it is repairable!

.... I also said "Virgin no more!!" and finally, now that your concern about it getting its first ding has been taken care of, at least you'll never make that mistake again.

I beg your pardon, for misjudging you, it sure looks shiny and clean.

Gotta love digital photography, no?

Or maybe it was just that famous Florida sunshine, which I have to admit I miss seeing.

Our last vacation there was in March 2012 in Daytona, and it looks like my vacation has all been used up having surgery and healing from a danged infection, but like I already said, on the bright side, at least its fixable.

Be well,
Thomas

 

[npalen]

Thanks for posting the pix!

 

[jeff9366]

I am ascending the ETA Landscape Rake learning curve.

At times it has been a challenge to get the gauge wheels to castor and rotate on axles. On occasion one or the other wants to drag sideways, stationary, leaving a furrow. To encourage castor the Top Link is lengthened to put more pressure on the wheels, or the lock collars on the gauge wheels raised, which also adds pressure to the gauge wheels; or both. Lengthening the Top Link makes the rake skive more aggressively.

Adjusting the trailing edge gauge wheel of the angled rake to hold the trailing end of the rake 1" to 1-1/2" higher, allowing the rake to filter, is also tricky, as trailing gauge wheel adjustment interacts with 3-Pt. hitch lifting-rod adjustment, which is also used to tilt rake.

Generally speaking you use more angle and tilt for moving dirt across the face of the rake. When using a lot of angle the leading gauge wheel assembly sticks out awkwardly and vulnerably beyond the rake. (See Post #22.)

Use the rake un-angled, perpendicular to the tractor, with lifting rod "neutral" and gauge wheels equal height for finish grading. Photo #3

Kubota's often maligned 1/4"-ing, correctly adjusted, is quite helpful pulling a Landscape Rake.

Ratchet Rake on the FEL bucket is handy for grading around poles and trees.

Road bed was liberally sown with Argentine Bahia pasture grass three days before the storm. Some seed is now covered too deep to germinate.

Photo #1 Nascent erosion from recent thunderstorms.

Photo #2 ETA Landscape Rake mounted on 3-Pt hitch; Ratchet Rake bound to FEL bucket.

Photo #3 Final pass with Landscape Rake. For perfection a little hand raking would be necessary.

I created a slight crown in road center to prevent runoff from crossing the road.

 

[jeff9366]

Dude, sorry about putting salt in that particular wound, and that your new toy, errrr, tool needed repair.

Now that your concern about it getting its first ding has been taken care of, at least you'll never make that mistake again.

I won't ?

Stay tuned.