Scarifier/Rake combo

[knucklehead]

Hi

I've been a fan of rakes, then rented a scraper and was impressed by it's digging power over the rake. I mentioned looking for a box scraper to my dealer, and he asked me if I would consider the subject combo. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.landpride.com/lp/products/sf25_specs.html>Land Pride</A> has the scarifier that allows another attachment to gang up with it. This seems to be the best of both worlds, as I could use the scarifier and rake separately for other work. I've never seen this before, and I'm quite interested. Any suggestons or comments? I've read quite a lot of the older posts, but nothing on this yet (unless I didn't go back far enough).

Thanks

 

[rancar]

Mark,

This is a bit related to your questions. I bought a Frontier LR1172 combo landscape rake and grader blade. See picture attached with grader blade folded down. This will come in real handy I think on different terrain conditions where I need the grader blade to dig at hardened clay and similar material. My feeling is these combo attachments will save you time in the field without requiring you to go back to your garage/barn and replace attachments.

Regards,
Bob Ancar
Cambridge, NY

 

[knucklehead]

Thanks, Bob - I saw that option while I was looking.

 

[PaulT]

At first, I too was intrigued by the possibilities of this combo. However, when I look at price vs versatility vs hassle, I just couldn't see it.

Lets first look at cost, since that is most people's biggest concern. I have seen very few combos (like one in the last 18 months) for sale used. That means you have to buy new. The York prices (Cadillac of rakes) with gauge wheels, blade, side panels (to convert to a "box") and ripper options would have been well over $1500 for the mid-weight line, and easily into $3000 for the heavy duty stuff). Even if you go with a different brand, you're still talking big bucks, here.

By comparison, I have a United 56 inch BB that cost $450, and weighs about that much, too. I also picked up a King Kutter 6ft rake when Quality FF went OOB. That cost me $225, and again weighs about the same. It would cost another $180 to buy gauge wheels, but I have access to a welder and wheels on order, so I'll add that option myself for about $50 plus time. For less than $750, I have a rake, box blade, scarifier, and counterweight for the FEL. So much for cost.


Now lets look at value.

I don't think the rake/box/blade combo can hold anywhere near the volume of material the box can, and the volume of material in the box is one of the secrets to a successful finished product. The quality of the finished project is of the highest value to me, so here the vote goes to the boxblade.

For raking jobs, its a toss-up, since I have a rake, and the combo is essentially a fancy, expensive rake.

For ripping, the rippers work best with more weight, so a low-end combo (to keep it apples/apples in comparison) would have less weight than my boxblade on the ripper teeth - advantage boxblade.

Now lets look at the hassle factor.
I usually keep the boxblade on as counterweight, but to put it on takes about 2 minutes. The rake is cocked a bit, so that is harder to get on, but the addition of gauge wheels might help that. Switching takes about 10 minutes at the worst. With a combo, there is no need to switch at the 3ph, but you will at least have to reposition the endplates/blade. I have never done this, so I can't speak to it, but it probably takes only a few minutes. Advantage Combo.

Bottom line:
For twice the money, or more, I can save 8 minutes per job change and do an equal job raking, although a poorer job scraping/moving/ripping material. It was an easy decision once I looked at it this way.

 

[tdenny]

Mark,

I have a very similar contraption that I "inherited" when I bought my tractor (used). It has scarifiers (bigger than standard ones you'd find on a box blade) and then the rake is attached behind it.

It's funny that you should ask this question today since I was out playing last night on an area about 5000 square feet. I was using the shanks to rip all the rocks I have and hoping that the rake might carry some of the remains with it. Well the rake managed to drag a weed or two with it but the rocks all went right through the tines. Keep in mind the fact that I'm <font color=green>green</font color=green> with my tractor and any of the implements that I have for it - so perhaps it is a user problem (I'm a software engineer and we ALWAYS blame the user for everything).

So I decided to just scarify all of the ground first and then I'd try to use the rake to slowly rake the uncovered remains into a pile of sorts. This didn't work worth a darn either. So in short /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif my very similar attachment didn't work well on my particular soil (rock). Perhaps it worked well for the former owner. With that said I'm picking up a new box blade today.

 

[knucklehead]

Yeah, you guys sort of confirmed my suspicions. A dealer (good guy) asked me what I'd be doing and then showed me that combo. I already found a used scarifier for sale, and it dawns on me that they oughta be pretty easy to fabricate, too. I'll probably have a box & a rake, but I was looking to get only one to start. I sort of looked at the scraper as the dozer and the rake as the grader.

The rake experience I have is more positive; I traveled while angling a rake with the wheels up, watching the depth, and got big rocks and organic stuff to roll out the ends. You'd probably have to do some bucket work if you were doing that for many passes.

The dealer is a tractor user, and he finds that scrapers dump their load when they go over an embedded rock up here. I didn't bother to ask, because I was thinking of tractors, why he thought a rake would do any better. I was thinking in my head of stuff rolling out, like I described above; maybe he was, too. The scarifier teeth are identical to the box blade (because I went out and took one off a box and held them up against each other).

Since that scarifier costs the same as a scraper, I think if I could get the teeth down without pulling material, I could use the box as a scarifier, which I think one of you may have said.

 

[tdenny]

Good point on angling the rake. Unfortunately mine doesn't have that option. I too will probably use the box blade and rake combo eventually but for now I'm going with the box blade. good luck.

 

[knucklehead]

Sure beats trying to improvise with cultivators, harrows, and packers, don't it?

 

[EdDekker]

I own the LandPride Scarifier and Rake (with fold down blade).

When both are attached the combination is long enough to make it inconvenient to use in my yard or garden. If there are any trees or other obstructions it requires constant attention to avoid hooking the obstruction with the rake.

In practice I use the scarifier, pick up boulders (I am in New Hampshire), remove the scarified, attach the rake and rake the ground.

With my B2400 and the scarifier I can pull up huge boulders. I am very impressed with this tool.

Both the rake and scarifier are good quality construction. I purchased the blade a year after the rake and the blade required fitting due to changes in the model in the time between the purchases.

 

[knucklehead]

Thanks, dekker. I'm still interested in the scarifier for ripping up sod and loosening packed ground, rolling out rocks, and root digging. I think the box scraper would do the same duty, but I'm worried about jamming something up between the box and teeth - I guess that's what they make sledghammers for. I've already seen a used Landpride scarifier on the East Eliot web site, and I'm sure there are others used prospects out there. They seem quite simple, and I have some heavy square tubing down back, too.......