Simple hay rake???

[easternhunter]

Guys,

Years ago I bought a simple 3 point mounted hay rake ... was not expensive and worked reasonably well for gathering hay on the ground. Looked a bit like what is called a landscaping rake today. I suspect the tines were longer and more flexible.

Unfortunately, the rake was sold.


We are growing a couple of acres of hay again .. and we again need something simple and really cheap to reduce the labor involved.


Have a Kubota BX24 with a category 1 hitch.


Any suggestions and perhaps a link or two?

Mike

 

[jenkinsph]

(Temporarily blocked due to reports of company closure) pine straw rake should do the trick for you. I used my psr this morning to rake up after cutting some 2' tall fescue.

 

[TnAndy]

After looking at the pine straw rake, I can envision a fairly easy build of one using side delivery rake teeth. I can buy these locally for a buck each, slide 'em over a pc of pipe the size of the internal hole on the tooth, then use a short pc of slightly larger diameter pipe pcs for spacers between teeth. Piece of flat bar mounted out forward of the pipe to catch the 'hook' part of the tooth so it doesn't spin on the pipe. Then make it to go in the 2" receiver hitch attachment I already built and use for couple other things.

Yep....some teeth....some pipe and a couple hours cutting welding and I've got a pine straw/hay rake !

 

[jenkinsph]

After looking at the pine straw rake, I can envision a fairly easy build of one using side delivery rake teeth. I can buy these locally for a buck each, slide 'em over a pc of pipe the size of the internal hole on the tooth, then use a short pc of slightly larger diameter pipe pcs for spacers between teeth. Piece of flat bar mounted out forward of the pipe to catch the 'hook' part of the tooth so it doesn't spin on the pipe. Then make it to go in the 2" receiver hitch attachment I already built and use for couple other things.

Yep....some teeth....some pipe and a couple hours cutting welding and I've got a pine straw/hay rake !

Most of us don't have lots of money to spend but really there is more to a good pine straw rake than what you have described. I would have to think about it but suspect the PSR is the least expensive implement I have and it gets used often, that makes it a good deal in my world.

Rake teeth like you pictured are short compared to the PSR teeth and second the ability to use the entire tine to move up and down as well as fore and aft makes a huge difference in how well these things work.

Some things I may build my own to cut costs, land planes come to mind but other things such as the PSR with spring steel tines I would rather buy. I expect and hope Ted has a profit structure in his rake because he took the time to work out all the details and suppliers to produce this rake for about $450. IMO that is a fair price.

 

[easternhunter]

Any chance this rake might be useable to even out small driveway stone as well?

 

[jenkinsph]

Any chance this rake might be useable to even out small driveway stone as well?

Well it may help some but it isn't going to do what a landscape rake will do. The tines are flexible to keep from tearing up turf, this would be between a leaf rake and a garden rake.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Until reading this thread, I didn't know about the EA pine straw rake. It looks very nice. It costs the equivalent of about 3 tanks of gas. Considering everything that must be involved, that doesn't seem unreasonable.

I need something like it, that is in between a dethatcher and a landscape rake. Just last week I worked out a design and priced the components I would need to make it, all available locally (tines, tubing, angle iron, gauge wheels, hardware). It can be bolted to the carryall I already have. Not very expensive. I figure maybe 1/2 day to do it once the materials are assembled.

On cost, I think it is the usual trade off. If you are working all the time and have a ton of chores stacked up, then buying the rake and getting on with the job makes sense. If you have the time and can do the fabrication, then putting your own tool together also makes sense.

 

[Bigfoot62]

. . . We are growing a couple of acres of hay again .. and we again need something simple and really cheap to reduce the labor involved. . .

It's a shame that you are so far from me. I have a 3ph wheel rake that I never use. I could make you a deal on that.