Rake landscape rake or pulverizer?

Builder · Oct 26, 2008

Anyone use a "pulverizer"? I mostly want to clean up up around jobsites that have somewhat hardpacked bumpy, rocky soil like overdig from a basement, footings, etc.

I can use loader bucket to level out the piles, but they need to be finished off better than that.

I've used a landscape rake for the last 20 years and I was planning on buying a new 7 or 8' rake until I saw what's called a "pulverizer".

Anyone use one of these?

deereguy · Oct 26, 2008

Woods Equipment Company - 72'' & 84'' Heavy-Duty Pulverizers - SU Series

I haven't used one, but I have used a Reveal 4n1, that is like a box blade and a pulverizer in one unit and seems to work slick but costs $4500 or so. I REALLY like the Harley/Woods Power Rake, that will leave the area VERY clean and ready for seeding, maybe that's more effort than you want to put into a job before the landscape guy comes in.

Good Luck!

Builder · Oct 26, 2008

deereguy said:
Woods Equipment Company - 72'' & 84'' Heavy-Duty Pulverizers - SU Series

I haven't used one, but I have used a Reveal 4n1, that is like a box blade and a pulverizer in one unit and seems to work slick but costs $4500 or so. I REALLY like the Harley/Woods Power Rake, that will leave the area VERY clean and ready for seeding, maybe that's more effort than you want to put into a job before the landscape guy comes in.

Good Luck!

The power rakes are too expensive for me. The pulverizers seem to be in the $900-$1,000 range.

Dargo · Oct 26, 2008

As I briefly mentioned in another post, I bought a cheap Leinbach pulverizer several years ago for a job. I was planning on buying the Gill brand, but there was an absolutely huge difference in price. As long as you don't have loose grass laying on top of the soil, a pulverizer works wonders. In doing soccer fields (I have one in my backyard that two teams practice on) I've found the pulverizer to be the perfect tool to use right before seeding and then using my cultipacker right after seeding. The pulverizer will make the difference between a lumpy, bumpy finish and that similar to a fairway.

The attached pictures show the field in my backyard that used to be a humpy corn field. Our city charges teams to use the city soccer fields for practice and some of the girls' parents can't afford to pay the team dues needed. Since I had the land and equipment I welded up some regulation soccer goals, had a company donate the nets, and put in a regulation size soccer field. The only expense to my daughter's teams to practice here all year is for the team to cover the commercial insurance policy holding me harmless from any accident that may occur there. Anyway, without using a pulverizer, it wouldn't be possible for me to have put in my soccer field as well as a few others. The Leinbach is inexpensive but has proven to hold up well as long as you keep the bearings greased.

Builder · Oct 26, 2008

Is it heavy enough to break-up semi-compacted bumpy soil & leave it ready for seed?

I can't believe the amount of rear implements I see with cinder blocks or weights piled on top of them.

The one I'm looking at is 500+ lbs. Pretty heavy compared to a landscape rake.

deereguy · Oct 26, 2008

The power rakes are too expensive for me.

I saw Builder and your equipment and automatically thought big $$. LOL. In my next life I want to come back as the excavator, first one in and first one paid- instead of the landscape guy, last one in, project already over-budget, barely paid. LOL.

Builder · Oct 26, 2008

deereguy said:
The power rakes are too expensive for me.

I saw Builder and your equipment and automatically thought big $$. LOL. In my next life I want to come back as the excavator, first one in and first one paid- instead of the landscape guy, last one in, project already over-budget, barely paid. LOL.

I do all my own excavating, wouldn't have it any other way

I make decent money, but still have a thrifty mentality. I hate overpaying.

If everything goes as planned, I will be taking posession of a CAT Challenger utility tractor and I need some bigger implements for it, so I'm kinda tapped-out for $$

I just saw that woods makes a rake with a power angling cylinder and a flip-down grader blade. Pretty slick.
http://www.woodsequipment.com/landscapeequipmentdetail.aspx?id=10253&terms=landscape+rakes

Farmwithjunk · Oct 26, 2008

Builder said:
Is it heavy enough to break-up semi-compacted bumpy soil & leave it ready for seed?

I can't believe the amount of rear implements I see with cinder blocks or weights piled on top of them.

The one I'm looking at is 500+ lbs. Pretty heavy compared to a landscape rake.

I've got a Leinbach "yard tool" pulverizer. Once upon a time, I owned a Gill (Woods) pulverizer. First off, there is hardy any noticable difference between the two brands, relaitive to the performance. For the money, the Leinbach is without a doubt the best buy.

Now. What will they do? With a little practice, you can do about 80% of the chores you'd do with a rake. And the rake won't begin to touch the capabilities of a pulverizer. They are the PERFECT tool for dealing with semi-compacted, semi-graded surfaces that you would typically find around new construction. Before the "Harley Rake", the pulverizer was the tool of choice for most all finish graders/landscapers. They do a very good job of raking up sticks, rocks, ect. They will take a hard packed OR well prepped dirt surface and make it look hand raked, ready for seed. The rear roller firms the soil which is ideal for grass seeding.

I bought mine when I was re-doing all the waterways, filter strips, fence rows, and roadsides at my farm. After the 'dozer did it's thing, I would simply hit the areas with the pulverizer, then sow grass seed. They will do SOME grading, but their bailywick is FINISHING the surface.

Pulverizers are without question the best tool I've ever seen for grading gravel.

The Gill unit is a bit heavier than the Leinbach. That said, the Leinbach is MORE than adaquate in the toughest of conditions. It's one 3-point tool you'll never need to add weight to.

Both Woods and Leinbach offer models with single or double rear rollers. My Gill that I had years ago was a double roller. The leinbach is single roller. All things equal, I'd pass on the double roller. One is enough.

I saw recently where Deere (Pioneer) has added a pulverizer to their equipment line-up. From the thumbnail photo I saw, I'd almost bet it's a Woods/Gill knock-off. (Woods makes quite a bit of Pioneer implements already

Try these folks. They'll ship one to your door, free shipping, and prices that are tough to beat. This is where I got my most recent pulverizer. They saved me almost a grand over buying a Gill/Woods locally.

http://www.everythingattachments.com/

edit; I just read your post below regarding the Leinbach landscape rake. I see now where you already found the vendor in the link I supplied. Good people. I ordered on a tuesday and recieved shipment that friday. And yes, shipping was FREE!!!!