Homemade B-Blade & Rake

Mark777

Member
Do you ever keep running into something on your property that pops up and is in the way no matter what tasks you're trying to complete??

I've been moving, dragging and piling this chunk of steel, which I thought was a small rear gate from an old dump trailer, from place to place for over two years...One day I examined it much closer and discovered it was the remains of a small (60") back blade. All the fixtures, attachment points and 'ears' were torched off decades ago and at first glance, looked as though it was destined for the salvage yard. I pressure washed the 50 pound 'Chunk" and decided it was good enough to resurrect into a once-again back blade.

Figuring it was small enough to put on a small tractor AND since I wanted to convert the little YM1401D from 2PH to 3PH, I determined that a fixture was required to complete the conversion and custom build other attachments to expand the limitations of my little Yanmar. I also decided I would use every single piece of stock steel I've acquired and try NOT to spend any thing on the project....Man, was I pleasantly surprised at how well the 3PH and new/old blade worked!

I'd love to tell you what a great engineer I am...but actually my only and single desire was for the blade to be adjustable from aggressive to a gentle sweep by dialing in the top link (in and out accordingly). I got lucky...and the rest of the design just fell into place.

It worked so well, and with the adjustable top link for the attitude...I decided I better make a rake too ;)!

The 3PH fixture and blade:
 

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Mark777

Member
Pictures of the rake and other fixtures to show how it looks assembled and taken apart. The different length 'out rigger arms' eliminate all chatter and vibration. By swapping sides with the arms...it adjusts from 90° (straight blading) to 15° angle blading (or raking).

Thanks for looking.

Mark
 

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Doc

Admin
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Nice job Mark! :tiphat: :a1:

What did you use to make the tines on the rake?
 

Mark777

Member
Thanks Doc.

It was the only purchase I had to make. They are rubber mounted 'U' shaped tines available at Tractor Supply. The run about $2. a shot, but they have such great radial movement and decided they were better than anything I could fabricate.

I made a 2PH rake last year and the tines were from a large commercial garage door opener spring...they were about an 8" diameter loop cut in half. It worked fairly well but the tines would snap off as the steel was way too hard. After that I knew I had to bite the bullet and purchase something as hard but much more flexible at it's base.
 

OhioTC18

Well-known member
Gold Site Supporter
Great looking tools Mark. I really like that rake. I've seen a few designs with those tines on it and I think I may have to do something like that in the future.
 
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