homemade fire rake.

[wareagle5.0]

After looking at these simple tools, I just couldnt bring myself to pay 50-60 bucks for one so i made my own for $0. I used scrap i had laying around. 1"x3" angle iron for the tooth bar, a short piece of 1.5" gas line welded to the head and a piece of galv fence post for the handle. Then i wrapped sand paper tape for some gripping surface and gave them a paint job.

 

[2dogs]

Don't forget to grind the teeth flat on the ends and then sharpen all 3 sides. Fire rakes take a beating and break teeth quite often but for the home owner yours should work fine.

 

[Philbert]

Nice looking rakes.

Philbert

 

[wareagle5.0]

Don't forget to grind the teeth flat on the ends and then sharpen all 3 sides. Fire rakes take a beating and break teeth quite often but for the home owner yours should work fine.

Yes sir, done already. found out today that they work pretty good for raking small limbs up after cutting firewood too.

 

[Gologit]

If the raking part was a little longer you could move more material. Will that metal handle conduct much heat?

 

[wareagle5.0]

If the raking part was a little longer you could move more material. Will that metal handle conduct much heat?

I don't really think heat will be an issue with the sandpaper tape and gloves on. I wanted to make the tooth bar wider but they are pretty close to being as heavy as I would want them to be now.

 

[bert0168]

OK, I've seen these before and know they are a specialty tool but can someone explain why these are shaped differently than a conventional rake?

 

[Philbert]

Dig through all the grass and organic stuff, down to mineral soil, when creating a fire line.

Philbert

 

[2dogs]

Dig through all the grass and organic stuff, down to mineral soil, when creating a fire line.

Philbert

Only sorta. The Council rake as it is commonly called is made primarily for use in the pine forest. The teeth are from a sickle bar mower and have THREE cutting edges. The teeth are not pointed they are sharpened square across the bottom. It is more a cutting tool than a rake. The Council tool is light, the handle is long and easily replaceable. However it does not work well in grass because it does not have a long cutting edge like a Mcleod tool. It is also an inexpensive tool.

If I have to cut low growing ivy or even blackberries by hand a sharp Council tool works very well for me. I have never measured the combined length of the cutting edges on all four teeth but it is much longer than what might be expected.

 

[slowp]

Is the handle long enough to lean on? Maybe even fall asleep while leaning on it?

 

[2dogs]

Is the handle long enough to lean on? Maybe even fall asleep while leaning on it?

Yes to both.

 

[slowp]

Maybe a hollow handle with an inflatable airbag (pillow) stored inside would be an improvement.

 

[2dogs]

Maybe a hollow handle with an inflatable airbag (pillow) stored inside would be an improvement.

I think you need a nap.

 

[Jim Timber]

Make your handle out of stainless steel. It doesn't conduct heat well. Large diameter thin wall tubing wouldn't weigh much either.

 

[northmanlogging]

Make your handle out of stainless steel. It doesn't conduct heat well. Large diameter thin wall tubing wouldn't weigh much either.

Are you high? Stainless just takes more heat to weld, conducts just about as well as any other steel, or luminium. Copper, gold and silver on the other hand they conduct heat quite well, just kinda spendy to be building a rake out of.

On that note though, most times the heat will only travel a few feet up, and that is while forging at yellow or bright red heat (nearly melting but not quite). So I would imagine that a 5' handle would be more then enough, unless you drop it in a fire some wheres... then well get thicker gloves.

 

[Gologit]

Maybe a hollow handle with an inflatable airbag (pillow) stored inside would be an improvement.

A cup holder would be nice.

 

[slowp]

A cup holder would be nice.

That too. Then you can be waked up gently and have coffee handed to you on the line. So civilized. So unfirely.

 

[chucker]

??hey!! how about a pipe handle with a working garden hose attached to it for the hot times it will incur?? water cooled with a blast of wet mist for the operator! lol water supplied by one of slowp,s water cans carried on the back? ? it could just work for someone with a lot of ambition.........

 

[aarolar]

Are you high? Stainless just takes more heat to weld, conducts just about as well as any other steel, or luminium. Copper, gold and silver on the other hand they conduct heat quite well, just kinda spendy to be building a rake out of.

On that note though, most times the heat will only travel a few feet up, and that is while forging at yellow or bright red heat (nearly melting but not quite). So I would imagine that a 5' handle would be more then enough, unless you drop it in a fire some wheres... then well get thicker gloves.

Negative stainless steel is much slower to conduct heat than most other steels, I tig weld 8 hrs a day 5 day a week and I would be happy to prove it to you any day. Why do you think good stainless cook wear has copper bottoms?

 

[northmanlogging]

Like I said it Takes More Heat To Weld It conducts nearly as well, its just harder so it stands up to more heat. If it was such a poor conductor then It surely wouldn't be used for cooking would it.