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 | brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin 
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2004-08-13 93491
Although my profile may say I own one, I dont, borrowed one and thought I bought it, he wanted it back could not afford the price on his new one he lost his job soon after.
ANYWAY I have a few questions, try and answer all of them LOL
"history for uses" Will use it primarily for dragging/windrowing 1' and smaller rocks, also will use it for quick grading on my gravel drive, also for dragging dead material from the fields once a year.
Questions?
Does anyone think the price of steel will decrease in the future? Hence lowering the cost of impliments?
How beefy should I go when buying it?
I see one that has a tilt and swivel on it, alot more money than the one that just swivels. I dont have a tnt on the tractor. Should I wait a year to buy this better one? Should I buy the better one? How often would I use the options on it instead of the leveler on my 3pt?
Thanks
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2004-08-14 93496
I just priced some moderate cost rakes at several dealers. They ran from 550 - 1,200 $CDN. I don't know if the difference in exchange would make a DIY import interesting. I believe the price of steel is mostly a matter of government policy and it'd likely take a change in policy before the price comes down much. I don't think I'd go cheap on one unless I were planning to replace a lot of tines and gauge wheels would save a bunch of time for some uses.
I was interested in a rake to take the stones out of some un-screened topsoil spread over our new septic system. I don't think I'll get a rake since it is largely a one-time idea. Yesterday I wrapped chain-link fence around a length of timber to a thickness of about 5". I'll see if I can drag the stones out when the soil gets dry enough.
I may end up resorting to hand-rakes, but if it works something like that might get you by. I'll have to experiment to see if I can get the drag working and still lift it off the ground with the 3ph for dumping--if not I'll attach it to my 3ph forklift. I'll try all sorts of things before picking up that hand rake. ....
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 | jamesrm1
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 29 Central New Jersey 
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2004-08-14 93500
I have a Woods 5ft rake. It's nicley built and under $500. I used it to distribute about 60 tons of stone blend with my bx23. It's not good for doing any of the finer spreading, like spreading the 3/8 pea grvl over the base. The bx23 doesn't seem to have a depth guage so you have to lower it buy eye. It will drag river rocks though.
....
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 | Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2004-08-14 93508
BA, I think that eventually production will catch up with demand for steel and the prices will come back down. Now is a good time to be browsing dealers for "demo" implements. Fall is when a lot of dealers want to move aged inventory at least around my area. You might be able to come across a rake that has been used a few times for demo's and fairs for a good price. I have a Land Pride LR 1584 Landscaping Rake that I use for maintaining my drive way. Very heavy and solid built compared to the King Kutter and bargain brands at TSC and Rural King. The added weight of the rake (just under 400 lbs) makes for easier dragging and surface penetration. I can't say that the Land Pride is worth the extra premium in price though but they are a much better built quality rake. I find that I use my rake very occasionally and that a King Kutter or other cheaper rake would probably do just fine. I got a good deal on my rake at a dealer that was trying to clear out inventory in September otherwise I would have purchased a cheaper brand. The heavy use implements is what I would spend the extra money on. ....
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| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-08-14 93514
If it wasn't such an inconvienance to rent one, pay the $60, pick up drop off and time it so I can use it I would rent and see what one would do for me. But when you look at KK for $360. almost makes you want to buy. Then I look at the name products that have a few more bells and whistles and you jump right up to double the cost. Its tough trying to balance a impliments costs with the use and how often. The bottom line is if it will work for the jobs you have for it, I dont mind paying twice the price if the other one wont do all I ask for it.
I was looking at the tines on them, if comparing same size to size it makes ya wonder if there is any difference sure seem to look the same. Then I read toms post and wonder even more if I shouldnt bite it and spend the extra cash. Suppose I will take a ride out to one of the JD dealers I just past last night, they have other brand impliment there too. I also see a double cultipacker with spikes (used) and I have been looking for one)
Thanks for the imput ....
