Box Scraper "But would a box blade do anything with snow?"

[charlesw]

Well, I use one, so before posting I searched the fora... And found this question. So, yes, a box blade would do something. It would plow snow. Very very smoothly.
There are, as always, caveats.
- The BB is NO fun at all with heavy snow of any depth.
- The BB isn't very much fun with any kind of deep snow.

Of course, on the positive side... If you only have a FEL and a BB, well, the BB is a much better choice when it's really cold out. I don't know how long it takes my FEL to really warm up when it's 1F out, but I do know that it's more than 1/2 hour. But the hydraulics on the BB are ready to go in a few quick minutes.

And, yes, it probably only works for me because I have a lot of room - I can pull off the drive every 10' and dump if need be.

But... Wow! Does everything look nice when I'm done! So clean - so smooth!

c

 

[LoneCowboy]

I can add one more piece of advice
Plowing snow (moving snow more accurately) with a box blade that's set too aggressively will flat rip a manhole cover and it's little piece it sits in right out of a dirt road, frozen or not

DAMHIK

 

[caddison]

I have been using a BB for the last couple of years. I like the fact that it will get right down to the concrete. I am going to make an adapter plate for the quick attach for my DX33 to mount a snow blade to the loader but for right now I can float the bucket and it does a fine job!

 

[BTDT]

I can add one more piece of advice
Plowing snow (moving snow more accurately) with a box blade that's set too aggressively will flat rip a manhole cover and it's little piece it sits in right out of a dirt road, frozen or not

DAMHIK

Never seen a manhole cover in a dirt road.

 

[ToddW]

I can add one more piece of advice
Plowing snow (moving snow more accurately) with a box blade that's set too aggressively will flat rip a manhole cover and it's little piece it sits in right out of a dirt road, frozen or not

DAMHIK

Sounds like there is a story here just waiting to be told

/Todd

 

[LoneCowboy]

I live on a private road
it's dirt, but it has a sewer and storm running down it. (so, cool enough I get the advantages of living in the country, with none of the BS, I get city water and sewer)
Anyway.
The county doesn't maintain the road, we keep it ok, but this spring for sure we need to add some gravel back to it.
So, as you know, we've gotten a TON fo snow this year. First snow, 2' plus, all the neighbors and me, we're out plowing away with the tractors. Push it 10' or so, pick it up, dump it.
I'm making a nice run adn WHAM
i hit this manhole cover near my house (which I've hit before)
Did you know that a steering wheel spinner leaves a nice baseball sized green and yellow hard bruise on your gut??????? Hurt like heck.
Next storm, one week later, we get about another foot. it's faster, only one neighbor is helping (that's a different story) and I'm up near the mailboxes.

WHAM
i hit this manhole cover. Again, same spot for the spinner (arrrghhh) and I actually move the thing somewhat.
Crap, so i finish up, and I'm going back towards my house and figure I'll do some clean up, throw down the box blade and head back.
WHAM
total dead stop, then a roll forward (another hit to the gut with that spinner, I'm telling ya ) WTH???
i turn around, one of hte scarifiers is hanging down, caught the lip of the manhole cover and it's little 3" spacer and flipped it clean over and out.
Great. And of course, it's the sewer one (so it stinks)
So, I move them back and get it mostly on there. Them things are heavy!!! and It sits up about an inch too.
I refuse to get near it anymore.
When we thaw ("this winter is never going to end" Bill Murray) I'll call the water people and say "come fix your manhole covers, the ground has fallen away"

 

[AndyMA]

.
When we thaw ("this winter is never going to end" Bill Murray) I'll call the water people and say "come fix your manhole covers, the ground has fallen away"

And I have no idea how those teeth marks got there

Andy

 

[charlesw]

So... Season over (maybe?) I have to say that the box blade rocks compared to a FEL. Provided, again, that the snow isn't that deep (6" or less). Of course, that's most of what we had this year.

As for having snow get packed in the BB, well, that doesn't really happen so much since all of the new snow that comes in pushes the old snow up and out - keeping it from packing solid in place. Ha! As for packing solid in place, yeah, there's always the FEL! Mine is still full of snow - even given our 50F temps today! Not that it's a problem - I make piles with the BB and push them out of the way with the FEL. This works great and I'll definitely do it again. The only thing that I'd change is the BB - anyone have a good line on an 8' or greater BB near Ithaca???