Homemade Rock Picker out of a Pallet: Can it Actually Work?

[@AlanEaton21]

I'd like to know the details of how you built it. For example: how did you fasten the mesh to the board(s)? How about a close up pic of the 45 degree angle on the 2x4? What is the different kind of mesh that you're dragging on the very back used for?

[@johnpaulmohun7796]

Great vid, but the music made me nuts. Anyhow, would you consider giving more Details on the building of your rock picker?

[@robertlivingston1634]

Fantastic, you just put some ideas in my head for a 3 point attachment for my tractor. Rock picking sucks!

[@kevinkidderphotographer]

Please share what you come up with. I would love to build something for our arena

[@deplorable_2024]

Looks like great material to patch potholes and ruts in driveways!

[@UnderParAcres]

As soon as I get a front loader that's what I intend to use it for!

[@mikesmyth4829]

Our soil is glacial till: rock city with rocks from pea-sized to medicine-ball sized. Your rock picker is perfect for what I need to remove the rocks. I've removed the bigger rocks by hand, but keeping the ground clear of the smaller rocks is a real pain. Rain brings up more rocks. My goal is to get the ground ready for grass seed.

[@UnderParAcres]

This tool worked great for bigger rocks, but I wish I had gone over the yard many more times with it! Like you said, as soon as it rains, a whole new layer of rocks seems to come up. I got rid of most of the bigger sized rocks, but I don't think I'll ever win against the small ones...This sure helped make it easier though vs raking the big rocks!

[@ryanwinnard8359]

You, my friend are a genius you should make a patent on it. I just made one and it worked amazing I have 4 acres, and it worked excellent on it. Left a nice clean, fluffy soil behind. Had so many rocks in the yard and I was trying to figure out how to do it without having to rake it all into piles and pick it all up by hand. I have to say it worked 1 million times better than I ever thought it looks ghetto and it doesn’t look like it’s going to work, but it did.

[@UnderParAcres]

Thanks so much for sharing this! I made this video kind of by chance and I’m really glad it has been helpful for others!

[@bryceferg5519]

That’s perfect. Well done. I’ll be doing that one day

[@DS-ps6il]

Details on how you built it would be really great!

[@UnderParAcres]

I'm planning to do that at some point. I haven't needed to use it lately, but will need it soon. I'm planning to take it apart and film the reconstruction. Thanks!

[@jordanmunn9732]

Really hope you do it soon, as I need to pick rocks on about 7 acres of ground!!

[@kitmason137]

Ditto​@@jordanmunn9732

[@josephryan1576]

Great idea. I'm gonna try this

[@johnberry1107]

Interesting. You must not know that rocks reproduce when their young are harvested. Around here those are called pebbles. Rocks are a different type of object. Stay safe. GREAT content. inventors rule!!!!!

[@UnderParAcres]

I have quickly learned that if you pick up one rock, four more will magically appear…🤣🤣

[@choccolocco]

My dad told me that rocks grow out of the ground like weeds. After decades, I can confirm he was correct.

[@choccolocco]

If you could find an old dozer cutting edge, it would likely improve the “picking up” of the rocks. Should be easily attached to the 2x4, and just slightly cut under the rocks improving the “catching”.

[@stephenp1983]

Enjoyed the video, would love to see a more detailed video on how it was made or pictures of the angled board

[@UnderParAcres]

I'm going to try and do a video on how I built it, I just haven't needed to use it in a while so I've been slacking...

[@choccolocco]

You definitely need a bigger bush hawg. That’s a beautiful place.

[@UnderParAcres]

Yeah, would love a 15 footer, but even 8 foot would be great!

[@louskunt9798]

How did it “work to perfection” when that thing was only removing maybe 5% of the rocks at most? It would take a year to properly remove all those rocks when you could just rent a Harley rake or rockhound and a skid steer for 400 bucks for the day and do it all in a couple of hours and be done with it.

