box blade vs standard blade

   / box blade vs standard blade #1  

jkaz

New member
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Messages
1
Location
ames, ia
Tractor
NH tc45 ss
I've been reading posts and learning for over a year. I even got to benefit from the ageless "no joy joystick" thread since the same problem happened to me. I have a NH tc45ss with fel and 46 acres. I need to do some grading work around new structures in the short term and long term gravel drive maintainence and snow removal (1/4 mile drive). Sholuld I be looking at standard rear blade or a box blade or both? I guess I want to know how much grading i can achieve with a standard blade. I assume a top-n-tilt will make work with both more enjoyable and efficient. I would have to install two rear remotes for the top-n-tilt (or would I?).
 
   / box blade vs standard blade #2  
jkaz said:
\Sholuld I be looking at standard rear blade or a box blade or both? I guess I want to know how much grading i can achieve with a standard blade. I assume a top-n-tilt will make work with both more enjoyable and efficient. I would have to install two rear remotes for the top-n-tilt (or would I?).

Box Blade will allow you to have a Box full of Gravel , and control placement of material, For Driveway maintainence.

Standard Blade with TNT will allow to pull gravel, but on a wide Drive, there will be "Leakage" on both sides of the Blade when pulling a Blade full of Gravel.

Standard Blade with Angle adjustment would allow "Plowing" of snow in Forward / Reverse motion, Downside is, Standard Blade would leave a Line of Gravel at edge of Driveway once Snow melts.

BB would only alow "Pulling or Pushing" of Snow in F / R motion, but you would have a Pile of Gravel at the Location that you deposited the Snow ( Much easier to collect gravel in the spring) .

Yes you would need two remotes for TNT, if the FEL was still on Tractor, while using the TNT at the Rear.

If you are removing the FEL, then you could run HYD lines with Quick connects from FEL remotes to rear TNT, and use Joystick to operate TNT.

I already have Standard Blade, and made it work when leveling Drive/Parking areas. A BB would have made easier work.

I guess a BB with Scarifers would be the Better choice if purchasing just one ( on a Budget ) , I could a find for Both if I had a Budget that would allow both to purchased.
 
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   / box blade vs standard blade #3  
Some standard straight blades offer factory side plates that either bolt or pin on. This converts the straight blade into a pseudo box blade configuration for pulling a load of material along much like a box blade.

What you don't get with end plates on a straight blade versus a box blade is scarifiers and the second reversed cutting edge behind the forward facing cutting edge. That second reversed cutting edge (along with the center link adjustment of a top and tilt) is one of the things that makes box blades particularly good at smoothing material while pulling forward. The reversed blade also lets you quickly and efficiently push material straight backwards.

One thing that box blades don't do is allow you to move or windrow material from side to side. This angling feature makes the straight blade work well with snow. It also lets you windrow gravel back and forth across a driveway, not unlike how road graders work when grading gravel roads. This angled windrowing action also helps eliminate washboards on a gravel road.

A straight blade with three way adjustments including angle, offset, and tilt, can be used to easily cut ditches as well as pull material from outside the tractor's rear wheels towards the middle or opposite side of the tractor.

A good straight blade will also allow you to completely reverse the blade 180 degrees to allow you to push material backwards like a box blade will. Actually, with end plates in place, this position gives you an ability a box blade doesn't have (pushing a load of material). Finally, with the straight blade reversed but pulling it forward, the straight blade can perform much of the same smoothing function as the reverse blade on a box blade.

T&T is a definite advantage on both a box blade or a straight blade. Personally, I think that T&T is a requirement with a box or straight blade for efficient use. It allows you to make subtle on the fly adjustments to the box or straight blade tilt and blade pitch. However, you can make the same top and tilt adjustments with the manual center and draft links on most all tractors although it is such a pain to do it this way you tend not to make the adjustments you really need to make.

Bottom line is that box blades and straight blades can perform some of the same tasks, but each has its own sweet spot and each can do things the other cannot. If you can swing both blades, you get all the benefits of both. If you have to limit yourself to one kind of rear blade, I personally think that a straight blade with angle, offset, tilt, and reversing capability along with optional end plates is the best compromise situation.

Finally, it is possible to purchase straight scarifier 3PH attachments (think box blade without the box) or other ripper attachments if you need that capability. 'Course, you'd have to swap out the straight blade and scarifier implement as needed to do the job. But, with a quick hitch setup, that can be a pretty simple task.

Hope this long winded box blade versus straight blade pros and cons explanation gives you some good info to help you make your decision. I'm sure people from both the box blade and straight blade camp will chime in with their own experiences and recommendations.
 
   / box blade vs standard blade #4  
One thing I will point out is whichever one you choose , buy a good one . My First straight blade was a cheapo , I ruined it in short order . ( one tree root ) I bought a landpride 84" rb35 after that . It is a very well made blade , and heavy , over 500 lbs . I think it's about 10 yrs old now . I use it on a 2120 ford tractor with 35 pto hp .
 
   / box blade vs standard blade #5  
I usually only use a rear blade for snow and some driveway maint.
Box blade for most other work.
 
   / box blade vs standard blade #6  
I used the 7' box blade for snow removal and it worked quite well. I went in reverse to push most of the snow. It also worked quite well to pull the snow from in front of buildings. I was surprised at how nice it worked.
 
 
 
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