New Landscape Rake

Well, we finally got a rake to see how useful it could be. We got a King Kutter 7 foot rake, some 280 lbs or so. Decent looking rake, fairly sturdy (although somehow in two day's use I've managed to bend a tine slightly).

As for usefulness, I had my doubts.

Raking up sticks, it did okay. Trouble was that I kept having to stop and clear all the grass and weeds that the rake kept picking up. I finally got fed up of cleaning out the weeds and decided it just wasn't going to work well for that task. That was kind of a bummer, considering sticks was the primary reason we got one. I went ahead and priced another "real" stick rake from Savage Equipment, but they wanted $3500 for a 12' model that required remote hydraulics.

I tried raking up pecans on the ground, with poor results. Most of the nuts would go between the tines, even when it was set at it's maximum angle (30 degrees or so). The rake would also collect the grass and weeds and become plugged.

I did manage to uproot a couple of small trees with it, and I didn't even mean to do it.

The best use for us is actually in burning brush. Previously (and still do to a lesser extent) we just used rakes and shovels to burn brush piles by hand. With this rake spun around backwards (a bit of a trick, but done easily enough), I can just back right into a brush pile and push everything together, really easy, and much faster than by hand.

So far, the biggest issue is fitting it into the barn. We've already got that thing so crammed full of stuff (and to think I'm going to try to squeeze in Grandpa's Ford 631 and his 5' hog), there's barely space to get the rake inside. I'm sure we can find a way to fit it in, even if we've got to stand it on its end.

If anyone else can think of a way to put this rake to use, or there's something I ought to try the next time I get a chance, let me know.

And if anyone knows how to make a jigsaw puzzle of tractors and implements fit into a pole barn, that would also be appreciated (I think I'm on my own here).

Kevin

Could you knock out every other tine and see if it would shed grass a little easier. The one at the expermintal station has tines spaced around 4 to 5 inches apart (a guesstamite from driving by). I dont see how you can rake up pecans with it unless it had a blade, and then you have dirt in the windrow. A bristle brush might be more effective.

JoshuaGA

I never really expected it to rake pecans, but decided to try it anyways. I suppose removing a few tines may help, it is currently 1" wide tines, with 1" between each tine. I'll have to try that the next time I'm out there.

Kevin

It works really well for maintaining my gravel driveway in spring. Up here in the tundra, a blade is a little too agressive, the rake moves the gravel just right to help it dry out & firm up.

I also use it to spread gopher mounds on my field roads. Again, spreads the dirt out nice without destroying the grass.

After tilling, it will level ground real well.

And I can clean up leaves & twigs & so on real quick in the groves. Like you say, it does not make a perfect job of this, but it sure beats doing it by hand.

I think removing every other tine might help with your branch clearing, stuff won't jam in between so much?

But I was kinda expecting the results you've had.

--->Paul

I used one to rake dead vines from dewberries with similar results. Yanked out a few plants as well, which is what I wanted too. Had to clear the rake after every pass. I also raked my food plot after I disked it. A handy implement to have, but not at the top of my list.

Larry in Michigan

I use mine mostly for driveway maintenance. It does a great job of leveling the drive and lifting the rock up to the surface. "York" rakes work best if you have a set of wheels on them, btw.

Kevin, you don't say whether or not you purchased a set of gauge wheels for it.