Rock Rake, do it yourself agricultural pitchfork for stones and potatoes

[angiolino]

hi, sorry if I disturb surfing the net I found a rake suitable for both digging stones from the ground and potatoes. I think it could come in handy, but the cost would be a bit high. could you kindly suggest me and help me to make a similar one perhaps more effective using maybe pieces of round iron or other materials suitable for the realization of the artifact, the tool looks like a kitchen spaghetti ladle. let me know, thanks.

[Commercial link removed]

Any gardener who is plagued with stones, large or small, will appreciate this rake. In designing it, we spent a lot of time getting the right tine shape and spacing so that rocks as small as 3/4" diameter could be removed from the soil without taking a lot of dirt as well.

In well-tilled soil, it is an easy matter to clear the top 2" or 3" completely of stones. Once you have raked together a pile of stones, you can scoop them up in the basket-shaped head. No more stooping to pick them up or trying to rake them onto a spade. The rock rake picks them up for transfer to a wheelbarrow or bucket, or even for surreptitious dropping over a fence. It can also be used to catapult the stones some distance.

The whole tool is light (the head weighs only 3/4 lb) and has hardened steel tines that flex without deforming. 65" overall, with a 6" wide basket. In our tests, we found it to be an outstanding invention, removing all rocks from 3/4" to 4" in diameter, leaving a smooth stone-free soil. Also ideal for harvesting potatoes.

 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Looks like it’s just 1/4” or 3/8” round stock heated bent an welded together with a sheet metal socket, 

I don’t think it would be hard to fabricate if you have a welder,

but if you wanted to make it completely by hand without power tools you could heat an bend all the parts the same way but instead of welding them together maybe punch holes through all the tines an run your two bars through the holes and rivet the ends?

or forge it all from one piece and cut an draw the tines out? 

[angiolino]

better round or flat iron? I have a welding machine, I do not regulate myself in giving the right shape to the ladle, the same is used to collect the stones and accumulate them, and at a later time shovel them and maybe load them on a wheelbarrow to transport them elsewhere and set them aside. what would you suggest?

[Frosty]

It looks pretty easy to copy and you won't be doing heavy work like breaking hard soil with it so mild steel should be fine.

Frosty The Lucky.