Box Scraper Box Blade

   / Box Blade #21  
Not to change the subject but, how deep do your rippers go into the ground at maximum depth? The Gannon rollover scrapers will put them 10" in the ground. That makes for a lot of ground to be moved after each ripping.:)
Back on subject, in most cases I have found that ripping the ground a few times sure makes the dirt easier to work with.

I have a lot of dirt that I will be moving a short distance in the not to distant future and I am going to use my FEL and my Gannon at the same time. I figure that a little over 2 yards at a pass should get the job done about 50% quicker than just using the Gannon.
 
   / Box Blade #22  
Mine's only a 500 pound six footer, yet I don't have the issues you describe - because I use the scarifiers to render the soil into something the blades and the box can then move/grade/level. Sounds like you're trying to do everything in one pass - and quite obviously realizing it can't be done.

Of course I do the same thing.
But for most, moving the scarifiers up and down everytime you want to make the soil soft enough to move can be very time consuming so I'm sure some of the posters just try to cut level without using scarifiers first. And you (and I) are right about the boxblade not cutting good that way. That's when you get the boxblade to ride up and down the contours. From your description(s), there's no doubt that you and I operate the the boxblade in a similar fashion, I see that now. It's just that when the gage wheels were thrown into the discussion, I started thinking in terms of "grading" or "smoothing" and then trying to cut that way without ripping first. Because generally, that's what I associate with usage of the gage wheels. Know what I mean?
jshbryan's original post was about leveling. That requires use of all the techniques we've discussed here.

Sometimes you only want to take off the high points with out disturbing the low points. And then continue onward for a really smooth finish... or... just scrape a little bit more off as you continue. If you have to tilt the boxblade back to keep the scarifiers from digging in, your not going to able to take a small slice over the following section without ripping that up too.
I turned my boxblade into gear driven hydraulic scarifiers so I can rip, cut and contour all in one pass. Look carefully and you can see when I back over the ledge, that's when they are lowered. Then as I drive forward, I raise them up so they only rip the ledge and don't rip anymore after that. Then I only move the part I ripped off. If I had to tilt the boxblade back, I would deposit some dirt on the already level area ahead and I don't want to do that in this case. I set the scarifier depth travel to only 4" when the box is flat. But by shortening the top link (tilting it forward), they dig about 8" deep. You may have to replay the video to catch it?



When moving lots of dirt, I do exactly like MtnViewRanch and grab a heaping bucket full and a heaping boxblade full and deliver it to where I want.
That's a 1/2 yard bucket with a heaping yard in it and almost that much inside and in front of the boxblade. You can see the fronts squish down.

 
   / Box Blade #23  
greg,
I understand your point. I wish I had a bigger nicer tractor. :D I don't have position or draft control on my little BX.:mad: I also don't have hundreds of hours of practice.:confused: So for me, the wheels make for the easiest and and best end result. As to why they do not sell them for box blades, I don't know. It seems like an easily engineered solution and if you search TBN, you will notice that many folks have done it.

3RRL,
Wish I had your skill level (and tractor). Thanks for the actions shots.
 
   / Box Blade #24  
MtnViewRanch said:
Not to change the subject but, how deep do your rippers go into the ground at maximum depth?
Mine are three holers, they'll drop about six inches. For simple road maintenance though, I only drop them one hole - just enough to penetrate, and therefore provide some material for the box and blades to work with. I also set the draft control to bring the box back up before the scarifiers hit dirt, limiting the amount of soil/clay that gets mixed with the gravel.

In dirt, the scarifier depth kinda depends upon how thick the topsoil is. I try to keep them from bringing up clay. Lotsa variables.

//greg//
 
   / Box Blade #25  
3RRL said:
I turned my boxblade into gear driven hydraulic scarifiers so I can rip, cut and contour all in one pass
It's great that you've purpose-built your boxblade. But that modification sounds like it's now denied to you one of the options I described above: specifically the ability to drop one or more scarifier as required. When I have an irregular surface to grade/level, I'll drop only those scarifiers needed to rip the material on the high spot(s) only. The low spots then received the displaced material.

//greg//
 
   / Box Blade #26  
kwolfe,
Thank you for the compliment! Having done that makes my boxblade work so much easier. If you want to read more about the modification, go here:
HYDRAULIC GEAR DRIVEN SCARIFIER MOD

greg_g said:
It's great that you've purpose-built your boxblade. But that modification sounds like it's now denied to you one of the options I described above: specifically the ability to drop one or more scarifier as required. When I have an irregular surface to grade/level, I'll drop only those scarifiers needed to rip the material on the high spot(s) only. The low spots then received the displaced material.

//greg//
Thanks Greg, but you are mistaken in your assumption.
Those are 3 hole scarifiers too and they can be positioned in the scarifier holder block or removed completely as desired, just like the original manual design. That gives me the the same flexibility as you describe. When I lower then to their deepest point, they are about 10" down when I want to rip seriously. But my soil generally stops the tractor and all 4 wheels spin, especially in that hard DG. Plus I have a lot of rocks and boulders in most places.

I also have hydraulic side links (2) for maximum sideways tilt. I use that frequently instead of adjusting the scarifiers to get at irregular surfaces if I can get to it without adjusting the scarifiers individually. My sideways tilt has quite a bit of range, adjustable on the fly. Great for banking or crowning and cutting my dirt gutters.

 
   / Box Blade #27  
3RRL said:
Those are 3 hole scarifiers too and they can be positioned in the scarifier holder block or removed completely as desired, just like the original manual design.
I stand corrected. Excellent forward thinking!

//greg//
 
   / Box Blade #28  
I think Rob's set up is great but for most of us it just isn't an option. A hydraulic top-link is also a great thing, but many of us don't have one of those either.

So, I tend to do these sorts of jobs in steps. I drop the teeth all the way down and angle the BB for the most aggressive bite with the teeth. Then I rip the area up with the teeth. This does not move any dirt. When that's done, I put the blade back nearly level but with the teeth still all the way down and do it again. This time its ripping and collecting/moving dirt. If the surface is rough, you'll have to keep your hand on the 3pt hitch lever....an aquired skill. When that's done, teeth come up to about the level point or off altogether and the finer smoothing begins.

So that's how its done (by me) without the aid of extra hydraulics.
 
   / Box Blade #29  
LOL Rob is gifted and has shown us all the extreme we can take are tools or the tractor to. That said you can not dispute the time behind using different implements. One of the biggest points I like to point out and this applies to all attachments and the tractor itself & tools in general. I'll use the Box Blade as it is the subject of this thread. You can not assume that you can just attach a box blade to your tractor, drop it on the ground and assume it is going to do what you want. Tools are aids to an end. I find you have to work your equipment.Take your High spots and knock them down, You use your eyes and your brain. You can not just drive in circles and think the machines are going to do all the work for you. You have to plan in your mind what you want to accomplish, be creative. I think the greatest point Rob has shown us all in so many of his contributions is to think out side the box. Be creative and I don't necessarily mean by modifying you equipment but look at your land and tools. You know what you want in the end, Open your eyes and exploit your tools on hand to there greatest potential
 
 
 
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