Rock Raking Help - bunch of questions

valkman · Sep 5, 2003

The bulldozer guy is done with my new field - now I got to rock rake the whole thing. I have been playing with the toplink, the angle, wheels - and I am just scraping the surface-kind of smearing everything along. I have got the 7' Leinbach with wheels and this is the first time I have used it.
We had 2 inches of rain day before yesterday - so everything is well soaked - perhaps not conducive to raking. I had imagined that the topsoil should flow between the tines, leaving the rocks/roots - but I am just getting a full rake of dirt.

Anyways I am looking for tips from start to finish on raking a totally new field - theyre are plenty of rock, roots and high /low spots.

Thanks

rambler · Sep 5, 2003

I know very little, only having a rake for the summer, but you want it dry. Damp dirt sticks together. Dry & loose. Don't mud it up & pack it down! You will make it hard, & it will dry into bricks.

--->Paul

msuttner · Sep 5, 2003

I think you need to rake it when the ground is dry. The rock rake should get the larger rocks and then for the smaller rocks use chicken fence to cover the rake.
Good luck
Michael

johnno · Sep 6, 2003

Do yourself a favor and rent a harley rake from your locale rental house. It is a PTO driven rake that works unbelievebly well. From looking at the design you wouldn't think it could do much but it has best finish on rough topsoil in the end. I did a large length of road in 4 hrs with a "pro-6" harley rake. The results are excellent. It levels, derocks, and leaves a great base for planting. I have a Landscape rake like the one you are describing and after useing the harley rake the landscape rake is definating a waste of time for a poor job in the end.

WoodsWally · Sep 6, 2003

I'd agree, dry is better - at least up to a point. I also found that I needed to use a "light touch" and multiple passes... the angle I set the rake depends on how much/how heavy the trash is. (Heavier means sharper angle.) I also set one side of the rake a little deeper... by the time the stuff moves to the other side it seems to have left the soil behind.

_RaT_ · Sep 6, 2003

Thats great you have a Harley rake to rent from a rental yard, they are awesome. I have a Pro 8. It's ability to rake out rocks regardless of soil conditions is hard to match. I have yet to see a rental yard out here that rents them.

It rakes, it levels, it piles it, it fluffs it, it's 4 rakes in one! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

johnno · Sep 6, 2003

Yeah RaT your right, not many rental yards have them. Luckly a mom and pop yard in my town has a Pro 6. It was $120 for the rake for 8 hrs. However I needed to rent their JD 4310 because my 4310 isn't in yet and my JD 1070 doesn't have a 3rd scv. Their Pro 6 needs the 3rd scv (It has a hydralic scarifier and hydralic angle).So the total for 8 hrs was $310 but it was still well worth it in my book.

valkman · Sep 7, 2003

Tried calling rental yards around here looking for the Harley rake, no go. Oh Well. It looks like I would need a rear Hydraulic port anyways, which I don't have.

Well, the field should be dry enough today, I am going to give my Leinbach rake a try - slow and patient is my buzzword for today. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

riptides · Sep 8, 2003

I did about an acre last fall with just a york rake, a wife and three kids. We collected about three 54" FEL scoops, and I paid the kids a dollar a bucket.

And they were NOT 5-gallon buckets, although I DID try. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Needless to say, twas hard bend-over back-aching WORK.

I should post a before and after shot. The rock here is quartz. Hit it once and you get a hundred pieces, instead of one! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

-Later!
-Good luck!
-Mike Z.