Ultimate Guide To Landscape Rakes
If you own a landscape or lawn business, you have probably heard of landscape rakes.
If so, you’ve probably wondered whether or not they are worth your time and money. After all, you don’t want to invest in a piece of equipment that isn’t going to be worth it!
Maybe you have even tried a landscape rake or two that turned out to be ineffective and frustrating.
If so, we feel your pain! Ideal Rockaway is here to tell you all about skid steer landscape rakes: what makes a good landscape rake, how does a landscape rake work, and are they really worth your money?
We will find out all that and more in this article.
Let’s get started!
What Is A Landscape Rake?
Let’s start with the basics.
A landscape rake is the alternative to hand-raking a large piece of ground to level, till, and de-rock it in preparation for planting.
Landscape rakes attach to your tractor, skid steer, or walk-behind machinery and do all the work for you! Here is what a landscape rake does to your soil:
- Picks rocks out of your soil
- Tills the soil up and aerates it (Ideal Rockaway rakes work the soil approximately 1 inch deep)
- Levels and smooths the soil
A landscape rake saves you from having to do all that by hand! If you do landscaping or another kind of ground prepping or smoothing for a job, this could save you countless man-hours over the course of weeks and months.
How does a landscape rake work?
At Ideal Rockaway, our landscape rakes have a spinning rotor with teeth that digs through the dirt and captures stones, clumps, and other debris. The debris gets dumped into the skid steer bucket. The captured material is sifted, and the fine dirt gets dumped back onto the ground, while the large stones and trash stay in the bucket.
What equipment can you use with a landscape rake?
At Ideal Rockaway, we make our rock rakes specifically for skid steers. We offer quick attach and custom mounting solutions for quick and easy attaching and removal.
We also make smaller Rockaway attachments for small tractors or mini skid loaders.
That’s not to say you can’t find other types of rock rakes, though. Rock rakes for tractors are quite common too. One of the biggest differences between skid steer rakes and tractor rakes is that usually, you attach a rock rake to the rear of a tractor and drag it behind. In contrast, with a skid steer, it works best to attach the rake to the bucket in front, then put your skid steer in reverse, and drag the rake in front.
Just for the sake of interest, here are a few pros and cons for each type of rake:
Pull-behind Tractor Rake
- PRO: You don’t have to drive your machine in reverse, making for better safety.
- PRO: Works for raking trails or other areas you don’t want to pulverize.
- PRO: Has fewer components that could break or malfunction.
- CON: Does not actually remove rocks and debris from the soil.
- CON: Does not aerate or pulverize the soil.
Hydraulic Skid Steer Rake
- PRO: Pulverizes and aerates the soil.
- PRO: completely removes rocks and clumps from the soil.
- CON: Requires you to run your skid steer in reverse.
- CON: Does not work for raking seeded areas, yards, or other spaces you don’t want to churn up.
What can you use a landscape rake for?
You can use a landscape rake to accomplish various things, including:
- Removing rocks and debris from the soil
- Leveling and grading soil
- Breaking up clumpy soil
- Prepping an area for planting
- Prepping an area for a walkway or other landscaping project
- Prepping an area for pouring concrete
As you can see, landscaping rakes are useful for much more than just getting your yard ready for grass seeding. You can use them for all sorts of projects!
What is the difference between a rock rake and a harley rake?
You may have heard of a harley rake and think it sounds similar to a rock rake.
The two rakes are similar, but the difference is that harley rakes are better for pulverizing and leveling soil but do not actually pick up rocks. Rock rakes are not as effective for grading large areas, but they are better for removing rocks.
Do Ideal Rockaway landscape rakes operate hydraulically?
Yes. Our landscape rakes operate off the hydraulic system of your skid steer. They require at least 8 GPM to run.
4 Benefits Of Using A Landscape Rake
Now we know what a landscape rake is. How could a landscape rake benefit your lawn or landscaping business?
