Ratchet Rake - ever seen/used one?

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I have both a Ratchet Rake and a Landscape rake. I see them as 2 different implements. There are things I would do preferring one over the other. I personally do not see them as competition. Someone posted he had his landscape rake mounted to his FEL. Interesting. I don't, so the landscape rake follows my tractor and floats and levels dug ground and large dug areas. The Ratchet Rake is on my FEL and it will dig and level ground in forward or rear digging action. The teeth on my Ratchet Rake are considerably closer than the tines on my Landscape rake so the fine finish of the closer teeth are different than the wider spaced tines. I don't think I could dig rocks out of shallow ground with the Landscape rake but can with the RR. If I was leveling 5 acres of dug ground, I'd use the Landscape rake but around the house or areas that I want a finer finish I would use the RR. I know some hunt for something in any post to take as an insult to their equipment. I say get over it. This is about 2 different pieces of equipment and I have them both and am keeping both of them. If one can only afford one then a decision has to be made of which one meets your needs closer than the other and they are similarily priced.

 

[Charlesaf3]

That was me on the FEL york rake - I've actually got one on the front and one on the rear sometimes. They do different things - on that I see the advantage of the ratchet rake if you didn't want to go my route. I'm just annoyed the ratcher-rake guy's attitude towards my honest questions and discussions - not, btw, how any of the purchasers have reacted.

 

[ratchetrake@comcast.net]

I agree with John Thomas in his assessment defining the york rake and Ratchet Rake as two different implements. The york rake is comprised of a single row of long flexible blunt tines while the Ratchet Rake has two rows of shorter angular rigid teeth. Although I don't think that either rake is superior, I do feel that both designs contain unique elements which enable each of them to be suited for different tasks.

I do respect Charles for admitting that his york rake clogs when removing brush. While he doesn't see this as a problem, others may feel differently.

 

[Bassicfun]

Put another 8hrs of use on my bx today, all ratchet rake work. And took pictures, will have a few posted next day or two...

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Put another 8hrs of use on my bx today, all ratchet rake work. And took pictures, will have a few posted next day or two...

g Hadn't heard from you in awhile and figured you are tractoring and no time for posting. I now keep my Ratchet Rake on my tractor and take it off when needing flat bucket edge and then put it back on. It's so handy to level out a rough or gullied spot and level out ditched work and it's ready to seed and not compacted.

 

[Bassicfun]

Alright, I spent a grand total of 7 hours working on the roadside of our 5 acres, approximately ~300' of roadside wood fence posts, barbed wire fencing, electric fence posts, vines, bushes, weeds, shrubs, dead trees, alive trees, beer cans, etc... etc... etc...

At any rate, this was all ratchet rake work, removed a few trees from the roots as well (back drag until roots exposed, push tree over, cheer for joy, repeat). The trees knocked over were 4-7" in diameter (estimated). Good news is it looks great, will remove the rest of the trees so we have a blank canvas to start from, as well as nothing to mow around!

Already a few hours and trees into it, the dirt is the 'work zone' prior to beginning everything was green, zero 'dirt' on the surface.

This is the solution I found worked best, I know Brad and Barbara offered a new set of straps as well as the cordova (sp) gaurds, and now offer steel cable, but the 3/8" chain was a solution that made for a great improvement at the time (prior to the cables and cordova wearpads being offered.

One tree with roots removed

I am thankful for the Scut that allow me inbetween tree to tree!

Unfortunately... I am sad to say that now with approximately 32 documented hours on my ratchet rake, I had a tooth BEND!!! I am unsure how it happened, and was a bit shocked to notice it this morning when I went back out to finish up, I could bend it back.. however we all know how much easier it will then bend again and again. Brad & Barbara, if you read this and see this, I would enjoy any thoughts you have, as I have been using this a great deal.

Didn't get a good picture "from a distance" but compare this to the first couple pictures, and I would think you get the CLEAR picture of what the rake is capable of, in relatively short time.

 

[thavil]

Great work Bassicfun!! That is the type of work I still need to do this fall, clearing out the same type of crap. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[Bassicfun]

No problem thavil. Great item, wish it hadn't bent that is for sure. I will be going over with a chainsaw to remove the remainder of the trees, and then start to 'reshape' the ground into the ditch, so the ditch by road is removed, and mowable, we'll be trenching in tile and catch basins at the low spots to move runoff water to the ditch by the driveway (far left and out of the pictures)

 

[ratchetrake@comcast.net]

Bassicfun-I saw your latest before and after pictures on post 146 and was very impressed with what you were able to accomplish with a 25 hp tractor. I think a larger machine with our heavier duty 68" rake would have been better suited for removing the 4"-7" trees and stumps. We had never received any reports of bent teeth on either of the rake models, so your work site pictures were helpful in determining how it may have happened. Our Ratchet Rake video demonstrates roots and rocks being ripped out using the shorter teeth while the longer teeth are only used for back dragging. From seeing the size of the large stump in your pictures, I think you are sinking the shorter teeth into the ground and prying up with the longer teeth. Using the shorter teeth as a fulcrum, you were able to greatly increase the upward pulling force but unfortunately on one occassion it was all focused to the very end of a single tooth. In the future when prying with the longer teeth, try to engage more than one tooth.
When you bent the tooth you slightly altered the molecular structure of the metal, which means it would take more force to straighten the tooth than you originally applied when you bent it. The easiest way to fix is by heating the bent area for 5-10 minutes with a small torch (propane OK, mapp gas quicker). Straighten with a pair of adjustible wrenches or pipe wrenches positioned on both sides of the tooth while applying even pressure. Allow the metal to cool normally; don't quench with water or tooth will become brittle. When cooled, the tooth will be as strong as it was before you bent it. Brad

 

[Bassicfun]

Thanks Brad, that was my assumption, the roots were too far down and I couldn't dig in with the smaller down-facing teeth. Regardless, I've bent back plenty of steel with my mapp gas torch, and allowing to cool slowly. I appreciate the response and information. This is just the beginning of a 5-acre project. I will take more pictures as the trees are removed, and the process continues. If someone needs better 'viewing' I have the original pictures as well, huge resolution if you are looking to see something inparticular.

Brian (a.k.a. Bassicfun)