Rake Landscape rake work very well?

lennyzx11 · Aug 11, 2017

As I get closer to covering up my utility trench for the guest cabin, I'm wondering about something.

Will a landscape rake, rake up the spoils and surface rocks after I finish up and level everything back out before I respread the gravel? This is a driveway / parking area. The boxblade usually jumps rocks and I have to get off and "apple pick" rocks to get a smooth gravel surface.

As much as I like a new implement, I don't want to buy one if it won't measure up to what's expected.

I will cherry pick some of the bigger ones out with the grapple and pile them up for a stone wall later before I rake or boxblade.

Thanks,
Lenny

The can is in the picture for a size reference.

Notforhire · Aug 11, 2017

You don't have rocks in your dirt, you have dirt in your rocks.
I think my York rake would skip over rocks that size just because there are so many, I would suggest a root rake/grapple or a rock bucket.
Could you use that spoil for fill somewhere, and get some cleaner stuff to dress your trench?

kthompson · Aug 11, 2017

Notforhire said:
You don't have rocks in your dirt, you have dirt in your rocks.

I need to share that with my brother in law in Texas. lol.

We do not have rocks here at least very seldom so no experience on what I am asking. I would think putting weight on the box blade and taking it slow so the rocks have time to move from the box blades force on them it would help. Maybe the length of the 3 arm would also affect it for think the straighter up the cutting edge is the quicker it would slide over the rocks.

I do think notforhire may be giving great advice. I do plan to be traveling to Texas in few months to do some helping my brother in law and hope to find he is having success with his land plane and fel as recommended by the dealer there.

lennyzx11 · Aug 12, 2017

I gotta say. The grapple did a fine job of it. I tryed with the backhoe but it wouldn't work worth anything. So climbed on the Kubota and that grapple slid along picking up the big rocks and bunching up the other smaller ones. Had it looking decent then hit it with the box blade and actually turned out nice.