Grading Box Blade woes and floating

[lootiejay]

So in the past week or so I have had about 30 hours seat time and it has been LOVELY. I feel like a big kid.

I dug a trench, hauled things, scraped concrete and it has been a joy. 2 days ago my wife says, "You bought it to fix the driveway, can you please go fix the driveway?"
So I went out there with the box blade after watching nearly every YouTube video I could and I have to say I officially MANGLED the living **** out of it.

I dropped the scarifiers(sp), drove slow, and then raised them and put the box in float. Every video I watched saif that putting it in float will allow it to roll over the surface / contour of the ground.
However I end up with a box full of dirt that never leaves the box. Of course, I raise the box slightly but it is always too much or too little and I end up just dragging dirt aimlessly or leaving huge mounds.
I know this will take time to learn but I envy these guys I see doing this on a fairly regular basis. I am so ashamed of the mess I made I wont even post a picture.

Ultimately, can someone explain EXACTLY w=hat floating the box blade is supposed to do? Also, is there anything wrong with using the FEL to level out my work instead of the box blade? I am able to do a MUCH better job using the FEL than the box scraper.

 

[/pine]

How are you putting it in float? you mean the hydraulic top link? almost all three point hitches are automatically always in float (no downward pressure)...

A box blade will only fill if the forward cutting edge is set to cut (shortened top link)...passing over low areas with the top link extended will normally deposit the payload into the low spots...

 

[oosik]

I don't know that there are any secrets. I know it takes a lot of experience to successfully operate a lot of ground engagement implements. Example - box blade and rear blade.

I can screw up this one problem section of my driveway with my rear blade, so fast, makes my head spin. Then I back drag with the bucket on the FEL and smooth all my digs, chips, lumps and furrows. Looks pretty good then. I've tried draft control with the rear blade - no joy for me.

I will say - I'm almost good with the rear blade. With the box blade - God save the Queen - look out, here he comes again!!! Six foot wide gouges and many "drop mounds".

 

[donaldj]

So in the past week or so I have had about 30 hours seat time and it has been LOVELY. I feel like a big kid.

I dug a trench, hauled things, scraped concrete and it has been a joy. 2 days ago my wife says, "You bought it to fix the driveway, can you please go fix the driveway?"
So I went out there with the box blade after watching nearly every YouTube video I could and I have to say I officially MANGLED the living **** out of it.

I dropped the scarifiers(sp), drove slow, and then raised them and put the box in float. Every video I watched saif that putting it in float will allow it to roll over the surface / contour of the ground.
However I end up with a box full of dirt that never leaves the box. Of course, I raise the box slightly but it is always too much or too little and I end up just dragging dirt aimlessly or leaving huge mounds.
I know this will take time to learn but I envy these guys I see doing this on a fairly regular basis. I am so ashamed of the mess I made I wont even post a picture.

Ultimately, can someone explain EXACTLY w=hat floating the box blade is supposed to do? Also, is there anything wrong with using the FEL to level out my work instead of the box blade? I am able to do a MUCH better job using the FEL than the box scraper.

When your load in the box blade gets too heavy and starts to bog down the tractor, the float feature lifts the blade up slightly, letting material out, and reducing the engine load. It works for situations where you'll be going over an area multiple times and can tolerate initial unevenness. I kinda widh there was a 'throttle float' that adjusted RPM to prevent bogging, too.

 

[/pine]

I don't know that there are any secrets....

The one an only secret is no secret...it's hydraulic T&T...without hydraulics mastering a box blade is next to impossible period...!

T&T in a matter of a few of hours can turn the worst hack in the world with box blade into looking like they know what they're doing and it just keeps getting better and better...

 

[Ritothebull]

I ran all kinds of heavy equipment when I was a kid with no trouble but I found that doing any kind of respectable looking work with a box blade to be a real pain in the ***, and the guys on you tube might as well be using Tonka toys for the stuff their pushing around. I'd like to see them come grade my road with all the different types of materials that have been put down over the years, and then theres the hills and dips to deal with as well. Probably the most important thing I learned is that once you start to do your finish grade allways keep some material in your blade or it will tend to get choppy, that is unless your lucky enough to be working with beach sand or some real fine material on a perfectly level area like those guys.

 

[lootiejay]

I am thinking about getting a TnT installed so I dont end up loosing my mind.
I mean, I am pretty decent when trying to do anything else but I just cant seem to get things going with the box blade...

I am thinking a land plane would be easier to use but I might as well just by the TnT first and then look at a land plane at a later date.

I put the blade in float by lowering the 3 point all the way down, on the 2501 it says the lowest position puts the 3 point hitch in float.

 

[oosik]

You WILL find that your box blade is a very useful implement WHEN you get that hydraulic top link. It allow rapid and very precise change between tipped forward and cutting - tipped back and discharging. Trying to successfully/precisely use a box blade with a manual top link will drive you MAD.

When you drop the box blade down on the ground - IT IS IN FLOAT. The next thing you need to do is drive forward and either lengthen the top link and discharge any load in the box blade OR shorten the top link and the box blade will begin to dig and fill.

You will probably find that lengthening the top link will not dump all the material contained in the box blade. You may need to lift the unit, shorten the top link and dump what is in the box.

Its an art - with practice and experience you will get it down.

 

[disorderly]

I dropped the scarifiers(sp), drove slow, and then raised them and put the box in float. Every video I watched saif that putting it in float will allow it to roll over the surface / contour of the ground.
However I end up with a box full of dirt that never leaves the box. Of course, I raise the box slightly but it is always too much or too little and I end up just dragging dirt aimlessly or leaving huge mounds.
I know this will take time to learn but I envy these guys I see doing this on a fairly regular basis. I am so ashamed of the mess I made I wont even post a picture.

Ultimately, can someone explain EXACTLY w=hat floating the box blade is supposed to do? Also, is there anything wrong with using the FEL to level out my work instead of the box blade? I am able to do a MUCH better job using the FEL than the box scraper.

Its hard to give you advice on this without knowing what your driveway looks like or what problems you're trying to fix. I have a video on youtube about box blading. In my case I don't use float. I just use the adjustable stops on my three point lever. If its collecting too much I raise it a little and too little I drop it a bit.

Right off the bat though, you say that you're floating the box blade. Do you mean that or are you talking about the draft control?

Unless you're dealing with some really hard packed gravel or something in the driveway where the box blade isn't wanting to bite into the material you probably don't need the scarifiers. For me I only use them on the driveway when its been really dry and and I have big potholes that I need a lot of material to fill.

 

[Oldoak]

Your 3Pt hitch is always in float whether you lower it partially or as low as it can go. It's just a matter of how low the implement will follow along.

I wouldn't expect a TNT to be the "end all" to your box blade operating problems". Box blades were in use long before people ever heard of TnT or could even afford such a convenience. Practice and patiences as you get more experience over time will improve your skills more than anything else.