Rock picker

[sos1]

Looking for simple pull behind rock picker plans for lawn tractor with hydraulics.

 

[FarmWrench]

I am a potato farmer. Rocks and picking them is an art and science. What size rock? what shape rock? What is the rest of the soil structure? What crop and operations will be done on the crop?

 

[pohorsky]

What size of a lawn tractor are you talking about?

 

[BHD]

most simple rock pickers are some type of rake/bucket that rake and hold the rocks and lets the earth fall through, the rods/bars of the bucket,
http://images.ironsearch.com/dealer...542-633959060070269629.jpg?FULL=T&h=420&w=615

then you get more complicated with moving parts, that that rake the earth and flip the rocks in to a holding bin,

 

[BHD]

here is a combination of the two for a ATV,
DuraGrade - A1 Box Scraper for Garden Tractors or ATVs and Quads, Requires No Three Point hitch

 

[BHD]

the land scaping rake could be an option, I will not pick them up but may collect them for picking up,
not the best video but shows how one could be used,

 

[BHD]

and there powered rakes that can be used to winrow rocks,
http://www.flaman.com/agriculture//...images/products/broch_SRW1400 Windrower-2.jpg

and here is a machine that uses a power rake has a dirt remover and collector,
Haybuster Rock Windrower & Picker at Triple H. Equipment, Inc.

First I do not know of any plans, but one needs more information (I realize most I showed are for larger tractors but I think they could be down sized, if wanted.

if a land scape rake was used like a dump rake (made rows of rocks), and one make a rock bucket to pick up the rows, or piles, I know those who have used rock pickers around here used a combination of the rock winrowers and the pickers, the winrower to make less passes with the picker, at 5 foot or what ever the width was,

 

[BHD]

this is one could be down sized is my guess, similar to the ATV unit,

when the teeth are in the soil and pulling I do not know how much a lawn tractor could pull,

the power rake and a catch (some what like the hay buster, could take less power, say 3 foot wide, and even if the catch was not the rolling cage like the hay buster, but a small lift like thing like the bucket here, my guess is one will have to get some idea of how much your tractor can pull.

one could make it some what like a potato digger, and on smaller units they vibrate the digger part so the tractor does not have as much drag on it, (some think like a vibra plow, they use to trench in water lines and cable)

Potato Digger to Harvest Potatoes

 

[sos1]

I'm talking about gravel 1/2" and larger on a go kart track. I've got a JD 314 with hydraulics front and back.
Mostly clay like soil.

 

[sos1]

JD 314