Here are a few ways having a landscape rake on hand could help you out:
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Save time
Every savvy business owner looks for ways to save time!
Prepping and de-rocking your ground by hand takes a lot of time. Inefficient rock rakes that don’t function well really aren’t much better.
If you can prep your ground more efficiently, you can save time and get more work done, which means your business can keep growing!
Here is another thing: When you do a fast, good job, you are more likely to get good reviews and gain more customers. But when you are frustrated with how long a job is taking or with an inefficient rock rake you are more likely to start skimping and cutting corners. This could earn you bad reviews and hurt your business.
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Save physical energy
Sifting all those rocks and leveling the soil by hand is a lot of backbreaking work! Plus, it takes a lot of time.
Imagine sitting comfortably in your skid steer instead of working in the sun with a hand rake!
Not only is an efficient landscape rake faster, but it also means you’ll have more energy left for other projects when you finish prepping your ground.
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Maximize your existing equipment
Chances are you already own a skid steer. What if you could do even more with it? A rock rake attachment for your skid steer makes it even more useful to you!
The more versatile and useful your existing equipment is, the less equipment you have to have and the more time, money, and space you save.
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Use less manpower
If you leveled and prepped your ground by hand, it would take several men to get the job done.
But with a rock rake, it takes only one employee to do the entire job in fractions of the time it would take multiple employees to do it by hand!
Think about how many man-hours that saves you. While one employee preps the area, your other employees can be doing other things.
Plus, you may not need as many employees, which can really save you some money! For example, if you are paying two employees $20 an hour, and they work 40 hours a week, that is $1,600 a week. If you add a third employee it increases by $800 to $24,000. If a landscape rake can save you from having to hire another employee it could save you quite a bit of money!
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Increase profits
Ultimately, time saved results in increased profits.
The time you save with your Rockaway rake is time you can use to grow your business and increase your profitability.
What Makes A Good Rock Rake?
Now let’s get into some nitty-gritty details.
We understand that you want an efficient, easy-to-use rock rake that does a great job in a short time. Unfortunately, not all rock rakes check all those boxes.
But what sets a good rock rake apart from a bad one?
Here is a list of 8 things you should look for in a rock rake if you want the best possible experience.
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Easy dumping
Rock rakes should save you time. Your rake is not saving you time if dumping it is unnecessarily complicated!
You want a rake you can dump quickly and easily.
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Easy attachment
Some rock rakes are complicated to attach and require various hoses, pins, and gadgets. But the quicker and easier you can attach your rake, the more time you save!
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Provides good visibility
When working with any type of machinery, you always want to be able to see what you are doing! It’s best to choose skid steer attachments with low profiles so you always have full visibility of your work.
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Compact design
You want your equipment to be space-efficient as well as time-efficient. The more compact your rock rake is, the less storage space it takes up.
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Fits your skid steer
Your rock rake needs to fit on your current skid steer loader bucket without any problems. If it doesn’t fit, it won’t be of much use to you!
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Simple and low maintenance
With equipment, more complicated does not always mean better. Every extra feature and gadget is one more thing that can break! It’s best to choose a simple rock rake without a whole lot of moving parts that could break.
Simplicity is especially important on equipment meant for heavy-duty work like a rock rake. In other words, while it might be nice to have an extra gadget on a computer, it may be more of an annoyance on a piece of equipment that is more likely to get broken while in use.
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Spiral-mounted teeth
A spiral design on the rotor pulls materials toward the center of the rake and helps avoid leaving dirt trails.
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Quality, durable materials
You want your rock rake to last for years! It needs to be made from durable, high-quality materials if it’s going to function well long-term.
What Makes Ideal Rockaway Landscape Rakes Unique?
Now you know what a rock rake is, how it could benefit your business, and what to look for in a first-class rock rake!
Let’s look at what makes Ideal Rockaway’s landscape rakes unique. Do they hold up to our list of criteria for a good rake?
