How to make a do-it-yourself rake effortlessly
Content
Description of construction
The garden rake performs various functions: loosening the beds, cleaning the area from dry leaves, cut grass and weeds, etc. It is the best assistant for gardeners, gardeners and farmers. The design of this tool is extremely simple: a handle on which a transverse bar with teeth is planted. Based on their purpose, the configuration also changes: the number of teeth, their shape, length, thickness, material, and more.
The working part of the rake is made of various materials, on which the strength and weight of the entire tool directly depends:
- painted iron - relatively heavy, rapid tooth bending, high wear;
- steel - durable, but heavy;
- hardened aluminum - has the best quality-to-weight ratio;
- plastic and plastic - light and maneuverable, but fragile;
- wooden - strong and light enough.
For farms and large agricultural land, a special tedder rake is produced - a machine that is designed for raking and tedding mowings.
Rake types
In order for the work carried out on the site to be as efficient as possible, but with minimal effort, you need to use various types of rakes for their intended purpose. The straight rake is the most versatile type. In this type, the teeth are located perpendicular to the handle, slightly bent inward. They are great:
- for raking leaves;
- loosening the soil;
- leveling the earth after digging;
- extracting the remaining roots.
Among the traditional types, the rake with twisted teeth is distinguished - they better break up piles of earth and fluff the soil well. Homemade wood rakes usually have a wide base with short teeth. Their main purpose is to harvest dry weeds and cut grass. For this species, wood or aluminum cuttings are often made.
A fan rake consists of a base that resembles an open fan. The teeth are long thin rods bent at the ends. Often such a rake is used:
- for raking leaves and small debris from hard-to-reach places;
- cleaning the lawn before mowing;
- thinning the lawn.
When choosing a fan rake, it is worth considering some design features: in order not to injure young plants, it is better to use an inventory with plastic teeth; for work along fences and in corners, a triangular rake is perfect, etc. In agriculture, different types of rakes are also distinguished, depending on the characteristics of the device of mechanisms:
- tape;
- wheeled rake-tedders (GVK);
- wheel-finger, which also belong to the GVK;
- transverse, etc.
Among the units of the GVK class, experts call the following models the best: GVK-6, GVK-7, GVK-3, GVK "Solnyshko", GVK-2.5KT. In particular, GVK-6 perfectly rakes dried grass, hay and straw into swaths of a certain size, and also tedding swaths so that the grass mass is collected in an air, not twisted swath.The principle of operation of the GVK is that during the movement of the unit, the impellers rotate and with their fingers move the grass to the length of the wheel grip. After all the wheels have passed, the hay moves to the center axis, thus forming a swath. Now many craftsmen make such units with their own hands, adapting to their needs and characteristics of technology, relief, crops grown, etc.
Video "Varieties of rake"
That video talks about the types of rakes. You can also find out which species is best for your land.
We make a stalk
In order to get a reliable and convenient hand-made rake handle, it is best to start with the choice of wood:
- pine - not afraid of moisture, light enough, but fragile;
- birch - is the best option, combining sufficient strength and low weight, easy to process;
- beech - in terms of its qualities, it is as close as possible to birch, but requires additional processing;
- poplar - also refers to the best options for quality, weight and ease of processing;
- oak is the most durable material, but heavy and difficult to process.
For self-production of a cutting, you can take a non-standard material - the trunk of a young tree (the best are: hazel, aspen or maple). Select the required length of the workpiece and check that it is free from defects (knots, cracks). You should not additionally grind or paint the finished cutting, as the very smooth surface of the cutting will turn and rub dropsy and calluses. It is very important to adjust the ready-made handle well and securely fix it in the rake holder. You should also cut the stalk so that it does not go beyond the planting nest.
How to make a work surface
Now in specialized stores and on the market, you can easily find different types of rakes, but wooden rakes are quite rare, so they can be easily made with your own hands. They consist of a shank, a main body with teeth and a sleeve. To make a wooden rake, you should take several types of wood: a lighter one (pine or spruce) is suitable for a cutting, and a hard one (elm, oak, mountain ash, etc.) for the block-block and teeth.
Make a block from a bar up to 60 cm long, 5 cm wide, 3 cm high.Use a planer to plan it. Then use a drill to make holes in the block for the teeth (10-15 mm) at a distance of 40 mm from each other. Make square tooth blanks from the material of your choice. Then cut out the required number of teeth with a knife. Their length should be 10–12 cm.
Please note that the head of the teeth must be made 1–2 mm larger than the drilled holes in the block. The shape of the teeth can be arbitrary, but always with pointed ends. Cut a stalk from a straight branch, sharpen one end, sand the surface with sandpaper. Make a 25 cm cut at the other end of the shank and secure it with a coupler and nails. Then spread the sawn pieces 15 cm apart and sharpen them as well. Homemade DIY rake is ready!
Video "How to make a fan rake"
In this video you can see the option of making a fan rake with your own hands.