Yard needs smoothing tool

[RDinNHandAZ]

I have a load of screened loam to get my yard smoothed out. The lawn/yard has lots of small holes and is rough enough that 2 hours of mowing leaves me with a sore back from the bumpy ride. I read that spreading the loam thinly with the FEL and dragging a leveler is one way of getting it better. I don’t want to loose the lawn grass. One poster used a large pallet to pull around to good effect. My pallets are all rotted and on the burn pile. Others built 2X4 and 4X4 drags. I priced lumber. WOW! Then I found this for small money ($76): https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FBXZNTC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I’ll pull it with my BX1870. What do you think? I would like to know if anyone has used anything similar? Once I assemble it I can’t return it if it is the wrong tool. Thanks.

 

[DustyRusty]

save your money! Anything like that will be attacking your lawn. The only way is to mark each hole, individually fill it, and hope that the grass grows through. If it were mine, I would till the entire lawn under, then york rake it and reseed. There are no shortcuts to having a golf course type of smooth lawn. Sure it is going to be a lot of work and expense, but you only have to do it once. If your lawn is already perfect, then cut out the turf and fill the hole till it is level with the surrounding area, put the turf back on, and water well till it grows in.

 

[BigG]

you could always go to a nearby store or industrial area and they’ll give you a pallet. Bolt two old tires together and use it as as a drag. There’s a bazillion ways to make a drag. A piece of chain-link fence. I had a friend that had a door company and took out the security gate on a house and I used it for years as a drag.

 

[RCW]

Someone here on OTT (skeets?) always swore by an old bedspring as a drag. Couple tires with that would work too.

I've got 2 in the "dump run pile" you can have. Might be a long trip from NH or AZ though....

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Pallets are free for the hauling on Craig's list. Pick what you like.

Another option:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=level+yard+with+sand

I don't really like the sand option because it results in a very HARD surface, but you can't beat the flat of it.

Some of the tips there might apply to your loam application, though.

 

[RCW]

Pallets are free for the hauling on Craig's list.

True. I have 6-8 of those too.....

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Thanks for the responses. I see there are lots of options. My question was "I would like to know if anyone has used anything similar?” So far I guess not?? I may have to try it and report back so others will learn from my misery.

And DustyRusty- that is the method I have been using, haul, fill and rake. Thanks. The problem with tilling is my so called soil is 50% stones by volume as we discovered when the excavator worked on my house lot. Filling and grading is much better as I don’t have to haul and dispose of the stones.

 

[jyoutz]

I have a load of screened loam to get my yard smoothed out. The lawn/yard has lots of small holes and is rough enough that 2 hours of mowing leaves me with a sore back from the bumpy ride. I read that spreading the loam thinly with the FEL and dragging a leveler is one way of getting it better. I don’t want to loose the lawn grass. One poster used a large pallet to pull around to good effect. My pallets are all rotted and on the burn pile. Others built 2X4 and 4X4 drags. I priced lumber. WOW! Then I found this for amall money ($76): https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FBXZNTC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I’ll pull it with my BX1870. What do you think? I would like to know if anyone has used anything similar? Once I assemble it I can’t return it if it is the wrong tool. Thanks.

Use a piece of chain link fence with a pipe fastened on the front and back. Drag that around. It’s far cheaper and will work better that the device you’re thinking of buying.

 

[D2Cat]

Use a piece of chain link fence with a pipe fastened on the front and back. Drag that around. It’s far cheaper and will work better that the device you’re thinking of buying.

Jyoutz, isn't what you described called a "gate"?

 

[jyoutz]

Jyoutz, isn't what you described called a "gate"?

That works. But you can also just use a length of fence with a pipe on each end

 

[DustyRusty]

That works. But you can also just use a length of fence with a pipe on each end

The idea is to keep the cost to $0.00!

