Leaf raking 8N style

[Clem Smith]

How do you rake leaves with an 8N?
Landscape / rock rake?
2 acres of flat woods covered with Black oak leaves. Tired of hand raking to burn with 8N just watching. Gotta be a way to use the 8N and rake/drag them to burn pile area.

What have you used / improvised for leaf raking?

 

[Dunk]

(quoted from post at 22:12:11 12/04/09)

How do you rake leaves with an 8N?
Landscape / rock rake?
2 acres of flat woods covered with Black oak leaves. Tired of hand raking to burn with 8N just watching. Gotta be a way to use the 8N and rake/drag them to burn pile area.

What have you used / improvised for leaf raking?

I rake leaves with a scrape blade, but then I could care less if there is grass where I do that.

the only reason I rake them is to put them in the garden to rot.

 

[Clem Smith]

Thanks, I tried that. I guess "flat" land is relative term. Mostly "flat". Seems when I hit bumps, blade digs in and drags dirt.

No grass for miles around here, just forest, dirt and Black oak leaves.

Don't want to remove what topsoil there is. Perhaps rake fingers attached to scraper blade, drag, or skids to keep blade up an inch or so?

 

[Tom N MS]

Do you have a finish mower? I have several pecan trees, three maples and pin oak trees in my yard. I use a leaf blower around the base of the trees then chop the rest with the finish mower. Usually one or two passes and they are dust...good for the grass. Of course the pin oak leaves do not do as well as the others(since they are so small and lay flat) but they chew up well enough I will not be raking.

 

[Larry 8N75381]

Don't waste your time with a york rake. They will plug up and act just like a straight blade for the most part. I've tried several times to rake twigs, brush and small tree limbs with no success. I even tried with two out every three tines removed but that was only mildly ok. Limbs would still get stuck in the tines requiring stopping to clear them out. I am convinced that the only thing that would work right would be something like a side delivery hay rake that lifts the material up but leaves the dirt.

 

[Dunk]

(quoted from post at 22:30:09 12/04/09) Thanks, I tried that. I guess "flat" land is relative term. Mostly "flat". Seems when I hit bumps, blade digs in and drags dirt.

No grass for miles around here, just forest, dirt and Black oak leaves.

Don't want to remove what topsoil there is. Perhaps rake fingers attached to scraper blade, drag, or skids to keep blade up an inch or so?

Mostly clay here, and I am scraping woods roads over about 20 acres.

My access roads, and far breaks.

 

[Bob Harvey]

Use a teenager/youth and pay him/her. I know -hard to find one willing to do anything, but they do exist (at least in these parts). Had a similar clean-up job and went to the local Gov't Manpower Center, 1 guy showed up (willing to pay $15 / hr., better than me killing myself) looked, left ----amazing. Called MPC they said that 5 people were given the opportunity, and because they didn't show up or phone, their benefits would be reviewed. (good) I felt bad about that then thought Ph***e them, we're giving them free $. Sorry for the rant. NOT.

 

[old]

You need one of those big wheel type rakes they will rake up just about any thing. I know in the past I have used the one I have for leaves and it did a pretty good job

 

[Dunk]

I have yet to figger out why folks want to burn leaves, prime stuff to rot for the garden.

 

[forddoc]

enough leaves around my place I use the old 3pt pto hay rake, nice windrows to light on fire.

 

[Crem]

Leaf raking Ferguson style.

 

[Clem Smith]

Hey Crem,
OK, I give up, What"s that contraption called?? Good one.

I composted for years for garden. Compost pile gets all it needs from horses etc and garden refuse.

2 acres of large Black oak leaves is a BIG pile every year. It doesn"t compost fast enough, Burn it!

Mulching, eh?

Finish mower and leave in place, I like that one.
Next on list.
Thanks, Clem

 

[TheOldHokie]

Get yourself a trail behind trak-vac - I just saw a couple on Craigs list for $500-$600. They are ovesize vacuums that attach to the discharge chute on a mower deck and dump into a enclosed cart trailered behind your tractor. You will need to rig up a pickup of some sort of you don"t have a belly mower and the cart will fill more quickly if the leaves are not chopped.

Alternatively get a 3pt mounted PTO driven squirrel cage blower - that"s what golf courses and the grounds crew where I work use. They will set you back $1500+ new.

Personally I mulch them with my 6" finish mower. It"s a rear discharge unit so I have to run backwards for accepatble results but a lot quicker than a rake - I live smack in the middle of 200+ acres of woods....

TOH
TOH

 

[Crem]

Clem, that is a 3 point Ferguson rake on a TO-20 Ferguson tractor. Both are from the 1950's I had just bought it at an auction and I was trying it out to see how it worked. I was using the rake there with the tractor in 4th gear. It was made to run in that gear and to use it with a 9N there is a reduction kit to attach to the PTO and you would run in 3rd gear. That rake is very quiet and smooth. Here is a front view.

 

[r geiger(oR)]

It probally would be better for the trees to just let the leaves rot where they are. build up mulch layer, soften up the clay. JMO

 

[chevyNford]

I use a 4' pull behind Swisher lawn sweeper on about 4 acres. Bought it at Fleet Farm, about $280. On fairly flat ground it works great at picking up leaves and smaller branches, if set low enough it will pick up old grass clippings and mulched leaves. Easy way to keep the yard clean. Toughest part is getting it back from my dad when he borrows it, nice part is he used it last and is storing it for the winter.

 

[G.Bott]

I personally wrake them. I have a crimson king maple, and a norway maple. Every few years they get a fungus on the leaves. I can't remember the name of it but if the leaves are left to decompose and are not cleaned up the fungus grows back. I know that don't matter to most of you with woods but I live in a city. Well not much of a city, its a small rural village of 1352 people give or take.

Have fun and enjoy the weather,
It's snowing up here in Michigan.
G.Bott