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 | plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo 
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2004-08-14 93517
My KK rake works just fine, I have the 6 ft model I use it to level my rock once or twice a year and to clean leaves and sticks off my woods roads and have used in leveling some of my food plots, I think spending more than what the KK cost would be insane, they don't really get a lot of abuse. the others do look a bit more prettier but the KK does perform just fine, at a much cheaper price. ....
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| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-08-14 93520
Plots1
We must be cut from the same cloth, Was just wondering if the tilt features are worth it or not. I will probably end up with kk. Have you ever used it to windrow rocks in any of your fields or dont you have that problem where you live? ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-08-14 93538
Broken' Do I think the price of steel will come down? I'll answer that with a definite "Maybe". Steel is a commodity just like oil, grains, plywood, etc.,the laws of supply and demand will guide the price of steel eventually. First of all I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else so I'm not preaching to a select few. We have become a nation of want not need, we buy things because we want them not because of absolute need. Intrest on big ticket items is touted to be 0%,lets face the fact the free intrest thing is built into the base price of the item, Ford and GM did'nt stay in business for a hundred years giving money away flashy TV ads tell us we need something that we really don't, so we buy it anyhow, it's intrest free, yeah right. The advertising businesss has a tremendous effedt on how the economy of our nation goes, for example if we did'nt buy the car to replace the one that was serving us well simply because it is supposedly interst free the steel industry, GM and Ford could be brought to their knees in weeks. This would be a terrible thing to happen, as our economy as we know it would be destroyed, but it could happen if everyone simply said I'm happy with what I have now, I don't need a new car, a new house, new boat, new tractor, washing machine, etc., etc.. Broken If you are going to buy it anyway, allways buy quality, you'll never regret it. Now that i've strayed miles from the subject, a top and tilt would make a nice addition to the rake, but buying both the rake and the TNT won't make the price of steel come down. Oh by the way you said you were showing me your true colors, all I saw was blue, at least I have a few old Farmalls to keep the color spectrum complete. Please don't take my sermon too seriously, I'm getting to be one of those old "Goofers" that sit around thinkinmg up stuff to belly ache about. Enjoy your evening. Frank. ....
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| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-08-14 93551
Frank
I like straight shooters! I try to down play (here) my usual bad habits ( say whats on my mind without worrying about how or what the outcome of the reciever will feel) My wife tells me its my worst habit. I say, "well atleast my buddies will never guess what I really am thinking" here I try to tone it down abit cause most people on boards really dont know where a guy is coming from, and I dont want to upset anyone so as to get them mad at me. I can take constructive critisitzm well, in most cases the guys here are just trying to help or at the very worst get under my skin (just for a bit of fun) that is where I come from have a bit of fun ripping on a few other colors but at the same time try to help if I have any info I can pass on. That said, I agree I dont NEED a rake, it would make things easier though and maybe a bit more productive for the way I need to put in crops and my soil conditions.
The right tool I need is way out of my price range since I am not living off my fields. At the same time though I cant get myself sometimes to pay a dealer the price they want when I know it is marked up because of the name and a bit more quality than one may need. I know KK is a bargain company, but at the same time if you dont abuse it and dont use it all the time most of their products seem to due what they say they will. I even here a few guys here say that they abuse theirs and the KK keeps taking a liking with no problems. Sure, the paint falls off right away big deal! My box scraper took a beating 2 weeks ago with all the rocks and I can tell you there is not ONE ding in its construction. That thing was jumping out of the ground at times and it still looks good. Maybe some of these products (the name ones) are just built tougher than needed to make a few more bucks. I build things all the time that way and can tell you that a few more spots that are braced or beefed up dont add up to DOUBLE the cost of an impliment so I know these companys are making a killing on some items if KK can sell for half the price with a few less welds and a few less pounds of steel for bracing.
That said, when I have the extra money around and the product calls for it I buy the quality. I bought a WOODS rotary cutter with slip clutch, NOT a deere but still a quality tool ( I think deere puts out one of the best brush hogs but I wont admit it most of the time) LOL. At the same time you pay thru the nose for that. A kk brush hog may of been all I needed (I here alot of good about em) But with that item I went with WOODS.