[@samuelonthewall]

Why can't someone build such a rock picker for a small, 35 horse power tractor? Everything I've looked into is priced at around 5K or more.

[@UnderParAcres]

I agree 100%!

[@TXTractorLife]

Great job!!

[@UnderParAcres]

Thanks!

[@trail457]

Good job.

[@brookes1016]

Hello! I would love more info on what you used to build this, are you going to make a video ?

[@UnderParAcres]

Unfortunately I didn’t start filming until after I had already built it. It’s really just a pallet with an angled blade made out a 2x4 underneath to make the rocks bounce up and over the back board and into the basket. I made the basket out of fence wire and chicken wire to catch and hold the rocks. If I ever get it ready to use again I’ll try and show more detail of it. Thanks!

[@Dave-hc6pp]

Have you looked into a rock rake for your tractor? It should save a lot of time.

[@UnderParAcres]

If I ever redo the yard again, I'll likely rent a rock picker and go all in. This was very helpful, but definitely left a lot of rocks. After the first rain, a lot of new rocks were uncovered. I've been told before though that no matter how many you clean up, more will just either grow or magically appear, and I'm now fully understanding the truth to that...🤣

[@matthewmcisaac2452]

It might well for golf balls too

[@UnderParAcres]

Great idea!

[@Ron_Presley]

Mine are up to the size of a soft ball baseball so would this pallet system work or get tore up?

[@UnderParAcres]

It would not work on rocks that big as it would not fit through the pallet. The rocks would need to be less than about 2 and a half inches to fit through. It's great for the smaller stuff though!

[@bubbaseth1]

outstanding

[@phillipabbott3761]

Can you show how this was built? I need one bad

[@UnderParAcres]

I’ll try to do a detailed video on it.

[@BigJisOK]

Yes please explain more in detail, I have 7 acres to pick rocks. Please help with details!!! Thanks!

[@matthewmeuleman9872]

you need to make a steal one of it

[@UnderParAcres]

I've thought about that. May have to do it the next time I need to use it again.

[@MrRandyj72]

Did you ever make a more detailed video of your rock picker

[@UnderParAcres]

No, unfortunately I didn’t start filming until after I had already built it. It’s really just a pallet with an angled blade made out a 2x4 underneath with a basket made out of fence wire and chicken wire on the back. If I ever get it ready to use again I’ll try and show more detail of it. Thanks!

[@jacquessmith8653]

Not same size rocks as you showed earlier.

[@garykoch3923]

That is hardware cloth not chicken wire

[@UnderParAcres]

I'm a rookie, what can I say...🤣

[@ronmckee8132]

a smooth roller will punch most rocks back into ground

[@UnderParAcres]

I was wondering if that would work…I may have to give it a try! Would you do it before or after new seeding? I was going to aerate and re-seed this fall but don’t know when I would want to roll it. Thanks!

[@denisdufresne5338]

It needs improvement

[@martyboysation]

looks amazing, cant wait for april

[@UnderParAcres]

Thanks!

[@richardmarquez7349]

It would be faster to just rake all the rocks into a pile and then sift them, with a big rake

[@UnderParAcres]

Probably so, I just don’t have the proper equipment yet. I want to get a rock rake for the tractor soon!

[@tcking2670]

@@UnderParAcres So, I just purchased a rock rake, and believe me, that's not the fix for it! It will rake the rocks to one side (mine's 60"), then I plan to come in with a rock bucket to pick up the majority of the line of rocks left from two directions of raking. However, I'm pretty sure that the rock buck won't pick up the smaller rocks, so I'm thinking of building me a rock basket like yours, to drag behind the tractor at the same time as I'm using the rock rake on the front end. We live in the Texas Hill Country, and unfortunately we have very little dirt, but milliions of rocks on top of the pasture is unsightly. I hope that between all three implements, I'll get most of them! Thanks for the video. Would love to see the detailed new video you are planning on!