I live in CT where the boulders from NH landed! A few years ago they were putting a new gas line into the street, and they came across a boulder that was bigger than a station wagon. It took 2 very large excavators to get it out of the ground. Around here the frost heaves the rocks to the surface, so you don't ever bury them on the lawn, but an open pit works well to dispose of the rocks.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I’ve got a few places the rocks can go to improve the drop-off beside the drive so I’m with you on getting rid of them. BTW when the excavator was shaping it and smoothing he would just drop the bucket on rocks less than a foot in diameter. They went out of sight. I should have stopped him as the frost lifts them about an inch each winter. Every spring I fill 2-3 loader buckets of the “new” rocks. It seems like it will never end but after 10 years I think I am winning, No really, I’m winning. Really, ................. maybe.

I’m surprised no one has bought a leveling drag and can answer my question. I have used pallets, bed springs, and other stuff in the past. I even built a land plane (sort of thing) for my previous place that had a .3 mile gravel drive. My back blade worked good most of the time but the road got whoop-de-doos after a while. I’ll report back.

 

[ctfjr]

The idea is to keep the cost to $0.00!

I live in CT where the boulders from NH landed! . . . but an open pit works well to dispose of the rocks.

Or just carrying them into the woods the really, really big ones are best left alone.
The big ones I can lift I use for landscape features.
There is a never ending crop every spring.

 

[ctfjr]

. . .
I’m surprised no one has bought a leveling drag and can answer my question. I have used pallets, bed springs, and other stuff in the past. I even built a land plane (sort of thing) for my previous place that had a .3 mile gravel drive. My back blade worked good most of the time but the road got whoop-de-doos after a while. I’ll report back.

I used a drag harrow (TSC special) for my new lawn last year. Occasionally use it to smooth the gravel driveway.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Thanks, are you finding it smooths and levels to your satisfaction? I considered something like that with the smooth side down but thought it would just follow the bumps which is why I decided to try a rigid frame that might take off the bumps and fill the low spots with screened loam.

 

[BigG]

Thanks, are you finding it smooths and levels to your satisfaction? I considered something like that with the smooth side down but thought it would just follow the bumps which is why I decided to try a rigid frame that might take off the bumps and fill the low spots with screened loam.
View attachment 86151

The drag that you’re showing doesn’t weigh very much. Without the weight it is just going to follow the contours of whatever you’re driving over.

conceptually it’s a good idea but functionality is not there. That is why people of suggested the chain-link fence, tire drags, wooden drags etc. because they can function and cost very little money.

 

[DustyRusty]

When I did my rear lawn 20 years ago I used a Bolens tractor pulling a York Rake. The rake had a drop-down grader blade and a scarifier that would help to keep everything smooth. I haven't seen that feature on any of the rakes that are for sale today. I still have the old rake, but it is in need of a complete rebuild today. It is a York brand, but it was made very crudely since it is one of their original products when they were first starting out. The picture below is the current version of my York Rake with the optional accessories installed. Rake $1341, Scarifier $729, grader blade $283, Total cost today $2353.

Model RS - 5' Rake - Category 1 [003115] - $1,475.00 : York Modern

York Modern : Model RS - 5' Rake - Category 1 [003115] - The York Rake Model RS, 5' Width Consists of Category '1' Three Point Hitch Frame and 5' Rake....

www.yorkmodern.com

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I am planning to put two or three concrete blocks on it which it is made for. The loam I have is very light and fine. If the drag doesn’t move it around I can add another block. I agree it doesn’t look like much but remember- It’s $76!

Youtube is full of videos (thanks Mark_BX25D) of such devices, homemade, residential, and commercial. Most of the posters have no interest in selling anything and are happy with the effectiveness of devices like this. That led me to believe it would be useful as a cheap drag where weight can be customized and that covers an area large enough to make the yard flatter. Mostly the posters are first time users.

What I was missing was feedback on a forum like this where experience was a factor. I appreciate that there are people that are cheaper than me although most of my friends don’t believe that is possible. I’m learning what the limitations might be so this is all helpful.

DustyRusty, that looks like what I should have had on my old place with the long gravel drive.
BUT $2353! You should refurb yours, paint it and get a quick $1500!

 

[ctfjr]

Thanks, are you finding it smooths and levels to your satisfaction?. . .

For my purposes it was perfect. I had just tilled and seeded and wanted to turn the soil just a little to cover.
With the smooth side down (like a piece of fence) I think it will do little damage to your existing lawn and help spread additional topsoil to smooth things out.

 

[airbiscuit]