Best harrow

[LabLuvR]

I need a good harrow to smooth out my deer plots. I have tried telephone poles etc but the problem is my land has a lot of dips and depressions so a stiff flat tool does not work good as it skips around a lot. I thought about a chain type harrow but also have a lot of small rocks. Would a heavy duty chain type harrow work on my type land. Are the chain type at TSC any good? I saw one there but not sure how well they hold up. Thanks!!

 

[Laminarman]

Hey LabLuvR

You are me. I'm no firefighter but I turkey hunt, duck hunt, deer hunt, pheasant hunt, fish, work on the tractor, have half my land in field, half in woods. Am just starting some food plots and likely you've seen some of my idiotic posts around TBN.

As regards to the chain harrow, I JUST bought one from TSC about an hour ago and will give it a whirl this weekend. I'll keep you posted on what I think about it. I did look at the directions for it, and it is reversible, flippable and will be aggessive or non aggressive. So I'm anxious to see if my $395 was well spent. I'd assume so since I saw the EXACT same one at the Kubota dealership for $899 (yeah, right).

If you don't hear from me keep on my case; it means I forgot from being brain dead (from being around my labs too much). I'll give you a fair assessment.

 

[mathey]

i just bought a brand new 6' chain harrow on EBay...even with shipping it was cheaper than TSC...should have it this week to do some pasture upkeep...

 

[HammerFour]

I have one of the TSC chain harrows. I bought a 4 foot wide one and now wish it was 8 feet wide, I might have to get an additional "header" pipe welded up so I can have it be 8 feet wide and 4 feet long instead of vice versa.

I really like mine, I use it for quite a few different jobs.

Upside down it is good for breaking up manure clumps after rotating our horses off of a pasture.

Forward in the lesser dig position it breaks up a bit of thatch and stirs the dirt a bit for when I am overseeding.

Backwards in the more aggressive digging position it works good for leveling/smoothing box bladed areas to prepare them for seeding.

My wife uses it more than me behind our 6x4 Gator to break up the manure clumps.

 

[Chuck_Lind]

Do you folks have any photos of the chain harrow? I'd like to see one and also see the results.

Thank you in advance, before I start my heavy-duty disking.

 

[Egon]

Perhaps this is the type of harrow you are looking for.

Egon

 

[RonR]

I know I'm biased, but I think FOR THE MONEY, this is the best harrow. Home made, maybe $100 or less in iron and electricity. Plus I used it to teach my son how to weld..........

All that pretty painted stuff for 8 times the money--no thanks. Suggest you build one yourself or find a kid who's in a welding program to build you one.......

My two cents......

Ron

 

[LabLuvR]

I was thinking more of the heavy duty chain type that would lay flat. But wasn't sure how stiff they are as I need something that is somewhat flexible due to my land being hilly and rocky.

Also, I don't know if I have ever seen harrows like those pictured. One thing I do know, I have got to learn to weld. Some of you guys on here amaze me with your talent and what you are capable of building. Too bad you don't live close to me, I could sure stand to throw a few bucks your way!

 

[RonR]

Thanks for the compliment!

A harrow isn't really a show piece--it just needs to function. Something that scratches the ground is all that's needed.

If you have a vo tech at your high school, the instructor could probably find a kid to build it for you, with you paying the metal price.

Way cheap!

ron

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Something that scratches the ground is all that's needed. )</font>

I agree and yours looks pretty good. I do wonder if it would have been preferable to have the teeth tilted forward at the top (or back at the bottom) so they wouldn't collect grass, weeds, and vines as much as vertical ones will.

 

[RonR]

Bird, I think you are right. I was in to "quick and dirty" to get something I could sratch the ground after tilling. I've not used it on rougher ground and likely won't.

Oh, I forgot to mention, since 99% of the time, I'll be using it on a house sized lot, I wanted to be able to use it in REVERSE also. It works fine backwards and forward, so fewer passes to loosen the topsoil....... It was a conscious design feature. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I also figured in a few years (?), when the front of the teeth wear out, I'll cut the mount off, turn the harrow frame around, and reweld it with the back of the teeth in the front, so it will last longer than I'll be able to drive it.

I used it this week after spreading 8 Yds of topsoil on a new house construction. After the box blade and loader work, it left a nice finish........... (still waiting for my check though /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif)

Thks.
Ron

 

[rockyridgefarm]

That one is nice, egon. Where do I find one?

 

[HammerFour]

This is the brand I bought, I picked it up at TSC.

http://www.loyal-roth.com/Multi_Use.html

 

[mathey]

here's a link to the one i got on EBay...seller has a bunch of them in different sizes...

EBay Harrow Auction

 

[TresCrows]

I have a Furest flexible chain time harrow. I have had it now for 4 years. It works great and is useful for spreading dirt, scouring the ground for seed, massaging and dethatching the lawn, grading the gravel drive and so on. It is slowly showing some wear. I figure in another 30 years I will need a new one.
http://images.google.com/images?q=chain+harrow&ie=ISO-8859-1&hl=en

J