10:26:35pm, Sunday, May 12, 2024
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leveling the playing field,
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123-4
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Places that have many hooks,(WHITE PINES TAKE NOTICE) with poor soil types,loamy silty sandy course soils,should look at clubs and venues that use a "Bobcat" type piece with a rake,it is so very efficeint,can be done levelling before sled gets back,no need for extra driving time up and down track,pull dirt back to fill holes,push ahead to firm and level,get onto other track,one fourth the time,an turn packer around on track,not 200 ft of needless travel time.Most scrapers drag dirt away,a front attached rake with a good operator can fix and repair quickly and safely,no time,no holes,no wasted effort.Good luck to all and thanks to all that promote and put on pulls. |
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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Moderator Registered: 01/11/2009 Posts: 1,579 |
Indoor on horse dirt is a unique beast, especially with antiques. They had over 2000 hooks in three days at White Pine and keeping the dirt in a reasonable shape with that much abuse is a HUGE challenge. All things considered they were 60 hooks per hour in White Pine for most of the time...where else will you see that?
Yes, the rake like what Brandon Bungart builds is a great piece - I like it, I endorse it - but for indoor antique events a tractor-scrapper/roller unit like what Jared Beduhn and Tod Whipple run in Michigan is absolutely the best - every association/event needs one. Fast and efficient, but the six inches between the ears of the track grooming personnel is as important as anything, because a poor operator can take a good machine and make a mess. Beduhn/Whipple and others that operate them that I have seen are top notch. The amount of foot traffic adds another level of safety concern for indoor events, and a single track grooming machine is easier to track than multiple machines if you're standing on the track, and you still need your head on a swivel to be safe. Bryan Lively - 
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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123-4
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I totally agree,I mentioned a good operator is needed,and people can be a problem,myself included,but with all day and most of the night events,folks walk around for bathrooms,food,exercise and nervousness,to watch the finish line and to simply stage and prepare equipment. one peice grader,packer is very good if rasised to leave some dirt at the point of spin out,The rakes with little short rods or stubs of steel work excellant to cut tracks,make crumbles and fill voids. |
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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Dave Dann
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Bryan, your 2nd paragraph = keep preaching it ! So very true what Beduhn & Whipple do. Even though, I too, love & endorse the 'lawn rake', Beduhn & Whipple do not want it out there. Once you watch either or both of these skilled operators, you easily see why they say the lawn rake is not needed.
Where I see the 'lawn rake' is needed is usually when you have a plethora of track maintenance equipment in their usual time consuming parade (and blocking the view of the 2nd track's pullin action) that also has multiple operators, which unfortunatley too often lends to non-uniform track maintenance. Thus, the 'lawn rake' needs to fill in the holes & get out of the way ASAP and stay there until the next set of pulling tire holes has been made. The lawn rake Does Not need to be constantly tearing up the track's surface for 50', 100', or more. All that does is continue to make the track's dirt marbly. And that is usually seen with deteriating distances as the class pursues. Don't believe what result all that extra lawn rake track scouring does, just watch it. Also go look at & feel the dirt before a pull and again after the pull. And what happens in between. Just like any piece of equipment, the lawn rake needs to be used properly and judiciously to perform at its optimum for what its sole intent is. |
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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Registered: 09/23/2008 Posts: 633 |
firsthand it is hard to get people period much less those that know what is going on indoors, I would love to see the bobcat attachment in use but that takes at a minimum 5 operators over a 3 day pull. Maybe some thought can be done on the one piece unit but that would require some dedicated drivers. The outfit that the younts have in ky is a nice setup but takes a trip or two to get it doing what it is capable. I have spent the better part of the day at times running both of the above never had the privilege of the mid blade and roller but that does look like a neat little setup, but at the end of the day you have to have the help !!!!!!! |
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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Registered: 02/18/2018 Posts: 244 |
I’m glad they used the rake at Bowling Green this year. It really helped it from becoming a hook track. We have been using one here at the Stark County Fair (Ohio) for a few years and it helps the track go back together |
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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My Opinion
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The bobcat rake is one of the best things to ever happen to tractor pulling tracks...With the proper operator it sure keeps the playing field level, especially on tracks where a huge amount of dirt ends up in front of the sled.. |
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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plum krazy
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"RIGHT ON" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And saves so much time,no need to go all the way to the start. And pulls no dirt away,-- unless the operator wants to.Volunteers are hard to keep,and for a long day even more difficult,I have helped out at many pulls and was appreciated I am sure. |
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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volunteer
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bobcat builds this rake ? what packs the dirt in the spinout holes in track? and what about the graurser tracks left buy the sled for last 100 ft? still need a blade n roller packer set up for a good track |
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Re: leveling the playing field,
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watcher
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volunteer, you asked 4 questions. Try to follow along as I provide an answer for each of them.
Not that I know of. Tractor with scraper & rubber tire packer. Tractor with scraper & rubber tire packer will continue to take care of that area, too. Obviously. However, if you could actually comprehend what is already stated previously in this thread, all that is actually needed per one track is the tractor with a belly mounted scraper that pulls a rubber tire packer by a very skilled operator who is very proficient and efficient in the whole process of track maintenance and does a fabulous job of filling the tire hole and levelling it, all without needing a skid steer with a boughten or homemade lawn rake/hole fill system. |
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