Box Scraper Thinking of buying box blade to level new food plot???

[Spearman44]

Before I blow 699 (6 foot county line) at tractor supply ... I cleared about 1/2 to 1 acre in the woods for a new foodplot and have pretty uneven ground after pulling stumps roots stones etc.... What's everyone's input to how much faster it would be then the fel. There's not exactly perfect loose topsoil however I plan to bring a few loads of topsoil/clay/sand mix that I have a sparing amount of.

 

[ENC]

If you have the money buy it. It will be faster than FEL and easier on your tractor. You might pick up a used model cheaper if you look around

 

[coobie]

Before I blow 699 (6 foot county line) at tractor supply ... I cleared about 1/2 to 1 acre in the woods for a new foodplot and have pretty uneven ground after pulling stumps roots stones etc.... What's everyone's input to how much faster it would be then the fel. There's not exactly perfect loose topsoil however I plan to bring a few loads of topsoil/clay/sand mix that I have a sparing amount of.

Rent a 3pt. tiller

 

[jeff9366]

How level do you need it to be?

A Disc Harrow will chop up existing cover and do some leveling with each pass. Disc Harrow is a good mixer.

A Cultipacker, to roll in seed and PREVENT EROSION should be on your list.

The Disc Harrow can chop up each season's remains. Most seed for food plots are also used in Green Manure/Cover Crop seed mixes, usually very strong germinators.

Disc Harrow, not quite a plow, not quite a tiller; faster than both.

 

[Spearman44]

I also have 1000 foot limestone driveway, would I like the box blade better than the York rake I already have to maintain it?

 

[jeff9366]

Maybe.

Box Blade is forward/reverse/forward/reverse. Great for moving dirt short distances. "Cuts" where rake cannot. Rippers can get to bottom of pot holes.

The rake excels at removing crowns to fill in low spots. You can operate it at a good clip. And really smooth WITH GAUGE WHEELS.

I often use Landscape Rake with gauge wheels in succession to Box Blade to leave smooth results. I am very picky about results. Some Landscape Rakes are available with "shoes" which corral dirt move dirt with the Landscape Rake to a certain extent. However, Landsape Rakes do not cut.

I have both implements. I suppose they spend about equal hours mounted on the three point hitch.

If the rake is pretty heavy, won't it work well in your food plot? My ETA Landscape Rake is pretty heavy, sort of mimics a rear blade with certain adjustments.

If you first use Disc Harrow to cut up food plot, rake will definitely smooth it.

I would seek a Box Blade of at least 675 pounds in six foot width. Remember, gravity is only down force on 3-Pt. hitch, so Box Blade weight does the work. In order to cut with a Box Blade you need weight, lots of weight. I pull a 630 pound Rollover Box Blade behind my Kubota B3300SU/33-hp/1,900 pounds/59" tire width; highly satisfactory. TSC's Countyline Box Blades are pretty light, may not cut better than the Landscape Rake you have.

Photo shows ROBB rippers down, tearing out wild grape roots. Soil had to be moist for this high draft task.

 

[Ken45101]

How much hp is your tractor? The TSC implements are rated for 30hp or so IIRC.

Yes, it will smooth out rough ground. You will want the scarifiers with it if they are not included.

As for the driveway, it depends on the size of the rock and how hard packed it is. Loose, small stone, it will do good. Hard packed bigger stone? It will make things worse, not better but digging up the bigger rocks.

 

[Spearman44]

I have a John deere 4720, 58 hp. Thanks for all the posts. I agree the tsc box blade is not heavy enough and I've decided to disk it and then use my rake as its a foodplot and not my front yard. The site looks a lot like the site Jeff has pictured. That's an awesome box you have on the back of you kabota.

 

[jenkinsph]

Alot would depend on how much trash is on the surface but since you have a rake for that then a boxblade or landplane will both help smooth the surface out. A disk or tiller would help break down the surface materials too. For most smoothing and filling in holes I use a landplane more than a boxblade. I use a boxblade when I need to develop more of a controlled contour or shape and/or make larger more agressive cuts. Here is what I use for my 4520 and would work well for your 4720 as well.

 

[Spearman44]

that landplane looks like it would be pretty useful, nice tractor too. thanks for the idea. Im excited to get my plot finished up so I can leave the area and get the deer coming in.