Raking the Yard with 3pt. Pine Needle Rake

[robertm]

After dethatching with my simple Agrifab 40" dethatcher behind the BX2660, I decided that I really need to find a way to rake the yard with the tractor. We have several sycamore trees with pie plate-sized leaves that continually shed all year long. Constant twigs of all sizes and bark litter the yard. The sugar maples dump branches and leaves and Im always raking.

The thought was the CMP dethatcher, but my Agrifab works well enough. The problem is, it fills up quickly with thatch and any twigs jamb it up such that I am constantly dismounting the tractor to clean it. The CMP would likely be the same and clog up.

I figure the single row tined pine needle rake from Everything Attachments would do best for general raking and not clog up.

Anyone have experience here?

 

[jenkinsph]

Pine needle rakes are the best thing since sliced bread imo. A definate advantage is that you can rake a wide swath quickly and one pass is all it takes for most large leaves and pine needles. Saves me a tremendous amount of time each year and allows me to actually make a profit using my x749 garden tractor with it.

This is the Lienbach PSR, my next one will be the new EA rake with easily replaced tines.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

It makes sense that it would work OK....

I use this homemade rake to pickup lots of stuff, thatch, rake gravel out of the grass area where I have piled snow....

Good luck
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[sixdogs]

It makes sense that it would work OK....

I use this homemade rake to pickup lots of stuff, thatch, rake gravel out of the grass area where I have piled snow....

Good luck
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View attachment 370082

That looks very nice. How did you drill all the holes in the pipe so they stayed in line and not drift one way or the other?

 

[Hiltz]

I bought one of EA,s pine straw rakes. It works like a charm.

 

[Gittyup]

I have the CMP. Good dethatcher and works OK for yard debris, good for sticks and the like. But, I agree it would load up quickly if there is a lot of big material, like leaves. One of my biggest nuisances is maple seed pods. I've only had luck raking by hand, and that takes repeated, repeated raking to get them pulled out of the ground.

 

[Daver1963]

It seems the pine needle rake subject has come up multiple times this year. sixdogs and I always like to show off our builds. Mine is built with angle iron, perforated iron tube, hay rake teeth, nuts & bolts, and various sized bushings. All parts came from Lowes, Tractor Supply, and Rural King.

 

[robertm]

Thanks everyone. I looked at Sixdogs and Davers homemade setups and figured Id try making my own. I went to Farm &Fleet and bought the hay rake tines (30) and some steel angle. I also bought a hitch drawbar that i can slide into my 3pt receicer setup. Quick and easy attach and detach, and it should work well since i usually have the 2" receiver on the 3pt.

Seems to be a pretty good savings. I spent $157 today, and the EA Pine Needle Rake is $395. The only concern I have us the EA has long tines. Im concerned the short hay tines I bought will load up quickly.

 

[robertm]

So, the DW endorsed the EA rake. After looking at the short tines I bought and the amount of yard waste I will rake, I think the hay tines will fill up too quick. I ordered the EA. They are out of stock so it will take 2 weeks. I can wait. EA said their rake can be aggressive, and although they aren't supposed to endorse its use for general yard raking, they have a bunch of customers who rave about their rake for this type of use. I'm sure it'll be fine, and if needed, I will work out a wheel setup. Thanks again everyone.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Pine needle rakes are the best thing since sliced bread imo. A definate advantage is that you can rake a wide swath quickly and one pass is all it takes for most large leaves and pine needles. Saves me a tremendous amount of time each year and allows me to actually make a profit using my x749 garden tractor with it.

This is the Lienbach PSR, my next one will be the new EA rake with easily replaced tines.

That rake rocks. Up here in northern Minnesota, portions of privately owned forested land that have not been logged off in the last 100 years are starting to look like the original forest did: no underbrush and bigger trees spaced every ten, fifteen, twenty feet with a carpet of needles everywhere. The needles make everything acidic so nothing but pines grow in it. My goal for a new 30 acre parcel I'm closing on in May is to clear the deciduous growth (except the oaks) and plant more conifers.

But in areas I want to keep grassy, that rake of yours looks like it would really outperform my humble Stihl backpack blower that I use and my Toro zero turn.

Thanks for sharing the photos. Pretty neat.