Rotating Rock Picker Gets Rid Of Dirt, Debris

2010 - Volume #34, Issue #4, Page #03

[ Sample Stories From This Issue | List of All Stories In This Issue | Print this story | Read this issue]

"It's actually fun to run it. It's like playing Pac-Man," says inventor Kent Roessler about what he calls his Robo Rock Picker.

    The rock picker attaches to the front of a skidsteer. It tilts down to pick up rocks and then up to spin off dirt and debris. It picks up rocks 2 in. in dia. and larger and is strong enough to dig out partially buried rocks.

    The Anoka, Minn., farmer invented the rock picker out of frustration. The rock bucket he had been using picked up a lot of debris and dumped good topsoil on rock piles where grass thrived. He sells rocks to area landscapers so he ended up moving rocks twice just to get them clean.

    Roessler's home-built rock picker has a 3-ft. dia., 1-in. steel plate on the back with 5-ft. long, 1-in. cold rolled steel bars welded 2 in. apart. A no. 50 roller chain is driven by a hydraulic motor. The 400-lb. unit has a quick hitch for easy mounting. The rock picker works well on any medium-size skidsteer.

    "There is really no maintenance to the machine. There's a bearing to grease every 50 hours and a little lube on the roller chain every 12 hours," Roessler says.

    Unlike expensive windrow rock pickers that require level fields and have a short window of time to use, the picker can be used whenever there's free time.

    "You can literally pick rock after chisel plowing in fall," Roessler says. "We pick right up until frost chunks won't screen out. In spring you can get in earlier because mud pushes through the bars."

    Robo also holds 30 percent more rock than a rock bucket. After months of farm testing, three prototypes, and obtaining a patent, Roessler says he would like to talk to anyone interested in purchasing the royalty rights or partnering as a manufacturer. He estimates Robo would sell for about $4,000. He also has an upgraded version using HR400 steel.

    Besides being a good tool for farmers, the rock picker works well for landscapers and construction workers who need to clean up roots and debris.

    Roessler is just starting to get the word out about his invention, but Robo has been on YouTube since last November (www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMH_uq3Qf8Y). Even if you aren't in the market for a rock picker, it's worth checking out.

    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Kent Roessler, 4870 Viking Blvd., Anoka, Minn. 55303 (ph 612 242-5051; kent@paxmar.com).

Click here to download page story appeared in.

Click here to read entire issue

Rotating Rock Picker Gets Rid Of Dirt Debris ROCK PICKERS Rock Pickers It s actually fun to run it It s like playing Pac-Man says inventor Kent Roessler about what he calls his Robo Rock Picker
    The rock picker attaches to the front of a skidsteer It tilts down to pick up rocks and then up to spin off dirt and debris It picks up rocks 2 in in dia and larger and is strong enough to dig out partially buried rocks
    The Anoka Minn farmer invented the rock picker out of frustration The rock bucket he had been using picked up a lot of debris and dumped good topsoil on rock piles where grass thrived He sells rocks to area landscapers so he ended up moving rocks twice just to get them clean
    Roessler s home-built rock picker has a 3-ft dia 1-in steel plate on the back with 5-ft long 1-in cold rolled steel bars welded 2 in apart A no 50 roller chain is driven by a hydraulic motor The 400-lb unit has a quick hitch for easy mounting The rock picker works well on any medium-size skidsteer
     There is really no maintenance to the machine There s a bearing to grease every 50 hours and a little lube on the roller chain every 12 hours Roessler says
    Unlike expensive windrow rock pickers that require level fields and have a short window of time to use the picker can be used whenever there s free time
     You can literally pick rock after chisel plowing in fall Roessler says We pick right up until frost chunks won t screen out In spring you can get in earlier because mud pushes through the bars
    Robo also holds 30 percent more rock than a rock bucket After months of farm testing three prototypes and obtaining a patent Roessler says he would like to talk to anyone interested in purchasing the royalty rights or partnering as a manufacturer He estimates Robo would sell for about $4 000 He also has an upgraded version using HR400 steel
    Besides being a good tool for farmers the rock picker works well for landscapers and construction workers who need to clean up roots and debris
    Roessler is just starting to get the word out about his invention but Robo has been on YouTube since last November www youtube com/watch?v=qMH_uq3Qf8Y Even if you aren t in the market for a rock picker it s worth checking out
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Kent Roessler 4870 Viking Blvd Anoka Minn 55303 ph 612 242-5051; kent@paxmar com

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.

SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW NOW