Removing rocks from top 6" of soil

realityweav · May 30, 2008

Place here in Vermont and putting in a horse arena. The location had to be leveled and after removing most of the sod and some of the topsoil we tilled down 5-6" and will amend the clay/silt soil with Sand and Wood Chips to create arena footing. Problem is that this soil was pretty bony (lot's of rocks) and now the top 5-6" has quite a few rocks in it that we will need to remove before amending/leveling further.

I've seen Hardy rakes, landscape rakes, power rakes, etc. but all seem to focus on removing rocks from just the top inch or so of soil. I have also seen mobile screeners that go for $40-80k used, and you have to screen by the bucketful...which seems extremely time consuming.

What I need (besides some advice) is something analogous to a muck fork that attaches on to the front of a tractor bucket and I can pick the rocks out and then tilt the bucket back, dropping the rocks into the bucket.

I know what it needs to do, and know how to make it, but I was hoping for other ideas before I launch into fabrication mode. Besides, I suck at welding.

Thanks.

threaderman · May 30, 2008

It is a sign of respect to introduce yourself first .We are glad to share with fellow lic. contractors .

bob_cntrctr · May 30, 2008

realityweav said:
...What I need (besides some advice) is something analogous to a muck fork that attaches on to the front of a tractor bucket and I can pick the rocks out and then tilt the bucket back, dropping the rocks into the bucket.....

It's called a screening bucket. It works the reverse of what you described - grab a bucket full of soil, then tilt out the sand, keeping the rocks, which you deposit where you want. Here's a link to one for skidsteers, but there are models for John Deere's too:

http://www.skidsteersolutions.com/Skid_Steer_Screening_Bucket_72_p/screenit-72.htm

MALCO.New.York · May 30, 2008

bob_cntrctr said:
It's called a screening bucket. It works the reverse of what you described - grab a bucket full of soil, then tilt out the sand, keeping the rocks, which you deposit where you want. Here's a link to one for skidsteers, but there are models for John Deere's too:

http://www.skidsteersolutions.com/Skid_Steer_Screening_Bucket_72_p/screenit-72.htm

Nifty!

finehomes · May 31, 2008

Nope....what you want is a skeleton bucket.....much better for what you are talking about doing. I have one for separating concrete from dirt on my property which was once a fill site owned by the city. You pick up a load of stuff.....all of the soil falls out the bottom where you want it and the rocks stay in the bucket for you to dump where you want to get rid of them. And the nice part is they are only about 1/4 the cost of that other bucket shown earlier.

http://www.skidsteersolutions.com/eTerra_Skeleton_Bucket_80_p/sk-80-eterra.htm

Sam

bob_cntrctr · May 31, 2008

Also very cool.

Removing rocks from top 6" of soil

realityweav

threaderman

bob_cntrctr

MALCO.New.York

finehomes

bob_cntrctr

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