bobcat with a rock bucket

[HiTechTed]

I need to remove a whole lot of rocks from my front property. I let my neighbor disc it up to plant alfalfa and it's just horrible out there. See the pic (and that's after I raked)...I have scraped up piles with a landscape rake but it's taking a bit more soil than I want it to, plus rocks spill out the sides of the rake. I have tried removing some tines from the rake to allow soil to pass through, but of course the rocks also pass through. I'm sure the farmers driving by my place have been laughing at me but at least I'm getting some seat time out of it despite how frustrating the job is.

Have any of you used a rock bucket on a bobcat? What's your experience with that? I can go rent one and I think it would be worth it if it would work better than my landscape rake. I know I can't get every rock but I need to get as much as possible before the area is planted. After that, I'm stuck getting them by hand...

 

[wvpolekat]

They make skidsteer attachments for just that. The name Rockhound comes to mind.

 

[jbooth]

I would check at machinery dealer and see if there are rock pickers that can be rented. I have used a loftness quick pik for skid steers and it was great. A lot of rock pickers out there of the pull type for tractors also.





Loftness > Rock Pickers > Kwik-pik

 

[azop]

Can you run a FEL in the 'float' position, or would that not work?

 

[spruce Deere]

I think a rock bucket would do you good when used in combo with the landscape rake.

Windrow watcha' can with the rake then come along with the rock bocket after windrowing to pick up rocks. the rock bucket will leave the dirt and sift out the rocks.

Here is a pic of mine setting on end, Thought I had more pics but mine is spaced 3 inch between tines, wich means rocks less than 3 inch will fall threw with the dirt also.

 

[jenkinsph]

I have a rockbucket for my 110tlb with 3" spacing and it works okay for the larger stuff. The problem is if the spacings are close enough to get em all then it is hard to sift the dirt out of them.

I have considered setting up a rock bucket with closer spacing and adding a hydraulic motor driven shaker to it. Haven't found the time to try it yet.

 

[wvpolekat]

I have also heard of people having good luck with harley/power rakes.

 

[jenkinsph]

I have also heard of people having good luck with harley/power rakes.

I have too. If you have a large area of windrows to clean up you would still wan't a better way them up.

 

[HiTechTed]

Thanks for the pointers guys. I went yesterday to check rental prices and the best I got was 125 for the bobcat for 24 hours + 125 for the rockhound for 24 hours, plus 40 for delivery and pickup. I decided to keep using the rock rake and then ended up picking up the larger stones by hand...

 

[jbooth]

When I was a youngster, our baseball team took on picking up rocks as a way to make sports equipment money. Coach drove the tractor and prevented rock fights. Since that was so long ago I would image there are more rules and regs to prevent anything like that happening today. Don't forget the girl scouts, probably be less rock fights with the girls. Maybe 4-H club. Might even be able to use the payment as charitable tax deduction. Tax deduction might be slightly dishonest, but what isn't these days.