3 PT Dethatcher

[Wyobuckaroo]

This is the second version of a thatch rake I built...
It is quite aggressive, but works well...
I plan to build a front mount 3pt lift for my tractor..
That way I can reverse the rake on the 3pt frame and use it out ahead of my MMM deck.
Good luck
===

 

[94BULLITT]

This is the second version of a thatch rake I built...
It is quite aggressive, but works well...
I plan to build a front mount 3pt lift for my tractor..
That way I can reverse the rake on the 3pt frame and use it out ahead of my MMM deck.
Good luck
===
View attachment 363741

I plan on building one someday. I have thought about a front mount too. Why do you have wheels on your 3PH version?

 

[npalen]

I bought a 60" CMP last year and used it for Spring dethatching. I found that it didn't have enough weight on it's own so used hydraulic down pressure on the 3PT. I later sold the tractor with down pressure (Allis 720) so will have to add some weight for use this Spring. Otherwise the unit did a nice job at a reasonable price. The tines will get down and tear out the thatch without tearing up the turf, if that makes sense.

 

[Daver1963]

That's the best executed, weld free implement I have ever seen. Nicely done!

I didn't even notice until you mentioned it. I had to look again. No welds? - That is impressive!

Thank you both. I don't weld (yet, maybe) so I had to come up with a way to put this together without that skill. I also don't have the tools to bend metal.
All the metal cuts were done with a jigsaw and metal blade. All the holes were drilled with a hand drill (for some pilot holes), but mainly done on a drill press.

Whats the advantage of being further away from the tractor? I think it will be about 2 feet behind the tractor wheels in my situation. I would think closer is better so that the dethatcher is on the same terrain angle as the tractor.

For my purpose of raking pine needles the extra distance created more of an angle to get the hay rake teeth out of the pile of pine needles I just raked. Because otherwise you just spread out the pile you just raked.

 

[coobie]

I was looking at the chain harrow too, but that takes up a lot of room and not sure if it does a better job. Since you use both...what's the deal?

I use the chain harrow in the fall season before I put down my fall fertilizer.I hang my chain harrow up in the barn so is does not take up a lot of room.

 

[Gittyup]

Nicely done. I saw this when I did a search through older threads. Looks like it works real well. I thought about building my own, but came to the conclusion that I wouldn't be saving much over the CMP and I already have too many projects going on.

This is the second version of a thatch rake I built...
It is quite aggressive, but works well...
I plan to build a front mount 3pt lift for my tractor..
That way I can reverse the rake on the 3pt frame and use it out ahead of my MMM deck.
Good luck
===
View attachment 363741

 

[Gittyup]

Oh. I could see how the pine needles would pile up and you would want to be able to gather a sizeable pile, and then get away from iteasily. But, for thatch that should not be the case. At least I hope not. I just want it to pull out the thatch without collecting it. Then I can vacuum it up.

For my purpose of raking pine needles the extra distance created more of an angle to get the hay rake teeth out of the pile of pine needles I just raked. Because otherwise you just spread out the pile you just raked.

 

[Gittyup]

I received the CMP dethatcher and put it together. Went together nicely. Seems to be pretty good for the money. I've been scheming on how to add weight easily. We'll see how it works once the ground dries out. I'll try it out before I go to the effort to add weight. I do now recognize just how close to the rear wheels it's going to be. If using to pull together piles of debris, it'll load up behind the wheels quickly, I think. I don't think this is an issue for just dethatching, which is my primary need. And if raking debris, I'll just have to make shorter runs (which most of mine would be anyway).

Because there are few photos of this dethatcher, I will take some photos of it in action..... whenever winter EVER ends.

 

[WaterDawg]

humm, thanks for the info...Maybe I am better off modifying my pull behind dethatcher to adapt to the 3 point hitch. It's only 42" wide and my mower is 60" so I was hoping to get something that could cover my tracks. How wide is yours?

 

[WaterDawg]

just an idea for adding weight...see pic.
Then you could use one or two suitcase weights

 

[Gittyup]

humm, thanks for the info...Maybe I am better off modifying my pull behind dethatcher to adapt to the 3 point hitch. It's only 42" wide and my mower is 60" so I was hoping to get something that could cover my tracks. How wide is yours?

Mine is 50" and they also sell a 60". I would definitely want one about the width of my tractor. I'll be using a JD X739, which is about 49" wide. And I have some narrow patches of lawn that anything bigger would not fit into.

The tines are just a few inches behind the 3pt lower links. The CMP seems like the best "midsize" thatcher I've seen, with maybe the exception of the pine straw rakes. But those cost almost double.

