Leveling my driveway

   / Leveling my driveway #1  

tessiers

Platinum Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
728
Location
Central Maine
Tractor
05' JD 790 - 53' Ford NAA - 70' Massey Fergusen 135 diesel - 67' John Deere 3020 deisel - 77' John Deere 2130 - 1950 John Deere MC
After trying a number of attachments to level and smooth my 1/4 mile+ driveway I Built something that works better than all of the factory ones including a rock rake, bow blade, grader blade and chain drag. I designed it by looking at several factory versions and a little of my own input. It works very well although I have to stop and pick the rocks out every now and again. If I let too many rocks build up inside they tend to roll under the blade leaving ridges. All the steel was scrap I had on hand. Total Investment to build it was $13.00.
 

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   / Leveling my driveway #2  
tessiers said:
After trying a number of attachments to level and smooth my 1/4 mile+ driveway I Built something that works better than all of the factory ones including a rock rake, bow blade, grader blade and chain drag. I designed it by looking at several factory versions and a little of my own input. It works very well although I have to stop and pick the rocks out every now and again. If I let too many rocks build up inside they tend to roll under the blade leaving ridges. All the steel was scrap I had on hand. Total Investment to build it was $13.00.
\

That is certainly a beefy looking rig and even if you counted your labor on the build, it would be impossible to beat the price! I hope you weren't out in the sun today working on that driveway? We hit 98 on the shaded side of the house in Belgrade.

How wide is your box blade (I call it that, but you invented it with a combination of implements in mind, so I guess you should put a name to it) and what are you pulling it with? Dyer, retired
 
   / Leveling my driveway
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I was napping on the porch while it was 98 deg today.

It is 6' wide, and I guess it is a box blade. It is 5' long which makes it ride over the holes and fills them in much better than my factory box blade. The front blade is cut out with teeth every 4" so it breaks up the gravel so the second blade can level it out. The chain allows me to lift it and have it float when it is down so both blades do their job.

I pull it with a 95 John Deere 790. I own a small family farm and the 790 has turned out to be a super tractor for us. It replaced a Massey Fergusen, which was a good tractor but I didn't like the dealer.
 
   / Leveling my driveway #4  
It reminds me of some of the small groomers I see for neighborhood snowmobile trails. My friend has one made with plow cutting edges he pulls with his skidoo. Looks good! plowking
 
   / Leveling my driveway #5  
tessiers said:
I was napping on the porch while it was 98 deg today.

It is 6' wide, and I guess it is a box blade. It is 5' long which makes it ride over the holes and fills them in much better than my factory box blade. The front blade is cut out with teeth every 4" so it breaks up the gravel so the second blade can level it out. The chain allows me to lift it and have it float when it is down so both blades do their job.

I pull it with a 95 John Deere 790. I own a small family farm and the 790 has turned out to be a super tractor for us. It replaced a Massey Fergusen, which was a good tractor but I didn't like the dealer.

It's a nice design and sturdy looking for sure. It does the job, which is the whole idea. Good work!

We beat the heat by kayaking on Great Pond while the breezes were up. I think they are predicting more of the same for the next couple of days.

Dyer, retired
 
   / Leveling my driveway #6  
That type of blade is referred to as a "road grader" type blade.
I love that you used what you had and made it yourself. There's a lot to be said for doing it yourself and I admire that.
It looks well made and I'm sure it will do a really good job for you too.
How much does it weigh?
 
   / Leveling my driveway #7  
3RRL said:
That type of blade is referred to as a "road grader" type blade.
I love that you used what you had and made it yourself. There's a lot to be said for doing it yourself and I admire that.
It looks well made and I'm sure it will do a really good job for you too.
How much does it weigh?

I guess I should have known it was called a road grader, I get literature about once a week from DR on their Road Grader. I don't remember, but must have inquired at some point about their product and am now on the mailing list for life. It looked pretty low grade compared to Tessiers design.

3RRL, I suspect you have built one of these at some point? I follow, with great interest, about every project you work on and am always impressed with the final product. The backhoe thumb build was the last I followed....anything new in the works? I also enjoy the pictures. Dyer, retired
 
   / Leveling my driveway
  • Thread Starter
#8  
It weighs about 500 lbs. The angles for the 3 point connection are designed to hold a 2' square concrete block that I have that weighs an adittional 300 lbs. I have not put on the additional weight, mostly because I felt it was not needed.

I atually considered buying the DR grader until I looked at it. The teeth on the front blade are 1/2" square bar stock and I felt they would bend too easily. It might be OK if you didn't have many rocks but I dont think it would stand up to my use. It looked like it should be behind a lawn tractor.
 
   / Leveling my driveway #9  
I hadn't seen a DR grader other than the pamphlets they send every week and that's the impression I got.....that they would not hold up very well. They show a guy pulling it to level a driveway, but the driveway looks like it is made up of loam....zero rocks bigger than a marble, so it would not work for my yard. I've been looking at Box Blades, but the price always turns me around when I consider the use I'll get out of it...a couple of times a year (I've noticed that there is no such thing as a used box blade for sale either.) I've been able to level my driveway with my six foot blade, but it's taken me a couple of years to get the hang of it and I wouldn't be so bold as to say I've completely got the hang of it yet. I bring up some big rocks in the process and scare myself looking back at initial passes. Anyway, good job on yours! John
 
   / Leveling my driveway #10  
impressive! looks like a well designed commercial product......

i saved the pics, i hope to have a 1/4+ driveway soon:rolleyes:


tessiers said:
After trying a number of attachments to level and smooth my 1/4 mile+ driveway I Built something that works better than all of the factory ones including a rock rake, bow blade, grader blade and chain drag. I designed it by looking at several factory versions and a little of my own input. It works very well although I have to stop and pick the rocks out every now and again. If I let too many rocks build up inside they tend to roll under the blade leaving ridges. All the steel was scrap I had on hand. Total Investment to build it was $13.00.
 
 
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