methods to remove rocks from soil

[KennedyFarmer]

besides a rock bucket is there any other ways to remove the rocks from planting beds and fields? seems to me a rock bucket is probably the way to go.

 

[Tooljunkie]

http://youtu.be/qRf98LqQ9O4

For a skidsteer but worth watching. Something like this on three point would be sweet!

 

[koja]

Whatever you end up with make sure it is quality piece of equipment . Because you will be using it for a long time . If its a rocky field , it will always be a rocky field . At leat here in Michigan , frost pushes them up every year .

 

[Diydave]

besides a rock bucket is there any other ways to remove the rocks from planting beds and fields? seems to me a rock bucket is probably the way to go.

A harley rake does a pretty good jub, but the bed has to be clean of plantings.

https://youtu.be/os2rnm4tml0

I like the idea of the circular rock picker. I have a regular rock bucket for my asv, was thinking os making a mobile powered hydraulic vibrator, like dump trucks use. If I ever get around to it...

 

[tinkerwitheverything]

I made a set of bolt on teeth for the bucket of my sub compact tractors that I've dug out quite a few big stones in my yard etc; You get the teeth down under the rock and just sort of curl the bucket and more or less roll tthe rocks out. I no longer have the Massey's so going to make them fit onto my Kubota. I've ordered a quick attach plate for the loader on the kubota and will make the teeth work that quick attach plate now rather then bolting it to the bucket.Here's some pics of the stones that I was able to dig out with the SCUTS and the teeth.The teeth have bends in them but that's how they were before I welded them to the 1 1/2" x 3" piece of steel that mounts into the bucket.

 

[KennedyFarmer]

Mainly i was looking at removing rocks from loose soil. I seem to take out about 30 gallons of rocks each year from my planting beds. I was look for options that would make picking those rocks much more easier and fun.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

On a budget a rock bucket is good, Z screen is also a very good option too.

 

[In Utopia]

I pick them up, and the next time it rains new ones sprout up.

 

[DaveB6200]

Not sure if you can get one for a Bota but a rockhound works good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yiys_JEK8IQ and Everything Attachments sells some nice looking rock buckets.http://www.everythingattachments.com/Tractor-Loader-Buckets-s/56.htm

 

[tinkerwitheverything]

I have stony land as well so I made myself a small soil screener out of some material that I had laying around.Only thing I had to buy was the expanded metal. The screen frame sits on springs at the rear and the front hangs on chains which makes the angle of the table adjustable, by changing the length of the chains.Its driven by a small gas powered motor.The unbalance wheel is made from the spindle off a old mower deck.It works good and I've probably screened 40 yrds of soil etc: so far.

 

[ShaunBlake]

... I made myself a small soil screener ...

Clever! How hard does the bed shake? I don't see a hitch on it -- how do you move it?

 

[sheepfarmer]

I pick them up, and the next time it rains new ones sprout up.

Heck, around here I swear it rains rocks, I can go out in the pasture and pick up a baseball sized rock that is just sitting on the grass, and there will be grass growing under it, and no evidence that the rock was dislodged from a nearby site. :confused

 

[tinkerwitheverything]

Clever! How hard does the bed shake? I don't see a hitch on it -- how do you move it?

It shakes hard enough that all I usually do is idle the motor.When I get some sod in with the material I'll rev it up a bit.If I was to make it again I'd have a shaker on both sides.The reason for that is because the side without the shaker on is lazy.I have to kinda use a rake and pull the stuff over to this side with the shaker on especially when there's lots of roots and sod.I've screened the soil from my garden and because is was just stones and soil it worked pretty good.The hitch is taken off when in use and put on to move it around.I use a bar on my TPH so I can lift and lower it to move it around.I have a piece of plywood at the front between the good and bad soil.I made it so that I can drive underneath with the loader to remove the screened soil first and then push the stones/roots etc: to the side.

 

[KennedyFarmer]

It shakes hard enough that all I usually do is idle the motor.When I get some sod in with the material I'll rev it up a bit.If I was to make it again I'd have a shaker on both sides.The reason for that is because the side without the shaker on is lazy.I have to kinda use a rake and pull the stuff over to this side with the shaker on especially when there's lots of roots and sod.I've screened the soil from my garden and because is was just stones and soil it worked pretty good.The hitch is taken off when in use and put on to move it around.I use a bar on my TPH so I can lift and lower it to move it around.I have a piece of plywood at the front between the good and bad soil.I made it so that I can drive underneath with the loader to remove the screened soil first and then push the stones/roots etc: to the side.

That's a great setup, i am not as worried about the roots and stuff as i am the rocks. which is why i am thinking a need a rock bucket.

 

[ShaunBlake]

That's a great setup, i am not as worried about the roots and stuff as i am the rocks. which is why i am thinking a need a rock bucket.

It seems like a rock bucket would be more direct, immediate, and simple. I've been looking at attachments that are mostly rock buckets as I searched for a grapple. What I've seen makes me think that a lot of small rocks will get left, and I expect those would be a nuisance in your food plot. It seems that you'd need to screed your dirt after digging out the rocks.

Perhaps a rock bucket with a small solid bottom would do double-duty for you; get the rocks out without picking up a lot of dirt, and scoop up the loose dirt to screed it after removing the rocks. The last operation wouldn't need to be as expensive or elaborate as a rock bucket. NIW's simple design would do a great job.

 

[KennedyFarmer]

It seems like a rock bucket would be more direct, immediate, and simple. I've been looking at attachments that are mostly rock buckets as I searched for a grapple. What I've seen makes me think that a lot of small rocks will get left, and I expect those would be a nuisance in your food plot. It seems that you'd need to screed your dirt after digging out the rocks.

Perhaps a rock bucket with a small solid bottom would do double-duty for you; get the rocks out without picking up a lot of dirt, and scoop up the loose dirt to screed it after removing the rocks. The last operation wouldn't need to be as expensive or elaborate as a rock bucket. NIW's simple design would do a great job.

It's the big rocks I am worried about, a little bit of rock is beneficial to the food plot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYV_HK0cTFc
Therefor I would like to keep the small stuff that will get scratched up. I figured if i can get the big ones that are a few inches below my surface I will be in good shape. I have some patches that are so bad the tiller just bounces off them and I have to take a pic ax to break it up by hand. I am sure once i have a tiller on the tractor I will power right through them. However at what expense? tiller damage, poor soil breakage, etc

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Tinker,

SUH-WEEEEEET!!!!! Awesome job!!!

Howsabout a cross -shaft to another shaker off the shaker you already have???

Ray

 

[ShaunBlake]

Howsabout a cross -shaft to another shaker off the shaker you already have???

Oh boy, I'd like to see that! Have the other shaker out of phase, and watch that mama hula! (Wish I had a use for something like that!)

 

[ShaunRH]

Farmers use rock pickers but they are not cheap.

I'm going to have to build a rock screen myself. Neat design.