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Talntedmrgreen
USA
4110 Posts |
 Posted - 04/24/2012 : 10:32:29
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The most fun for me with tehse machines is trying new attachments. I wanted to share a couple pics of the first real use I put on the E-Z Rake. It works amazingly well! I went through the unit Sunday morning to give it a round of maintenance. There is really only a few grease zerks, the replaceable tines, and height adjustment bushings that need looking after. The design is very simple, and I'll add a few pictures that I should have taken, later today.
I had never dethatched my lawn, and it appeared to be experiencing patchy growth due to a layer of dead clippings suffocating the green I'm trying to work on. It was a good excuse to try something new! I first hit it with the Revitalizer to get some aeration going, then ran the E-Z Rake against the grain of my previous run, to bring up the thatch. I found the right speed for the E-Z Rake was wide open in 2nd gear. You needn't go slow with it, and in fact, it will eat up the turf if the operator hesitates in getting the tractor moving.
Jon's 101 while pausing for a refreshment
A look over the hood at a moderate cruising speed...definitely beats using a hand held rake!
Here's the turf crew after an afternoon of burning petro. I unpin and roll them into the basement for the next adventure
I did get a sweeper at the auction this week, and am hoping the wind is light enough to allow me to pick up my mess tonite, and I'll post on the volume of clippings that wind up in the compost pile. |
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Cvans
USA
4406 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 12:36:18
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That's really impressive. I'm wondering after seeing your photos if this is what my lawn needs.
Do you have to rake it up afterwards or do you mow over it?
Thanks for the photos.
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East Central South Dakota
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson
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Edited by - Cvans on 04/24/2012 12:40:24 |
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Talntedmrgreen
USA
4110 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 12:55:51
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My plan is to run over it with the tow behind sweeper. I got that home last nite, and took it for a test run, but the 40 mph gusts we were getting would then suck the grass back out and deposit it on the tractor driver. 
The sweeper was grabbing it all up nicely, after I adjusted it. I managed to get one decent size load to the compost pile. The rest had to wait.  |
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Edited by - Talntedmrgreen on 04/24/2012 12:56:15 |
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Cvans
USA
4406 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 14:51:30
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quote:
but the 40 mph gusts
With winds like that I would think the stuff would have blown into the next county  |
East Central South Dakota
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson
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acdad
USA
1158 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 15:31:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Talntedmrgreen
My plan is to run over it with the tow behind sweeper. I got that home last nite, and took it for a test run, but the 40 mph gusts we were getting would then suck the grass back out and deposit it on the tractor driver.
The sweeper was grabbing it all up nicely, after I adjusted it. I managed to get one decent size load to the compost pile. The rest had to wait.
Josh, thats when you have Mama pull the sweeper around the yard!  |
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skunkhome
USA
12824 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 16:28:39
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quote:
Originally posted by acdad
quote:
Originally posted by Talntedmrgreen
My plan is to run over it with the tow behind sweeper. I got that home last nite, and took it for a test run, but the 40 mph gusts we were getting would then suck the grass back out and deposit it on the tractor driver.
The sweeper was grabbing it all up nicely, after I adjusted it. I managed to get one decent size load to the compost pile. The rest had to wait.
Josh, thats when you have Mama pull the sweeper around the yard!
I could see Jann hanging it up on every gate post and tree in the yard. |
  Phil
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty."
Benjamin Franklin |
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Cvans
USA
4406 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 16:53:41
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Come on Phil, can't be that bad can it?  |
East Central South Dakota
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson
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Talntedmrgreen
USA
4110 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 20:46:10
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Well, I couldn't get mother to drive the tractor tonite, and it was.likely much more efficient to do it myself. The sweeper worked wonders....emptied it 7 times, and boy, dis it fill fast. It was still breezy enough to cast a lot into the wind, but most is now piled up in the lot next door where I keep my garden. It's a ways off, but the pile is nearly as tall as the tractor!
Here's the height adjustment for the rake. The pins on top of the spindle are removed then the bushings swapped from top to bottom, or vise versa. Adjustment increments are 1/4".
The belt to chain drive is very much like that of a Revitalizer
There are 100 tines. They are about 3.5" springs with with a rubber jackets. I covered about an acre and broke 4. They are still available new dor about $2 each, but I recieved 127 extras with my rake.
In all, it was great seat time and a week's worth of work if by hand. I'm half expecting a neighbor or two to stop by. It got a LOT of looks. =] |
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E-Z Lawn Maintenance
