"Stone Sled" Makes Big Rocks Easier To Handle
It lets me remove rocks from fields that are too big to lift by hand, without the need for a loader tractor or any other powered equipment," says Lester Langeland, Marne, Mich., about his "stone sled" that's designed to skid along the ground behind a pickup or tractor.
The sled is made from 1/4-in. thick steel and measures 34 by 28 in. It consists of a steel plate with a curved band of 4-in. wide steel on back that's welded to three lengths of vertical angle iron. Two lengths of 3/8-in. chain are welded to each leading corner of the plate. One chain is 2 ft. long and the other one 5 ft. long.
To use the sled, he backs the pickup up to the rock and places the leading edge of the sled against the back side of the rock, as low as possible. Then he hooks the chains around the front side of the rock and drives ahead until the sled digs itself under the rock.
"I've used it for about four years and have found that it works surprisingly well. I can haul off a dozen big rocks in only a couple hours," says Langeland. "It's amazing how big a rock can be pulled on it if I can get the leading edge of the sled close to the bottom of the rock. I've used it to remove rocks up to 700 lbs.
"I came up with the idea because I don't have a loader tractor. I carry it in the back of my Dodge 3/4-ton 4-WD pickup during fall tillage and spring planting. It's especially easy to use after the field has been chiseled or plowed and the rock is loosened up. As long as the rock is slightly loose, I can usually get the sled to wedge under it and can pull it out of the field. Sometimes I use a shovel to dig in front of the sled, so that it will be pulled under the rock as I drive forward. Once the rock is on the sled, it pulls relatively easy. It's important to hitch the sled as close to the pickup as possible in order to keep the front part of the sled from digging too deep into the ground. "
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lester Langeland, 2796 Hayes, Marne, Mich. 49435 (ph 616 677-9951).
Click here to download page story appeared in.
Click here to read entire issue
"Stone Sled" Makes Big Rocks Easier To Handle ROCK PICKERS Rock Pickers 26-1-12 It lets me remove rocks from fields that are too big to lift by hand, without the need for a loader tractor or any other powered equipment," says Lester Langeland, Marne, Mich., about his "stone sled" that's designed to skid along the ground behind a pickup or tractor.
The sled is made from 1/4-in. thick steel and measures 34 by 28 in. It consists of a steel plate with a curved band of 4-in. wide steel on back that's welded to three lengths of vertical angle iron. Two lengths of 3/8-in. chain are welded to each leading corner of the plate. One chain is 2 ft. long and the other one 5 ft. long.
To use the sled, he backs the pickup up to the rock and places the leading edge of the sled against the back side of the rock, as low as possible. Then he hooks the chains around the front side of the rock and drives ahead until the sled digs itself under the rock.
"I've used it for about four years and have found that it works surprisingly well. I can haul off a dozen big rocks in only a couple hours," says Langeland. "It's amazing how big a rock can be pulled on it if I can get the leading edge of the sled close to the bottom of the rock. I've used it to remove rocks up to 700 lbs.
"I came up with the idea because I don't have a loader tractor. I carry it in the back of my Dodge 3/4-ton 4-WD pickup during fall tillage and spring planting. It's especially easy to use after the field has been chiseled or plowed and the rock is loosened up. As long as the rock is slightly loose, I can usually get the sled to wedge under it and can pull it out of the field. Sometimes I use a shovel to dig in front of the sled, so that it will be pulled under the rock as I drive forward. Once the rock is on the sled, it pulls relatively easy. It's important to hitch the sled as close to the pickup as possible in order to keep the front part of the sled from digging too deep into the ground. "
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lester Langeland, 2796 Hayes, Marne, Mich. 49435 (ph 616 677-9951).
To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click
here to register with your account number.
