Ratchet rake

[pottsm2639]

I just wanted to share with everyone how impressed I am with my ratchet rake. I have a pond that's a little over 2 acres. It is completely surrounded by thick overgrown brush and aside from a couple of hard earned cleared spots, it was unusable. After reading about the rake on this forum, I headed to TSC and bought one. What a great tool. It is built very well, and works like a charm. Here are a couple of pictures to show what I am up against.

 

[navspecwar]

Thanks for the post and the pics......I have seen them but never the results of use....

 

[Underwhere]

I have one as well and it is so useful.

I use it to get rid of brush, vines, roots etc.

My only problem after using it is how to get rid of the stuff. I make big piles and can't figure out a way to get this stuff to the dump.

My other problem is that I need some way to flatten and level the soil while picking things like branches or twigs that have broken off during the ratchet raking...so I'm looking for a landscape rake.

 

[pottsm2639]

After I piled up the brush, I used my new landscape rake in the rear or push position to move brush to a large central pile. I ended up bending the landscape rake in doing this. I am to blame, not the equipment. I was really pushing it hard and trying to pile it high by raising attachment into the pile. I know that is not the tool to use for this type of work. I switched to my box blade and that works better and is definitely more solid for the weight of the material being moved. In short....be careful if you use a landscape rake to pile brush.

 

[Underwhere]

After I piled up the brush, I used my new landscape rake in the rear or push position to move brush to a large central pile. I ended up bending the landscape rake in doing this. I am to blame, not the equipment. I was really pushing it hard and trying to pile it high by raising attachment into the pile. I know that is not the tool to use for this type of work. I switched to my box blade and that works better and is definitely more solid for the weight of the material being moved. In short....be careful if you use a landscape rake to pile brush.

Damn. I was going to buy a landscape rake for exactly that.

Are you finding that you have too much dirt in your piles? My brush piles weigh tons and they are too heavy for me to lift with the loader and pallet forks so I can bring the stuff to the dump.

 

[pottsm2639]

I have a good amount of dirt in the piles, but not terrible. I would imagine a rock bucket with grapple would be the best tool for brush pile removal but that's not in my budget. A match and kerosene is a little more affordable for me.

 

[Underwhere]

I have a good amount of dirt in the piles, but not terrible. I would imagine a rock bucket with grapple would be the best tool for brush pile removal but that's not in my budget. A match and kerosene is a little more affordable for me.

Unfortunately I have poison ivy everywhere and can't light it up.
A rock bucket is also out of the question for me.

 

[pottsm2639]

The only other options are pallet forks or wait a year for the poison ivy to deteriorate and dry up then light it up. Maybe even then it won't be totally safe so stay upwind.