 

[Gittyup]

That's sort of what I was thinking too. We'll see how it does.

just an idea for adding weight...see pic.
Then you could use one or two suitcase weights

 

[nforktractor]

View attachment 364398Here are some plans from a member who posted years ago, looks pretty good,

 

[WaterDawg]

wow, those are some set of plans. He did a better write up than most manufactures today.

 

[Gittyup]

I used it on Sunday for the first time. Width is a perfect match for my 49" GT. Though ground still a little wet, it worked great. I used it to gather most of the twigs scattered about after the storm. Did pretty good considering it wasn't designed for that. The piles were not too much that closeness to the back of the tractor was not a problem. Rake empty itself pretty good when raised.

Pulled up thatch nicely. Some gathering in the tines, but came off when lifted. At times on uneven ground one side or other would not reach the ground. Combination of factors: ground unevenness, X739 3pt hitch doesn't drop to ground zero (~6" above ground level is as low as it will go). I think dethatching twice, at 90 degree angles to one another is the trick. I did not use any weight. Not sure it would really make a difference. Maybe in the fall when the ground might be harder and thatch fresher.

I only had time to go over lawn one time (one direction). I gathered 24 30-gallon containers of thatch (12 loads with my vacuum)! I have a huge pile that I meant to take photos of, but didn't get time and now it's snow covered (again ) That says two things: my yard really really needed it, and the CMP dethatcher was very effective. Yard looked so nice and clean before it snowed yet again.

 

[94BULLITT]

I used it on Sunday for the first time. Width is a perfect match for my 49" GT. Though ground still a little wet, it worked great. I used it to gather most of the twigs scattered about after the storm. Did pretty good considering it wasn't designed for that. The piles were not too much that closeness to the back of the tractor was not a problem. Rake empty itself pretty good when raised.

Pulled up thatch nicely. Some gathering in the tines, but came off when lifted. At times on uneven ground one side or other would not reach the ground. Combination of factors: ground unevenness, X739 3pt hitch doesn't drop to ground zero (~6" above ground level is as low as it will go). I think dethatching twice, at 90 degree angles to one another is the trick. I did not use any weight. Not sure it would really make a difference. Maybe in the fall when the ground might be harder and thatch fresher.

I only had time to go over lawn one time (one direction). I gathered 24 30-gallon containers of thatch (12 loads with my vacuum)! I have a huge pile that I meant to take photos of, but didn't get time and now it's snow covered (again ) That says two things: my yard really really needed it, and the CMP dethatcher was very effective. Yard looked so nice and clean before it snowed yet again.

So you think the CMP unit is heavy enough to do the job?

What do you do with all the thatch? It takes that stuff a while to rot up.

 

[TractorToolsDirect]

Another option is a belt rake. They are more expensive, but they are PTO powered and the depth can be adjusted for more or less agressiveness. Designed originally for raking hay but by adjusting the wheels they will get down into the thatch. Also they will windrow it so it's easier to pick up.

 

[Gittyup]

The ground is soft now, it's hard to tell how well it will work under normal conditions without added weight. Adding weight would be pretty easy though. Keep in mind that the weight of the 3pt hitch is on it too. I'd guess with 3pt hitch, it puts about 100 lbs to the ground right now. Dethatcher weights about 50 lbs. I have a wooded ravine on my property. I just dump the thatch in the woods. I keep a compost bin, but didn't want to put it in there. I just use it to build up the edges of the ravine .

So you think the CMP unit is heavy enough to do the job?

What do you do with all the thatch? It takes that stuff a while to rot up.

 

[Gittyup]

Another option is a belt rake. They are more expensive, but they are PTO powered and the depth can be adjusted for more or less agressiveness. Designed originally for raking hay but by adjusting the wheels they will get down into the thatch. Also they will windrow it so it's easier to pick up.

I think there are many options, depending on your setup and need. I don't have a PTO on the tractor I want to use for this purpose. So, only a passive system will work for me. I only have about 2 acres. If I had more, I'd want something bigger, probably a pine needle rake in say 6 or 7'.

 

[94BULLITT]

The ground is soft now, it's hard to tell how well it will work under normal conditions without added weight. Adding weight would be pretty easy though. Keep in mind that the weight of the 3pt hitch is on it too. I'd guess with 3pt hitch, it puts about 100 lbs to the ground right now. Dethatcher weights about 50 lbs. I have a wooded ravine on my property. I just dump the thatch in the woods. I keep a compost bin, but didn't want to put it in there. I just use it to build up the edges of the ravine .

I am going to build one similar to the CMP dethatcher. I have a quick hitch on the BX so that will give me a extra 60 pounds. I currently have a pull behind agrifab. I use 2 concrete blocks on it. It probably weighs around 100lbs with the blocks on it.