Best Implements to use?

Harleymsn · Jan 11, 2005

Ok, I'm a newbie here, so bear with me guys. Just getting ready to retire and move out of the city and back to the country. I have 6 acres in Tennessee and have just bought an Iseki TS1610. I have a varity of jobs that I plan to do so I need some advice on the right implements to buy. I did not get a FEL as I am in the process of building and the extra couple grand I have better uses for. My land was fully wooded, but I cut a about 1 acres for the build site. The barn is already up, and we plan to live in that while I work on the house. I had a dozer in to uproot all the stumps and do some leveling. I now of course have an abundance of roots spread all over and mixed in. I have a conbination of clay and sandy loam soil. Heavy rains last August left me with such a muck that I hauled in about 120 tons of 1x3 rock to make a driveway possible. I need to do some grading on the driveway and then top and spread a smaller rock. I have some fine tune grading and leveling to do on the homesite, and we plan to plant about a 1/4 acres garden. I figured that a box blade (grader) would be a wise investment to start, but not sure if a 5' is a good idea or a 4' to better match the tractor? Would this be feasable for the root problem too? Would a 2 bottom plow be too much for the tractor?

Soundguy · Jan 11, 2005

Deffinately a box blade for the leveling. I'm thinking 4' that way you can really work it over instead of just barely dragging it. May also considder an angle 'scrape' blade. I think 2 bottoms are a bit much for that tractor. A 1 bootom is more suited.. though with that soil.. and small garden size.. I'd check prices between a 6' disc harrow.. or a 3' or 4' tiller. If you could get a super small tiller near the price of the disc.. I'd get the tiller. it will make a good seed bed. At only 1/4 AC.. even a 3' would be fine. i think if you go to 4'.. the money will be so much that a disc comes back into play. The disc may take a few passes.. but then you are retired right? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The box blade with scarfire teeth will help pull up the bigger roots. Some people like landscape or yourk rakes.. but frankly.. On unfinished sopil that is rooty , and heavy clay.. the landscape rake won't be of much use... Probably a drag style chain harrow will be of more use.

Now that I've spent about 1200$ bucks of your money.. anything else? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Since you don't have a loader.. consider another 150$ for a 24" dirt scoop. it will let you move dirt over a wider range than the box blade ( which is great for dragging dirt.. ). If you have your gravel stockpiled.. do consider this option..

Congrats on the land, and the retirement, and the house plans. You must have a great partner if they agreed to live in the barn while the house was going up... My wife would have looked at me like I was a space alien if I had asked her to do that... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Soundguy

Bowhunter · Jan 11, 2005

Usually there's a big difference between the best implement and the financially wise implement. Probably the "best" implement for your roots would be a landscape rake. Attach a pair of guide wheels to it so it doesn't dig in too much and it could be ideal. The rake would also be a nice tool to use when seeding your lawn. The box blade will work well for the drive way and rough grading in the lawn. If you have guide wheels on the box blade it could do ok on the roots, but probably not as well as the landscape rake. If you plan to garden, a tiller is a great tool, and it makes a great seed bed for seeding your lawn as well. As far as what sizes are best for your tractor I can't say, I'm not familiar with your model tractor.

I have to add as a P.S. that a front-end loader, while a large up-front investment, is worth its weight in gold, especially if you're building a new home. I did a ton of landscaping last summer and can't tell you how many tons of rock/gravel/dirt/plants/etc. that I wheelbarrowed around the house. My back cussed me every night. I'll finish the biggest part of our landscaping this coming summer, still without the help of a FEL, but there is a FEL in my future. You would use it more than you can imagine. If you're nearing retirement, do your back a favor and buy it. You've earned it.

JerryG · Jan 11, 2005

The best implement that I have ever used for new ground was a field cultivator. Unlike a rock rake, the tines are more ridged so that you can pull the roots out.

Soundguy · Jan 11, 2005

A spring tooth harrow might not be too bad either. Course.. a cultivator ( chissle tip) can probably be had cheap at an equipment auction.. I've seen em go for 100$ roadside.. etc. And if he does have a garden.. that cultivator may come in handy.. depending on what he raises.

Soundguy

Egon · Jan 11, 2005

Get the Loader and then worry about the trivial stuff.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

beenthere · Jan 11, 2005

Go back and get the loader. You've missed the best implement to use, especially when building a house, IMO.

KiotiJohn · Jan 11, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Ok, I'm a newbie here, so bear with me guys. Just getting ready to retire and move out of the city and back to the country. I have 6 acres in Tennessee and have just bought an Iseki TS1610. )</font>
If I remember right, that's a 2WD tractor right? 16 pto HP, about 19 at the engine, so you can probably pull a 4' boxblade, with rippers for rooting, and do just fine. If you adjust the top link properly, you can use a landscape rake as well, but it's not as versatile as the boxblade.
I don't think the 3pt hitch on that tractor is "position control," in other words, put the lever where you want the arms to remain, but if it is, you don't necessarily need gauge wheels as the postion control will hold the arms where you put them. If you have a reg. 3pt, it's a little hard to position and get the lever back to neutral on a consitent basis, so gauge wheels are a big help. Gauge wheels are usually better, but an extra expense.
I wouldn't put a front end loader on that small, if it is 2WD, tractor as you will have multiple problems with the front end. A heavy load would make the front tires sink down in softer soils, and it probablyl wound't be able to pull out without dumping some of the load. If I'm wrong, and it's a 4WD, you can get a pretty good Koyker loader for it for a reasonable price if you decide to get one after all.
The boxblade is def. my recommendation to start with. John

Harleymsn · Jan 12, 2005

Thanks a lot, Kiota John, you are correct on the 2wd and close on the HP it is 19pto and 21 engine. And yes that is one reason I shyed away from the loader. Not to mention the loader was a lot more than I paid for the tractor. I'll look into the gage wheels.

Harleymsn · Jan 12, 2005

Soundguy, thanks i was leaning more toward the 4' BB for just that reason. I'll look around regarding the harrow and the cultivators too. Thanks for the idea on the scoop, I know that TSC has them if I don't find a used one somwhere. And yes the wife is really great about this, of course the apartment in the barn will be converted to her woodshop and woodcarving studio after the house is done. And she was a lot more willing after she saw the barn finished. Pic attached.