Rake attachment for BH77

[interplexr]

I’ve been looking around for a rake attachment for the BH77. I have cattails and other plants right around the edge of my pond and a rake would be really useful to scoop them out. The bucket has not been very effective at grabbing plants. I can imagine this would be useful ripping our brush and stuff as well that’s to high and thick for a brush hog.

Has anyone seen or used something like this?

Thanks for any help or feedback you can give!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

An old school 'cultivator' or even a 'landscape rake' could be made to connect. Might find a cheap cultivator that no one uses any more ?? You could respace a landscape rake say every 6" and it'd be good to use.

 

[Smokeydog]

Mikester recently made this beauty of a rake for his M59 backhoe to remove buckthorn.

 

[fried1765]

Mikester recently made this beauty of a rake for his M59 backhoe to remove buckthorn. View attachment 104108

I saw that when Mikester posted it.
A very impressive custom built attachment!

 

[interplexr]

I saw that when Mikester posted it.
A very impressive custom built attachment!

That rake is really impressive! That’s what I’m picturing. I might have to see if I can find a place to make me one. I’ll have to look into an old landscape rake and modifying it. I hadn’t considered that either.

 

[D2Cat]

Have you ever tried to remove cat tails from a pond? The roots are deep and thick. You end up with a mud ball if you get it to the bank. Then you have to deal with that mess and you can effect the sealing of your pond if you move enough material.

Best solution for cat tails is to cut the stems off about 6" below the water level. Just walk out in the mud with a hand held pruners. Have a shoe string tied to the handles so when you drop them they are not lost. The cat tails will suffocate. May have to go back a couple of weeks later to get a few that popped up, but won't be many.

 

[UpNorthMI]

I needed a rake for my KX040, Leading Edge Attachments from Jefferson, MA were great to work with to work out a solution. They call this a fang rake. It is supper useful for quick small stump removal and land clearing.

 

[UpNorthMI]

Also some wider versions can be found on ebay. I'm sure leading edge or ebay sellers will make you one to fit your machine. Good luck in your search.

 

[Smokeydog]

Might consider skeletonizing and reinforcing a regular BH77 bucket.

 

[interplexr]

Have you ever tried to remove cat tails from a pond? The roots are deep and thick. You end up with a mud ball if you get it to the bank. Then you have to deal with that mess and you can effect the sealing of your pond if you move enough material.

Best solution for cat tails is to cut the stems off about 6" below the water level. Just walk out in the mud with a hand held pruners. Have a shoe string tied to the handles so when you drop them they are not lost. The cat tails will suffocate. May have to go back a couple of weeks later to get a few that popped up, but won't be many.

I have not tried cutting them off. I walk out now and just remove them by hand. They are tough right at the shore but grow out a few feet and are barely attached. I figured the rake would just scoop them out. I’m fortunate to live in red clay country so there was no sealing layer of clay. The whole bottom in clay. You have to go down multiple feet to get through the clay cap. I, going to try the cutting off method though. That might help me get the ones at shore easier.

 

[interplexr]

Also some wider versions can be found on ebay. I'm sure leading edge or ebay sellers will make you one to fit your machine. Good luck in your search.

View attachment 104130

I’m amazed at all the awesome help I’ve gotten here!

I’ll have to look into this and see about getting one made. That might be my easiest route.

 

[D2Cat]

I have not tried cutting them off. I walk out now and just remove them by hand. They are tough right at the shore but grow out a few feet and are barely attached. I figured the rake would just scoop them out. I’m fortunate to live in red clay country so there was no sealing layer of clay. The whole bottom in clay. You have to go down multiple feet to get through the clay cap. I, going to try the cutting off method though. That might help me get the ones at shore easier.

When I decided to clear the pond I had to some homework. I discovered some locations actually have a business clearing cattails. They use a sickle bar mower that is set to cut a few inches below the water, and it's mounted on a flat bottom John boat with a propeller engine on the back.