Let’s find out! Here are 6 things that make Ideal Rockaway landscape rakes unique:
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Completely removes rocks
Most landscape rakes sift the soil but don’t remove the rocks altogether.
That is one really neat perk of the Rockaway rake. The Rockaway collects the rocks in your skid steer bucket and removes them from the soil. Then you can just dump the bucket at a convenient spot.
You won’t have to go back and pick up piles of rocks or leave them at the edge of your field or garden!
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Easy attachment
While some landscape rakes require multiple hoses, pins, and gadgets for attachment, the Rockaway has a simpler design.
You can attach the Rockaway to your skid steer with only two pins and two hydraulic hoses! It’s a breeze, plus it takes just minutes.
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Compact design
We built the Rockaway with efficiency in mind. It has a compact design so it takes up minimal trailer and storage space.
However, don’t let size fool you. The Rockaway can still get just as much accomplished as larger rakes.
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Made from Hardox steel
You are going to be asking your Rockaway to perform tough functions for years to come. It’s got to be made from something heavy-duty in order to hold up well!
Thankfully, the Rockaway is made from high-quality Hardox steel, which allows it to hold up to the toughest work.
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Few parts to grease
If you are spending too many hours maintaining your landscape rake it is not saving you much time.
That is why we make our landscape rakes simple and low maintenance. We don’t add too many extra gadgets and features that take maintenance and could break or malfunction.
The Rockaway has very few parts to grease - only two bearings and one #80 roller chain.
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American made
Could you find a cheaper, off-shore version of the Rockaway? Maybe.
But buying local is almost always better than buying offshore. Buying locally ensures that you can quickly and easily find replacement parts if you need them, plus it supports the local economy.
We source all our materials and labor locally from Lancaster County, PA, to ensure that we support the local area and that you get the best product possible.
Wondering how you could try out a Rockaway landscape rake?
Ordering a Rockaway is super easy! Here are the steps:
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Get a quote
Let us help you make sure your skid steer or other machine will work with the Rockaway you want.
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Approve your order
Once we finalize the details and complete your purchase, we start building your Rockaway. If we have your order in stock, we ship it in several business days.
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Enjoy easier and more efficient soil prep!
Now you can enjoy the extra time, energy, and money your Rockaway saves you!
If you don’t want to commit to purchasing a Rockaway without trying it first, we also have rental options from half a day to a full month. Feel free to rent a Rockaway and try it for yourself before you buy!
Operating A Rockaway Safely
When working with machinery, safety should always be a paramount concern!
Here are a few safety guidelines for working with the Rockaway:
- Do not try using a Rockaway on a skid steer bucket of the wrong size. Jerry rigging things is usually dangerous and may hurt you or your equipment.
- Never modify the Rockaway or add any attachment to it that is not approved by the manufacturer. Again, jerry-rigging your equipment is almost never a good idea and often leads to accidents.
- Always make sure the Rockaway is properly and securely fastened to your skid steer.
- Keep all bystanders at least 6 feet away from the Rockaway when it’s in use.
- Only operate the Rockaway from the driver’s seat, and always lower and level the Rockaway before you leave the driver’s seat.
- Never try dumping the bucket at a height higher than specified in the safety instructions provided by your skid steer manufacturer.
- Operate the Rockaway slowly till you get the hang of it.
- Always lower the Rockaway to the ground and turn off the loader engine before attempting to clean, service, or repair it.
If you use common sense and follow the guidelines, you should be able to operate your Rockaway safely and without mishaps.
CONCLUSION
Do you want to grow your landscaping or lawn business? An efficient landscape rake could make a huge difference!
Try out the Ideal Rockaway skid steer rock rake today to enjoy time, energy, and money saved. That extra time is time you can spend on more important things, like growing your business.
Remember, the steps to getting an efficient landscape rake are:
- Get a quote
- Approve your order
- Wait to receive your Rockaway and then enjoy the benefits that come along with it!
Contact us today if you are ready to start growing your business!
We look forward to hearing from you!