Price of steel plays into the picture (In my little brain) because I cant stand myself when I buy something and a year later it it cheaper and I only plan on using this rake 3 times before next year. I dont mind paying $100 more or less, but when you look at landpride or woods and you see a tag on it for $700 or more and the same item (not as beefy and a few less bells) Is half that price I need to make a decision. I dont like buying used, like to know what I am starting out with and will blame myself for any damage so once again I am showing my colors.
Thanks for the input ....
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| jamesrm1
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 29 Central New Jersey
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2004-08-15 93556
Plots, do you have a clean stone driveway? It seems that any other kind of stone such as blend is not well suited for a rake. The rake separates the larger stone from the dust. Do you have to tamp the stone after raking it? Or do you leave it au-natural? ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-08-15 93566
Broken, a good point you brought up is the fact that there are competing industrys after your same equipment dollar. KK and other more basic brands do keep the high dollar brands, Deere, Kubota, NH, Landpride, Woods, you know the rest somewhat in check pricewise. I guess my personal view on allways buying quality was learned in the furniture industry. I started out with Craftsman, Toolcraft, BD etc.. After having to replace these machines almost on an annual basis, I changed focus and bit the bullet buying only industrual quality machines. As an example I have a Powermatic "66" left over from the plant that I may sell, it will bring me back probably within 90% of what I paid for it new. The "66" that is still in the main assembly room ran enough lumber over it that the table it's self finnaly became worn out of spec.. After correcting that problem It's still running daily. That's enough of my ramblings for now. I hope you know I was only giving you a hard time about the colors thing. Work safe. Frank. ....
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 | grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-08-15 93571
Broken - I have 2 rakes. One is a beater that I use for cleaning newly cleared woods areas where there is alot of stumps & roots & large limbs on the ground. I bought it threw the mail at Northern tool. I believe it is made by Howe? Its red & black. I paid less then $400 for it but that was about 4 - 5 years ago. I have had to weld it a couple of times cause my crew & I abuse it but it still works to this day & gets the job done. I have a much more expensive rake just for putting in lawns. For what is sounds like what your using it for, I recommend the cheap one. Especially because I see you have a welder & know how to use it. ....
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| plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo
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2004-08-15 93602
Broken, no I don't really have to many rocks to rake out of my plot fields,I see a few small stones ever once in a while but nothin to speak of.the area's I been puttin them in were planted in corn many years back , so maybe someone already cleared them out.that has been 10 to 15 years ago. I still think you'll be happy with the KK ................. Jamesrm1, yes the gravel I rake is clean, And no I don't do any thing to repack after raking, just driving over it when I'm there in the truck or tractor or Quad is all it gets, I get a lot of weeds and grass spots that grow up in it , Raking just seem's to tear some away or hide it awhile.and makes it look fresh again. ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-08-15 93609
plots - I like your new pics. Looks like you made a pond. What will you use the pond for? did you line it? How did you fill it with water? Is it connected to a stream? ....
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| plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo
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2004-08-16 93628
Thanks Grasgod, I just made the deer a small pond to get water without haveing to leave my property. I repaired my old one when I first got my 790 a few years back but have had many problems with levy giving way.The new one is at the bottom and between two hills with a good clay basin.It naturaly fills from drainage from rain. it will be around 7 foot deep when it fills. next spring I'm going to have a dozer push the old one in on it's self and build a new one that I can try to get some fish growing in . ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-08-16 93667
Very cool Plots, That will be one of my projects here in my horse coral(pasture) so I dont have to keep running 150' of garden hose out there to fill the troff for drinking. I might attempt to put a liner in it to conserve on water but i'm afraid they'll put there huff's threw it. ....
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 | WPHill
Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 57 Florida
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2004-08-25 94526
Brokenarrow, I have the KK YR-60, and it was under $400.00. I clean up construction sites, prep before sod, and it takes a beating. The tines came 5 to a pack for about $35.00 I'am thinking. I've replaced 3 since I've bought it, and it is used atleast twice weekly. The week following Hurricaine Charlie, it worked everyday. I don't feel I went wrong with it. Good luck. ....
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