Cheap And Dirty Lawn Rake

[ricky racer]

Once again, laziness seems to be the motivating force propelling me to fabricate something to make my life easier. This time it’s the daunting chore of raking leaves. The older I get, the more mechanized I try to become to alleviate physical work that seems to because harder and harder. I've avoid raking with a passion and normally use a leaf blower but that takes up quite a bit of time especially when I am trying to move a large pile. I typically blow the leaves into the field once the corn or beans have been picked.



Today I gave my Cheap And Dirty Lawn Rake a try. I am pleased with the results. Now I have another reason to operate my Cub. It isn’t prefect but it does work really well. Sure beats pulling on a rake handle or hoisting the leaf blower. It’s much quicker too.









I fabricated it using 2”x 2” x 10 ga. box tubing (4‘6“ long) , 3”x4”x .25” angle iron 62” long and some .25” x 6” x18” plate steel for the pivot brackets. I again used the same anchor, which attaches into the 2” receiver, that I use with all my Cheap And Dirty implements.



The 6” wide pivot plates straddle the anchor to stabilize the rake and absorb tensional load similar to the other implements. However, the plates on the rake are slightly larger due to the additional torsion and side loading caused by the wide rake.



The beam has an offset in it to allow clearance for the draw bar and the angle iron is attached perpendicular to the ground. Mounted on the angle iron are 22 rake teeth that I purchased at a tractor swap meet. I got a box of 36 of them or $20!



When I mounted the teeth, the angle was wrong for the application I wanted.



A quick bend with a ¼” tubing bender setting them more perpendicular to the ground allowed them to work as I intended.



The rake is not completely painted in the photos because I intend to add a gusset between the angle iron and the beam for additional strength. I may also add an extension to the angle iron to keep leaves from going over the top of the rake as they pile up in front of the rake.

It only took a few minutes to clean this portion of the back yard. Again, not perfect but by tomorrow, the way the leaves are starting to fall, you'll never know it was ever raked.

[lazyuniondriver]

Lazy is my first name so I know where you're comin' from.

Cool.

[Tezell]

Cool!

[Barnyard]

Sure beats pulling on a rake handle or hoisting the leaf blower. It’s much quicker too.

Now you can pull on the shifter and hoist a beverage!

I intend to add a gusset between the angle iron and the beam for additional strength.

At least you aren't hoisting any engines with it!

Looks like you hit on a winner there. I like it.

[CPIII]

Very cool cheap an dirty tool!!!!

[Rudi]

Rick:

Now that is some engineering to fill a need Rick we really need a dimensioned sketch for your Cheap and Dirty basic boom structure. This really is quite the kit for adding specific implements for specific jobs without breaking the CubFundBank Quite the fabrication job tres

[sdurnal]

I like it....

[Winfield Dave]

Great rake Ricky !!
Superb design and fab.
I have also been watching for a 'cheap' rake for some small projects.

[gitractorman]

Rick,
Awesome!! I've been thinking about doing that exact same thing. I already have some 2"x2" angle welded up in a rectangle about 70" wide and about a foot apart (was a highway tail gate for my old trailer).

What tines did you use, and can you post a picture of how they're fastened?

Thanks,
Bill

[Rodney51Cub]

Once again, laziness seems to be the motivating force propelling me to fabricate something to make my life easier. This time it’s the daunting chore of raking leaves.

I do not call it laziness. I call it working smarter not harder. Nice setup.

[ricky racer]

Rick,
Awesome!! I've been thinking about doing that exact same thing. I already have some 2"x2" angle welded up in a rectangle about 70" wide and about a foot apart (was a highway tail gate for my old trailer).

What tines did you use, and can you post a picture of how they're fastened?

Thanks,
Bill

I knew this would get some wheels turning!! As mentioned the rake teeth were purchased at a tractor swap meet. Many types are available at farm stores. Here are some pictures of what I used.



A single 3/8" hex bolt with flat and lock washers hold them in place.

[dgrapes59]

Another sweep sweet project there Ricky!

You got my wheels turning on a smaller version for a Cadet... for my smaller yard!

Great job, thanks for sharing!

[Rudi]

Rick:

Now I am going to be scrounging the local swap meet/and dealerships for liquidation stock so I can make me one of them.

[TJG]

I have a similar dethatcher that I've never tried with leaves. Yours did a great job moving the leaves. I'll have to try mine for leaves. Thanks for the idea.

Todd

[gitractorman]

Yea, I'm definitely going to make one up. I actually need it for dethatching, but I like the leaf rake idea. The Oak trees here dont drop leaves until it's way too late, and they're typically too wet to move with the leaf blower, and too heavy to rake by hand. This is definitely a potential answer!!! Thanks!