Homemade Rake - LOL

[mark777]

Hey Y'all,

Since I had great pleasure when building my little 'Junk' back blade for the little Yanmar, I figured to push the limits and build a rake. I wanted an-all-in one kind that served as a gentle debris and rock rake as well as an aggressive dethatcher.

Success- and a 5' footer for under $75. I was simply amazed at how uncomplicated it was. And I encourage anyone with the minimum tools and welder to save yourself the $329. and make one. My time and the tines from TSC were the only expense as I had the necessary steel on the rack. The tines were $1.96 ea. X 34 but well made spring steel rods attached by a vulcanized rubber base to the U shaped mount.

[1086]

Excellent!!!!

[mark777]

....The Rake head or base is medium wall round tube with 34 ea. 1/4" holes drilled through (both sides). I also re-drilled one side slightly over sized (5/16") to allow the attached tines to be adjustable...or tune them for pitch and stagger.

The rest is bits of 3/16" and 1/4" angle along with 1/4" plate for the attachment pins (I used the existing eccentric outrigger arms from the homemade back blade ).

I must say that during my test run in the grassy areas, I hit a small patch of my gravel drive, and this brought a smile to my face as the tines shoot rocks at the back of the tractor...Never again with out adjusting the top link for a much less aggressive bite

Hope you like the pictures.

Mark

[THETOOLMAN]

HUMMMmmmm, wonder if I could make a scrape blade on the same design?
NICE JOB!! shame to scrape the paint off

[1086]

Quote mark777 --- I wanted an-all-in one kind that served as a gentle debris and rock rake as well as an aggressive dethatcher.
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I have some areas you could test that on but we may need to modify the termonology a little. Like agressive debris removal. I'd even do a touch up on the paint when finished. maybar

[Mickey]

Way to go Mark, nice looking. And I don't see a blade of grass in any of the pics. Musta done a real good job of getting them picked up.

[mark777]

Maybar...that would be comparable to the better sections of my 'lawn'!

And the paint is only there for it's maiden voyage . After a lifetime of obsessive appearance maintenance...I'm over it. Maybe a dab here and there to prevent seasonal rust LOL.

Yeah Mickey...I only made two 50' passes and came up with a decent 2' pile of nasty thatch, and looking back there are many new exposed patches of earth (where grass should be).. I quit soon after. As fun as it was, it's also 93° out.

[Milwaukee]

How long it get you to make that one? It look cool project for someone to make one for itself.

[Kbeitz]

You will find out that not all the rock will bounce off the tractor...
Put on your seat belt... This way you wont fall under the tractor wheel when one bounces off you head...

[gravely_hillbilly]

great job especially using what was on hand. have one question...where the top link meets the rake,the lowest part of the triangle,what's the tube do? it's centered in the rake pointing down.

[mark777]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee

How long it get you to make that one? It look cool project for someone to make one for itself.

Start to finish I would say about six hours...after I purchased the tines. It was kind of cool Milwaukee, just enjoying the day building something I can use around the place.

[mark777]

Originally Posted by gravely_hillbilly

.... have one question...where the top link meets the rake,the lowest part of the triangle,what's the tube do? it's centered in the rake pointing down.

G.H. It's actually two tubes. The inside tube is 2" heavy wall the full length or 26" long. The outer tube is 2 1/4" heavy wall that slides over from the bottom and then is capped where the two 1/2 bolts are (top and bottom). The top bolt and cap are visible in the first picture and fasten via welded nuts on the inside tube ..the bottom one is there too, just not visible in any of the pictures. I did this so my back blade would operate straight and also at a 20° angle. And now, so will the rake.

You just pull the center pin and two connecting arms, raise the 3PH and slide off the back blade...and slide on the rake. Pretty simple really, but both implements work as well as any I've purchase 'store bought'...better in some respects as everything is adjustable including the degree or pitch of the blade or rake.

..and thanks for the kind words guys.

Mark

[Bruceman]

Rock on, Mark!!! Ohhh man, I have thought about making one of those for a long time, but I didn't know how well it would work as a rake, what with the spacing of the tines. I thought they would need to be closer together to work well. A dethatcher is about $75 for my sweeper. I too stared at the tines at TSC and Atwoods thinking the same thing.

That thing looks sweet. How long did it take you to drill all those holes?

I've got to make one now.

Bruce~

[mark777]

Bruce,

About 45 minutes. Setup on the drill press and drilling 32 holes, and counter drilling the backs from 1/4" to 5/16" took about a half hour...positioning the tines, marking and centering for the holes took a good 15 minutes before it ever got to the drill press.

[Argee]

Great job Mark...and I see it's an inspiration to others to go out and build their own projects. One of the many reasons I love this site.