Land Plane

[ironpen]

I have a land plane I have never used. The church I go to has some rather large gravel "overflow" parking lots that are becoming unlevel and have areas that need gravel redistributed back on to them. First question....is this a good tool for this? Next, can a fairly experienced tractor guy....but one who has never used one of these....not make a mess out of the lots. Any hints would be greatly appreciated. A friend gave me this thing several years ago, and I forgot I even had it. I really would appreciate some advice on how to use it properly. TIA

[texasjohn]

We need a photo to know for sure what equipment you have.
One kind of land plane has two slanted blades and no back end. The material rides up over the blades which cut the top off of the surface and holes are filled in.
If you have this, then it is exactly what is needed and unlikely you would make a mess of things. You can search TBN for "land plane" and see numerous threads and photos and discussion about how to use. EverythingAttachments.com also has a video showing how to use it.

[Halftrack]

How about a photo of the land plane, width of the blade and which tractor you are going to use, to get us started on this discussion. We need to visualize this operation.

[ironpen]

It is 6 feet wide. It has two blades that are angled and about 5 inches tall. The back is open. I wish I had a picture but I don't. I plan on pulling it with my tc33d New Holland....but if that puts too much strain on it, I could use my New Holland TN75 (unless you guys think I should start with the TN75. The TN75 has a cab and I kind of wanted to be able to hear what was happening behind me). I did watch the video as you suggested (that looks very similar to mine) and that was helpful. Do I want to have this thing level or should I have the back blade slightly higher or lower than the front blade?? Also, what do you do when you get to the end of the area to keep from having a mound of gravel when you raise the blade? Anything to AVOID doing that might make a mess?? I hate to ask dumb questions, but I will anyway!!

[texasjohn]

Great tool, wish I had one. I'd do some experimentation in the center of the parking lot...my experience is that different weight attachments, different ground conditions, etc. give different results. Mistakes you might make in the center of the lot will be easier to fix than those at the very edge. You'll learn as you go. Is it a 3ph or does it have wheels? If 3ph, length of top link will make a big difference.....do you have a hydraulic top link? These are very handy with this kind of implement.

[hosspuller]

When you're using the land plane on gravel... When you get to the end of a pass, Make a sharp turn. Depending on the angle of your blades, it could be better left or right. This leaves the gravel in a long row parallel to the direction of travel. Back over the pile, drop the plane and continue your pass. When you get to the finish, slowly lift the plane and the gravel will feather out.

Before I got the plane, I spent more time fixing the divots and bumps from using the back blade than smoothing the road gravel.

[ironpen]

It is a 3 point hitch. I don't have a hydraulic top link on either tractor. Would you start with front and back blades approx. level with each other?? The idea about the quick turn at the end sounds very good. Do y'all think the 33 hp tractor is likely to pull this thing ok or should I start with the 75??

[Halftrack]

Stick with the TC 33D, as the 3 pt control is more sensitive and will give you better control of the plane. The plane is designed to operate in a level mode and the top link will not have great influence on its operation. Set the plane and tractor on a level piece of concrete and as you lift it off the concrete, it should lift evenly, not front or back first. As you approach the end of the lot, gradually lift the plane out of the gravel to lessen the buildup. Work the gravel towards the low spots first, then cover the entire lot to give an even appearance. It will be easier than you think. Before and after photos please.

[ironpen]

I hopefully can give a try tomorrow. No later than Thursday. I really appreciate all you guys helping me out. How do I attach pictures??

[ironpen]

I hopefully can give a try tomorrow. No later than Thursday. I really appreciate all you guys helping me out. How do I attach pictures??