rock gathering implement?

Anonymous Poster · Apr 26, 2003

I'm in the midst in preparing the former corn field around my new home for a lawn. The problem is that close to the house the yard looks more like a quarry than a yard. I have rocks everywhere. I know I have to bring in some topsoil to fill in close to the house but I still think I need to get the majority of the rocks removed. What implement will do a good job at gathering the rocks in one spot so they can be shoveled into a FEL? How about a landscape rake? Will it move the rocks around?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

wickman

Hakim · Apr 26, 2003

What you probably are looking for is what is called a "landscape rake" or a "stone rake." Besides dredging up rocks and stones, some people use them to break up manure piles on horse and cow farms.

I don't know what the cost is. It is a "pull behind" device. If you are looking to use it once, or just once a year, maybe you'd want to hire the job out to someone who has this implement. If you have a good rental shop, they usually go out for around $30 a day for one that pulls behind a lawn tractor. If you want a larger unit, I don't know the price.

It can be fairly slow going, tough work, depending on various factors.

Inspector507 · Apr 26, 2003

Probably could use a box blade as well. Landscapers use a similar set up to remove rocks from the surface.

Hakim · Apr 26, 2003

P.S. York Rake out of Unadilla, NY says ...

"Over our nearly 77 year history, York Rakes has been the innovative leader in this field. We were the first to add caster wheels to our units to regulate the working depth. Drawing from our maintainer expertise, we added scarifiers to our units to loosen up the soil before raking, saving the operator the need for extra pieces of equipment. The addition of a fold-down grader blade completes the transformation of the York Rake into a complete landscaping system, virtually eliminating the need for additional pieces of equipment.

"Our units remain the "Swiss Army Knives" of the industry. Our line starts with a 4-foot wide tow type unit, something a homeowner might buy or rent for driveway and yard work. The line concludes with a 12-foot wide tow type unit that a municipality would use for road maintenance. In between, we build rakes to mount on just about anything, including skid steer loaders."

Darren · Apr 26, 2003

Other than an attachment that fits on a skid steer or a special forked bucket for an FEL, the other stuff I've seen is usually for use with larger equipment. I'd put some ads up in places like feed stores to find a farmer who already has a rock picker and work out a deal.

If you have lots of loose rocks on or near the surface and large farms in your area, there's a good chance some of the farmers have a rock picker sitting somewhere.

pennwalk · Apr 27, 2003

Rock pickers look like a great idea for taking loose rocks out of tilled soil but most of them are designed for fairly powerful farm tractors. Landscape rakes and power rakes seem to be designed for smaller stones. Here Mini picker is one designed to be pulled by a ATV or a lawn tractor although the site recomends 30 hp or greater. rakes a 3 foot swath. Seems like a lot of money to me. If you were going to pull it with a compact tractor you wouldn't need the electric/hydraulic power systen as you could run it off tractor hydraulics.I wonder if someone makes one for a small compact?

Chris

hayden · Apr 27, 2003

A rock fork like this might help if you can put it on in place of your loader bucket.

Rock fork

jbrewer · Apr 28, 2003

I'm in the central ohio area myself. I would be willing to help you out if you are close. I have a rake and blade. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif <font color="orange"> </font> Have a great day!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 2, 2003

thanks for the helpful tips. I think we're going with a power rake. From what I can find, it should do a good job of site prep. We'll see.

wickman

JFarms · May 3, 2003

I went with Hayden's solution last summer. I spent much less that the power implements cost, slightly more than renting, but now I have another attachment! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif It's given me good results so I'm happy. My only problem is what to do with all the rocks! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Here are some pics. Stone forks