Side plates and rippers for back blade

[RedDirt]

My new/used BX23 came with a 5' back blade instead of the box blade I'd have preferred.

Though I don't expect the following proposal to work as good as a bone fide box blade, my use of it is very short lived. Once my drive is regraded it will rarely be used again.

For the bx 5' back blade:
Side plates: add 1/4" thick bolt-on side plates. 12" to 18" long, bottom of plates 1" up from blade cutting edge. Diagonal brace the side plates to the blade with strap or angle. Bolt-on braces at 45 degrees, set at middle of blade/plates. Maybe need two dia braces ea side; one a couple inches up from the bottom, the other at the top?
Rippers: Add a bolt-on, diagonally braced, cross tube perpendicular below the pulling arm and use 4 bone-fide toothed scarifier shanks slotted into the cross tube. I have some 4x4x 3/8" scrap for the cross tube. At the center, top, of the cross tube I'd weld a pair of 3x12x1/2 plates that would bolt or pin onto the 3x3x(?) existing pulling arm with 3/4" dia grade 5 bolts/pins. I think I'd run the back of the 3x3x1/2attachment plates flush at the back of the cross tube then forward from there the 12". Then I'd gusset the front face of the cross tube to the attachment plates to counteract the rotational load on the cross tube.

Existing driveway is thin layer of crushed gravel over packed clay, no rocks/boulders. Terrain is almost level. I intend to strip off and stockpile the existing gravel, regrade maximum of 8" (mostly 0" to 4") depth for correct drainage, crown and ditch, replace stripped gravel as a base and have a few more gravel loads hauled in for topping. Drive is about 600ft long.

Do you think the described rear blade attachments would do the job?

I know I won't be able to angle the blade with the rippers on unless I can set the cross bar ahead of the first angle adjustment. I have had reasonable success angle blading with the little back blade on my Wards tractor with side plates attached. Side plates on, angled and tilted, I've made decent shallow drain ditches. I expect more available tilt and depth with the TPH. The 4x4x3/8 cross tube may be a bit large but it's just sitting there, cheap.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[3RRL]

Yes, great idea.
The versatility of the boxblade combined with the added agility of a back blade.

 

[2manyrocks]

If I follow you right, you would end up with a larger version of the side plate/ripper bar attachment that used to be sold with Brinly blades for Cub Cadets. Their rippers were mounted directly in front of the blade which gave them the support of the blade. The tips extended slightly down past the blade.

Ought to cut. You could rip with the rippers, take them off, and then angle the material to move it.

Biggest problem I think would be in moving 600' feet of existing material with anything. Would be less time and work to reshape what's there.

For crowning the tilt feature on the blade would be good. If you add gauge wheels, should work even better. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/108102-my-version-skunkwerxs-gauge-wheels-2.html

Please post some pictures when you get further along.

 

[RedDirt]

2manyrocks,
I misrepresented the length of the driveway "work". Of the 600 ft of drive only 200ft or so needs to be stripped then regraded. The rest will just be topped and fine graded with a slight crown.

I think we're on the same page. The Cadet style back blade, if similar to mine, is weak at the support of the side plates in that they are only tied to each other and the side with the biggest load "wins". This is especially evident when angle/tilted ditch shaping.

My proposed design varies in that side plates are independent of the ripper bar, diagonally braced to the blade itself for better support of the side plates.

With side plates attached and blade perpendicular to travel I hope the back blade will function as a pseudo box blade (though I'm sure not as well). I have turn-out space intermittently down the road "work" length so the plan is to scrape and stockpile "sections" and not have to drag the whole lot to one spot.

And yes, I'll likely add gauge wheels to my blade.

As for photos, this will be a "sometime" this winter project but I'll certainly post a group of design and fab photos when the time comes. First fabrication project will be a narrow trenching bh bucket. I've posted that concept on the Kubota Operating site hoping for feedback regarding the usability of a narrow bucket. (I'm also following charlz "narrow bucket" thread with interest).

 

[2manyrocks]

I wonder if anybody has built a "mini dirt pan scraper" for a CUT, and I don't mean just a pond scoop. I just worked a friend's driveway this week with a rear blade. I wish I could have just scraped up all the gravel at the bottom of his hill and moved it to the top, but there was too much material, too much slope and too much distance.

The good news for you is you at least have a mostly level site to work on. I also found that the rear blade cut easier than my box blade. You might not even need the rippers to do what you want.

 

[MJPetersen]

I wonder if anybody has built a "mini dirt pan scraper" for a CUT, and I don't mean just a pond scoop.

Do you mean like this?

Hoelscher Commercial Products - DB Scraper

or this Model 300 Dirt Scraper,3 cubic yards,Rowse Hydraulic Rakes Company Quality Haying Equipment, Burwell, Nebraska

or General Information about Mini Dirt Scraper

Some enterprising individuals have made them for themselves too. There are a couple of threads which give a little detail about scrapers that are sized for smaller machines. Cute working miniatures of the huge machines that are used on major "cut and fill" projects.

Mike

 

[sandman2234]

too much material, too much slope and too much distance.



The only thing that changes that is too little money and lots of time!!! If I had a rear scoop and plenty of time, I would probably give it a whirl. Makes for plenty of seat time, which I enjoy!
David from jax

 

[2manyrocks]

Yes, Mike. I tried searching for construction details for a pan scraper, but haven't actually found any yet. In reality, it would be cheaper to buy another load of gravel than to actually build or buy a pan scraper. I'm sure there aren't any to rent around here, either.

I have moved loose gravel with a pond scoop. It would work, but it would take a while, and I would have to clean it up the box blade later.

 

[sandman2234]

I am sure you could buy a bunch of gravel for the cost of even a small pan. In fact, from what I have seen, the larger pans bring less than the small ones.
David from jax