Stone/rock buckets

[DMF]

I was wondering if anyone here uses or has used rock buckets in the past? I have an 80 x 100 foot pumpkin patch to get ready and I threw my back out last weekend. I picked tons of stones last year but plowing just pulled a bunch more out. I am wondering how effective they are; I know they are pricey. I also have many acres of field I want to reclaim so if they do work well, they will see lots of use. Thanks in advance for the input!

 

[nomad]

Rock buckets? Do they also remove the rocks under the ground? Cheapest (good, effective) rock picker (see attached example - >10 ft) I know of will cost more than $10K. But, such equipments are for use once only. If you rent it to make money, it is worth to buy a rock picker. In old days, my hand had picked rocks of trucks. I now think it was a good sport.

 

[slowzuki]

Nomad, a rock bucket is a front end loader bucket made from tines spaced so rocks stay and the soil falls through.

Slower than a true rock picker but closer to 1500$.

 

[BarryinMN]

I bought a pull behind rock picker from a junk yard & am fixing it up /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Also have a rock bucket on loader - works great on larger rocks 500-3000 lbs. Overkill on little stuff tines are 3" on center so if the soil is wet does not fall through or shake off /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

www.midsotamfg.com

 

[KennedyDiesel]

I have the Compact tractor skeleton rock bucket from www.virnigmfg.com It is an awesome piece and sized (weight) right for a CUT!