[Stonehenge]

We have a Harley rake and I find it a great tool for grading yards for seed. However, I also have found that the learning curve for that tool seems very long - optimal angle of attack when going forward differs from when going backward, knowing when to angle the drum and when not to, how to begin with a rough graded yard, yadda yadda, the list goes on.

Is there a similar tool out there that has a shorter learning curve?

[Paul]

laser grader

[PSUscaper]

I agree with you stone on the learning curve.....

In fact, I won't even be bothered with harley raking anymore.

I just don't do enough of it to keep myself, or employees, able to do it, and do it right, in a timely manner.

I just sub it out. Plus, I find that a skidsteer mounted rake is much harder than a tractor mounted.

Besides a rock hound and of course, a york rake, I don't believe there is much else out there.

Most companies who do harley raking in my area.........do harley raking. What I mean is they are the companies banging out the 'builder special' lawns in a day, and basically have a dedicated crew for just harley raking.

As I start to think about it, I know a few guys who have harley rakes who are kind of 'part timers'. They have a rake to help out on jobs, but aren't necessarily selling harley raking as a service. The last time I saw the one guy, I remember him doing like a million passes over one section. He got it done, but not like the other crews do.

[Stonehenge]

And that's it - you have to do enough, over a period of time, to get proficient at it. I have a pretty good system down, and try to teach that to my guys, but there's a lot of 'feel' to the work that can't be taught.

I saw a landscape outfit up from Milwaukee that must do a ton of grading/seeding - they had a Harley with what looked like a 3rd set of teeth welded on. You could see the pattern for the first two sets, ground down to nothing. This last set were the replaceable cap type.

So now I'm thinking about buying a small tractor instead, with a box and then some kind of pull behind rake. Seems it'd be easier to learn and teach.

[Paul]

We have found that tractors are easier to teach but the operator really needs to understand what you are trying to do. Have them get off the machine and look at the ground explaine to them what the grade is going to look like and point out low spots and high points.

Next the larger the widith the easier it is to grade with, a 8' rake covers a larger area than a 6' meaning that your rake will even it's self out. We have a 14' box that we use on ball fields that corrects most mistakes excavators make then we run or laser grader over it to fill in minor areas that just get missed.

In your area Jeff you should be able to find a couple of farmers sons that should be able to grade without a problem.

[Tim]

One thing that no one mentioned is a Harrow. We used this to do the finish grading for a Raddison we did in Pewaukee, WI. There was so much natural stone in the grade, that is was a real challenge to finish box grade, so that is what we used to break up the top soil, and gather the larger stones. Tim

[site]

Harley raking is one of those things that I can do, but have trouble teaching. My solution is to do most or all of it myself. Today I used it to regrade a 900' gravel drive that was full of potholes and ruts. Now it's smooth like glass.

[Stonehenge]

You brought up a good point. I used it to rough grade some crushed stone on a large brick paving project. Slicker than snot.