Buying Advice The Proverbial Newb Question

[CattleDog]

Me
I've not owned a tractor, proper, save for a small Ford LGT 16D (which is a very nice garden tractor!)

The Need
I have 2.25 acres with challenges. About 3/4 acres are dead ash trees and over growth. The rest of the lawn has been littered with trash for months, from prior reluctant to move tenants.

What I ordered so far
a little over kill in some respects, but a B2601, loader, 60" MMM, and a BH.

The plan
Hire a third party to clean up the overgrowth and dead ash that consumes about 3/4 acre.

Land has been heavily littered with debris, some of which may be hazardous to tires.

Find a used tiller to prep that ground and re-prep the old lawn for new seeding.

Some of the drainage needs reshaped to get the proper water flow threw the yard. (not off by much, but enough it collects stagnant water a lot)

Need to re-smooth heavily potted driveway for now. Black top within a year.

Need to remove about 20 hedge row stumps that are decades old. Need to dig new access to basement. (escapement windows)

Plan and Options
I have the loader and BH as needed.

When I call the tree company to remove about 3/4 acre of undergrowth and trees, is it worth $600 to have a landscape rake? (twigs, smoothing, etc)

Can I shape enough with the landscape rake that I don't need a boxblade? The BB would be in handy for the gravel driveway (one year until blacktop). The BB would also come in handy, I think, in reshaping the ground where the sewer drains went and now collect run though.

So landscape rake or box blade if just one? My understanding is, the landscape rake is of new use in well growing grass (tear half of it out).

Thoughts?? All are welcome.

 

[TheMadOne]

I don't know enough about grading to say what you can get away with. I will say that with your limited use expectations I'd be looking to buy the landscape rake and/or the box blade used. That way when you're done in a year you can flip them and not loose much, if anything.

 

[jeff9366]

CattleDog


The Need
I have 2.25 acres with challenges. About 3/4 acres are dead ash trees and over growth.

What I ordered so far
a little over kill in some respects, but a B2601, loader, 60" MMM, and a BH. Good choice.

The plan
Hire a third party to clean up the overgrowth and dead ash that consumes about 3/4 acre.

Land has been heavily littered with debris, some of which may be hazardous to tires.

A Ratchet Rake FEL bucket attachment will pile metal and glass bits effectively. You would push forward with both sets of RR teeth in gentle ground contact. See Photo #4.

1. Find a used tiller to prep that ground and re-prep the old lawn for new seeding.

2. Some of the drainage needs reshaped to get the proper water flow threw the yard. (not off by much, but enough it collects stagnant water a lot)

A Roto-tiller will work. A Field Cultivator might work better if the yard has not been too heavily packed by vehicles. A Field Cultivator, a secondary tillage implement, is more likely to solve your stagnant water problem. B2601 can pull a three tine Field Cultivator @ $540.

You will have to choose a time with adequate soil moisture for either a roto-tiller or Field Cultivator to perform optimally.
VIDEO: How to Use a Ripper / Field Cultivator - Gardening Series - YouTube
VENDER NEAR YOU: DD Field Cultivator
Iowa Farm Equipment

Need to re-smooth heavily potted driveway for now. Black top within a year. No recommendation. Some driveways are packed like concrete. Ratchet Rake may or may not be sufficient.

When I call the tree company to remove about 3/4 acre of undergrowth and trees, is it worth $600 to have a landscape rake? (twigs, smoothing, etc)

A Ratchet Rake piles better than a Landscape Rake. A Ratchet Rake is adequate for grading fairly small areas. I own both an ETA Landscape Rake with gauge wheels AND a Ratchet Rake.

Can I shape enough with the landscape rake that I don't need a boxblade? The BB would be in handy for the gravel driveway (one year until blacktop). The BB would also come in handy, I think, in reshaping the ground where the sewer drains went and now collect run though. See Photo #3.

So landscape rake or box blade if just one? I believe a Ratchet Rake will meet your objectives, although it will be a bit slower than more specialized implements. A Ratchet Rake can draw dirt with the tractor operating in reverse, but slower than a Box Blade.

My understanding is, the landscape rake is of no use in well growing grass (tear half of it out). True.

The smallest Ratchet Rakes are sold by Tractor Supply Company. All three sizes are sold by the T-B-N store, button at top of this page.

 

[jeff9366]

RATCHET RAKE TODAY // FEL Bucket Attachment ~~ 6/09/2016

This post concerns Ratchet Rakes Vs. light Box Blades, such as the 60" Land Pride BB1260/346 pounds/69 pounds per foot.

I searched for the weight of kubota L3301 bucket but could not find a number. I presume L3301 bucket weighs approximately 240 pounds, extrapolating from other Kubota specs. 68" Ratchet Rake weighs 88 pounds. Adding 240 + 88 = 328 pounds, pretty close to 346 pounds of BB1260 Box Blade.

In addition, the (operator controlled) weight of the FEL frame bears on the Ratchet Rake. Likewise, weight of the Three Point Hitch bears on the Box Blade. FEL frames weigh much more than ( 3X? 4X?) Three Point Hitch components. So, including some FEL weight, I guesstimate that ground contact pressure on Ratchet Rake and BB1260 would be at least equal, perhaps greater pressure on the Ratchet Rake.

Further in Ratchet Rake's favor you have articulation of bucket/RR combination in two planes from the operator's station and 1-1/2" serrated teeth on the Ratchet Rake.

Box Blade can be raised and lowered hydraulically from the operator's station. Box Blade angle of attack is adjustable via the Three Point Hitch Top Link, but not from the operator's station. Standard Box Blade does not have rippers, standard is a smooth cutting edge.

Ratchet Rake is capable of tearing up sod with its serrated teeth, the initial operation in much grading. The Ratchet Rake will not pull as large a load as a Box Blade but it may pull 40% of capacity of BB1260 per pass, with faster cycles. Ratchet Rake is more intuitive in operation than a Box Blade, which requires considerable experience to operate efficiently.

This is why I feel the Ratchet Rake is equal to or superior to light Box Blades for LIGHT grading.

I own both a Ratchet Rake and a Rollover Box Blade.

When I have heavy grading to do, I mount my 60"/625 pound (125 pounds per foot) Bush Hog (brand) Rollover Box Blade on the tractor's Three Point Hitch AND the Ratchet Rake on my FEL bucket.

 

[PJSprog]

I agree with Jeff. The Ratchet Rake is very versatile tool. I used mine last weekend to level some ground for a new fence, and it worked great for that.

 

[jeff9366]

More on Field Cultivator role in land clearing, new post today: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/376755-rear-center-tractor-drawbar-use.html

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I think many people would do what you described with a box blade AND a landscape rake. You might also get by with a box blade AND a ratchet rake.

IMO

 

[jeff9366]

See post #3, Photo #3.

Ratchet Rake on bucket. Bush Hog (brand) Rollover Box Blade weighing 630 pounds mounted on Three Point Hitch.

Scarifiers on the Box Blade create a great deal more draft force resistance than spring protected tines on the Field Cultivator. Box Blade scarifiers only penetrate 6". Thick Box Blade scarifiers are designed to chip pot holes in roads.

Tines on Field Cultivator are parabolic shaped, so points move through the soil in horizontal orientation, minimizing draft force resistance. Field Cultivator commonly penetrates 10". With a little fooling with the Top Link, Field Cultivator will penetrate 14" deep in moist soil. Post #3, Photo #8.

I used the Box Blade scarifiers to pull out roots before I bought the Field Cultivator. Marginally effective AT BEST. Just not the right tool.