Homemade landscape and trail rake

[jimgerken]

Well, those are both good suggestions. I could weld on a tube to help strengthen the angle, but it is twisted and bent up slightly, like the twist forced it to bend due to the shape, it would have to first be straigtened out. I could do that in the press, maybe borrow a port-a-power. Then I would have to cut off the weight brackets that are on the back. Then I could add the tubular element to add strength and keep it strait. Then the weight brackets could go back on the back of the tube. I will look at it tonight, and decide if I think I could get it straight enough to do something like that. It almost seems like less work to build it again from scratch, but maybe this is better somehow if I think about it. Thanks!

 

[RonMar]

Angle is pretty easilly twisted. If you can straighten it, a piece of box slightly smaller than the angle across the back should work. I would say it needs to be a little above the bottom level to allow the backside of the tines room to flex upward when they hang up on something. Once you weld on a strongback, you have basically turned that remaining piece of angle where the tines bolt into a piece of flat strap. I would also suggest you add an occasional gusset in the open part of the angle between tine bolt holes and at the ends. If the added box is strong enough, you may be able to reform the bent angle stock by clamping and tack welding from the middle out That added box tube would also be a good structure to add on gauge wheels from

I have followed this project with much interest. You do beautifull work.

 

[jimgerken]

Well I dismantled the tinebar, removing the tines and cylinder, and then removed it from the swingarm part of the rake frame. After looking at it awhile, I was so disgusted with the angle iron, I went and bought a piece of 1/4" x 4 x 4 sq tube. I found it in the junkyard, cost me $11.50. Last night I cut it to 76.25 inches, drilled all the 7/16 inch holes clear thru both surfaces, and then flipped it over and drilled the top ones up to one inch size (for socket clearance). I was going to buy 11 gauge or 3/16", but after thinking about how the rake had worked and its apparent weight, I figured if I could pick up about 30-40 more pounds, I would not need to add any more (cast iron) weights to it later. This upgrade to the 1/4" wall tube gets me 25 pounds. I have a couple other ideas to get the rest. So, tonight I can mill the cylinder-attach bushing hole, and add a couple more access holes in the backside of the middle area where I did not have space to drill the 1 inch access holes in the top due to the swivel axle and stuff that goes there. Then add a new axle tube, already have that cut. And cut off the old cylinder mount top-cap from the old tinebar and re-use that, it will be paint ready by Saturday again.

 

[RonMar]

Action photos... We need action photos

 

[Ductape]

^^^^^ What he said !

 

[Ductape]

^^^^^ What he said !

 

[Ductape]

^^^^^ What he said !

 

[Ductape]

^^^^^ What he said !

 

[jimgerken]

Whoa, down boy! It rained all weekend here. Some counties got 17 inches of rain on sat. I was lucky, with only about 10.5". So obviously , no raking, but plenty of damage to repair next weekend. Since I was trapped in the shop, I finished the new tinebar welding, clean,primed,painted white, and painted two coats of Safety Yellow on Sat.! Sunday I assembled the whole thing again, hopefully for the last time. Here are some pics, in COLOR!

 

[Ductape]

Wow, looks great !

Not sure why my last post came out in triplicate..... i only typed it once ! Honest !