big lanscaper rakes??

[gogetter]

Ok, this is my first season and I'm just starting a couple clean ups this week. These are fairly small to medium lawns (ranging from 3k to maybe 8k sq.ft.).
I don't have any fancy, expensive leaf removal equipment. Just my new 36" Exmark metro.
So, I guess I'm just gonna have to hit them with my rakes.

My question is, does anyone here use those big aluminum landscape rakes (like 40 or 48 inches wide or something like that!)?
They usually say that they're for various jobs (light grading, leveling, etc.), but then they also say for raking leaves.
Seems that they would move alot of leaves, and faster then a typical 30" plastic rake. Just haven't ever seen anyone using one. Thinking about buying one. Thoughts? Thanks.

[EarthTech Landscapes]

WMy guys don't seem to use them to rake leaves, They are mostly used for preping new lawn areas or spreading dirt. i really don't think that they would work well for leaves. i have 8 of these rakes.

[mdb landscaping]

i totally agree. i bought one of those rakes for grading topsoil. they wont work for raking leaves. just buy a large tine rake.

[Skippy]

I have used them quite a few times and wouldn't recommend them for leaves just grading and things like that. But you should have one if you plan on doing any of that.

[stslawncare]

i agree with everyone about but also this past week i was doing some cleanup and i foud that the metal rakes work great for leaves that are very wet and matted down, picks them right up and is a lot easier to move then with normal rake, but for dry leaves metal wont work.

[UrbanEarth]

Landscape rakes work great for raking up thatch after power raking. One of the best things for leaves I have found is a blower. Blow them toward a fence or into piles then bag em.

Alan

[George777]

My partner and I have used our 48" w/b to mulch up leaves. it works as long as they are not wet. Try it with your mulching kit on and lower the rpm's. you might try gator blades as well.
I was impressed how much time we were able to save.the leaves were mulched up into a powder and after a nice rain it was gone.
your 36" metro should do the trick.

[jason2]

I guess I'm the dark horse, but I use my big landscape rake on all my spring cleanups. Here in eastern Washington we have pine trees. Pine trees=big friggin mess of pine needles. The needles get imbedded into the lawn. The blower will get some up, but the easiest thing I have found to use is the big landscape rake.

I don't have a JRCO tine rake yet. But somday soon! I imagine that would work great on pine needles.

[Charles]

Go out and buy you some real lawn equipment. If you hand raked some large yards I have you might average 3 dollars an hour by the time you are finished just enough money to pay your chiropractor for a visit. Just think you could be at walmart making 7 dollars an hour and messing around with the college girl who work there

[jason2]

Well, I'm not out hand raking your large yards. And I don't hand rake my own large yards. But they do work great on smaller areas. The largest concentration of pine needles are generally found within the drip line of a pine tree. For these areas, nothing beats the landscaper rake for removing the needles.

In the open areas of the yard the mower generally takes care of the rest.

But I must admit that $7/hour at Wal-Mart sure sounds tempting. Maybe they would even allow me to handle some "real" equipment. Those Ryobi electric trimmers sure look nice.