Which Landscape Rake?

[sixdogs]

This is exactly why I won't buy a King Kutter anything, my Dad was a welder all his life and he used to look at that equipment when we went to Fleet Farm when I was a kid and he would always point out all the horrid looking weld on those blades

Here's what I don't understand. How can any company continue to have bad welds when the learning curve to learn how to weld is only a couple hours on a basic MIG welder? Actually, 20 minutes of instruction on a MIG is sufficient to turn out great looking welds on new steel. How do some companies keep showing bad welds day after day after day?

 

[Piston]

Here's what I don't understand. How can any company continue to have bad welds when the learning curve to learn how to weld is only a couple hours on a basic MIG welder? Actually, 20 minutes of instruction on a MIG is sufficient to turn out great looking welds on new steel. How do some companies keep showing bad welds day after day after day?

Lack of quality control and proper training.

 

[blucoondawg]

Here's what I don't understand. How can any company continue to have bad welds when the learning curve to learn how to weld is only a couple hours on a basic MIG welder? Actually, 20 minutes of instruction on a MIG is sufficient to turn out great looking welds on new steel. How do some companies keep showing bad welds day after day after day?

I believe it is mostly like Piston said, poor quality control, also I don't know where the manufacturing facility is located but if it is anything like many places around here they would far rather hire $9 per hour employees and give them a 10 cent raise twice a year than hire properly trained experienced welders and pay them well. I think the biggest problem with these products is the dealer not standing behind the product and in doing so letting the manufacturer know they are turning out garbage and it won't be tolerated. Fleet Farm is a good store in my opinion, I find more Made in USA products there than I do at some other stores selling the same types of stuff but they could stand behind their products much better or at least take note of these problems and find a different manufacturer to supply their implements.

 

[TomSeller]

I haven't seen too many comments about using the rake with gauge wheels for leveling bare ground like you would use a drag. Anyone do much of this and how well do they work? It seems like they would do well for this. The EA ver3 seems to be set up well with the top link float slot to allow for the rake to raise and lower.

 

[sixdogs]

I haven't seen too many comments about using the rake with gauge wheels for leveling bare ground like you would use a drag. Anyone do much of this and how well do they work? It seems like they would do well for this. The EA ver3 seems to be set up well with the top link float slot to allow for the rake to raise and lower.

This is a subjective answer but I find that wheels complicate grading dirt where high and low spots in the field need to be filled. The wheels and rake tend to ride the dips and humps and just leave more of the same.

As I mentioned earlier, draft control on a small tractor with a wide rake will grade dirt as flat as a pancake as long as the dirt is properly prepped. Wheels work when the surface is already generally smooth, like on a gravel drive. Just my two cents since others may feel differently.

 

[Thomabear]

This is a subjective answer but I find that wheels complicate grading dirt where high and low spots in the field need to be filled. The wheels and rake tend to ride the dips and humps and just leave more of the same.

As I mentioned earlier, draft control on a small tractor with a wide rake will grade dirt as flat as a pancake as long as the dirt is properly prepped. Wheels work when the surface is already generally smooth, like on a gravel drive. Just my two cents since others may feel differently.

This has been my experience with the wheels as well.

 

[Piston]

In my limited experience grading fresh topsoil, I found the wheels to help a lot. I initially spread the topsoil with my FEL and then rough graded with the wheels in the air, then used the wheels for final grading as I couldn't get the level finish I was looking for without them.

Personally, I found the wheels very useful, and at the same time, they made up for my lack of experience at the time. Another difference is that I was using the rake more like a blade, with the flip down grader blade, so that could change things a little as well. I've since got more implements and now have more dedicated implements for different jobs that I used the rake for in the past.

I really think gauge wheels are beneficial for grading. When raking on hard ground they just get in the way, as the rake skips across the surface anyways. I suppose it depends what your using the rake for.

 

[TomSeller]

Reading between the lines it sounds to me that if I have well worked soil, draft control without gauge wheels would work well to create a smooth surface. If there are roots and rocks under the soil, like I have, the gauge wheels might be an advantage.

I am trying to reestablish about 5 acres of grass pasture after clearing trees and brush. Right now it is very rough from my clearing, dumping of topsoil on it years ago by the previous owner and it does not appear to have ever been leveled out once cleared of trees back in the 1800s. I am mainly looking to get it into a condition that I can reseed and have a decently level pasture. I don't really care to remove deep roots or rocks.

I am leaning towards the EA ver3 rake with gauge wheels to give me all options.

 

[sixdogs]

Reading between the lines it sounds to me that if I have well worked soil, draft control without gauge wheels would work well to create a smooth surface. If there are roots and rocks under the soil, like I have, the gauge wheels might be an advantage.

I am trying to reestablish about 5 acres of grass pasture after clearing trees and brush. Right now it is very rough from my clearing, dumping of topsoil on it years ago by the previous owner and it does not appear to have ever been leveled out once cleared of trees back in the 1800s. I am mainly looking to get it into a condition that I can reseed and have a decently level pasture. I don't really care to remove deep roots or rocks.

I am leaning towards the EA ver3 rake with gauge wheels to give me all options.

Here's how you do it with the least amount of equipment. Get a big rototiller and go over the ground once or twice at the slowest MPH possible. Then, before it rains, run a packer or roller over it multiple time. don't worry about tire tracks. Let it get rained on a couple times and thoroughly dry out.

Now, get the landscape rake out and have at it until ground s smooth as a baby's bottom. Then, immediately seed and pack. Relax and it will turn green.


In practice, I use additional equipment you might have access to so this is just extra commentary. After I rototill the ground, I run a "cultimulcher" over it. This is an implement that has two packers with cultivators in the middle. I use this multiple times and just skim the ground with the cultivtors. It takes all the tire tracks and imperfections out.
Then, if necessary, I landscape rake it and then cultimulch it one more time. Since the ground is now fluffy soft I use a Brillion seeder to put down the grass and I almost always have 100% results. While I use these things, a little diligence with the first method stated will do as good a job.

It is difficult to teach experience without writing a book so you need some trial and error to figure this stuff out.

 

[dragoneggs]

Here's how you do it with the least amount of equipment. Get a big rototiller and go over the ground once or twice at the slowest MPH possible. Then, before it rains, run a packer or roller over it multiple time. don't worry about tire tracks. Let it get rained on a couple times and thoroughly dry out.

Now, get the landscape rake out and have at it until ground s smooth as a baby's bottom. Then, immediately seed and pack. Relax and it will turn green.


In practice, I use additional equipment you might have access to so this is just extra commentary. After I rototill the ground, I run a "cultimulcher" over it. This is an implement that has two packers with cultivators in the middle. I use this multiple times and just skim the ground with the cultivtors. It takes all the tire tracks and imperfections out.
Then, if necessary, I landscape rake it and then cultimulch it one more time. Since the ground is now fluffy soft I use a Brillion seeder to put down the grass and I almost always have 100% results. While I use these things, a little diligence with the first method stated will do as good a job.

It is difficult to teach experience without writing a book so you need some trial and error to figure this stuff out.

Love it... but I am starting with glacial till... a bunch of golf ball to volleyball sized rocks. I am looking for a magic way to rid these down 4 to 6 inches. Gotta back blade and LR with FEL and want to get off my tractor as little as possible.