Adjustablility of Landscape Plane question

woodlandfarms · Jan 11, 2014

I am in the throws of design for this springs project, a 7ft landscape plane.

I wonder from all the owners of one how much the adjustable blade (Depth and ability to raise one side of the blade from the other) has come into play. Most of the home made ones seem to just weld in the 4x4 angle and bolt on a blade, no adustability. People who have machining available and the high end purchasable have adjustments but I wonder if you ever really use them.

Thanks in advance.

jenkinsph · Jan 11, 2014

I don't see much need for adjustment and have not wished for this feature. It is easy to add to the design if you think you will wan't it though. Simple enough to add flat bar to each end of the angle iron you use for the blade carriers. Then use adjustable mountings to connect this flatbar to the skids.

MtnViewRanch · Jan 11, 2014

I am with jenkinsph, haven't had any reason or need to have the blades at different heights. I've been using my LPGBs for over 7 years now. Both of us have top & tilt, so maybe that's why. :confused3: How heavy are you going to build your 7' LPGB?

woodlandfarms · Jan 12, 2014

Not sure on the weight. Not sure on the application really. My tractor all implements are front mounted. So when I use my box blade I have to drive backwards. I can generally get my 6 foot woods moving along but if it gets filled with heavy dirt i can get stuck. My tractor does not have the ground engagement that matches its HP or weight. 4000lbs and 65 HP.

I have been mulling just doing a tow hitch and adding an hydro/electric jack and wheels so it can be easily towed. Could then put it behind my truck as well.

Thoughts?

oosik · Jan 12, 2014

I've got the Land Pride GS 2584 and have never found the need to adjust the scraping blades. They came with the blades about 3/4 inch or 1 inch below the side plates. I do a lot of adjustment of the scarifier shanks - they have a major impact on the finished product.

MtnViewRanch · Jan 12, 2014

woodlandfarms said:
Not sure on the weight. Not sure on the application really. My tractor all implements are front mounted. So when I use my box blade I have to drive backwards. I can generally get my 6 foot woods moving along but if it gets filled with heavy dirt i can get stuck. My tractor does not have the ground engagement that matches its HP or weight. 4000lbs and 65 HP.

I have been mulling just doing a tow hitch and adding an hydro/electric jack and wheels so it can be easily towed. Could then put it behind my truck as well.

Thoughts?

I would not consider an electric anything.

I doubt that it will hold up very long. And as far as pulling it with a truck, sort of depends on the conditions that you would be using it in and the truck that you would be using I suppose. If you want a really good outcome, this implement needs a lot more operator impute than what most people think and I'm not so sure that is very practical for use with a truck. Only you know your situation, circumstances and what you want for the finished job.

As far as weight, minimum of 1000lbs. You can go heavier, but the heavier that it is, is a 2 edge sword. With the weight the implement works much better, but with the weight you really have to pay attention to what you are doing.

My 7' LPGS weighs 1400lbs, cutting edges stick down about 1". If I don't pay attention and the conditions are right, (perfect moisture content) my 75hp 12,000lb tractor is stopped dead in its tracks. :shocked: If I had a lighter unit, I could just put it on the ground and drive like so many do, but then I would have to make more passes to get the desired finish.

There are companies that are now making these for skid steers and I believe that they are intended to be pushed. I don't see why you would not be able to do the same.

Good luck with your project.

jenkinsph · Jan 12, 2014

woodlandfarms said:
Not sure on the weight. Not sure on the application really. My tractor all implements are front mounted. So when I use my box blade I have to drive backwards. I can generally get my 6 foot woods moving along but if it gets filled with heavy dirt i can get stuck. My tractor does not have the ground engagement that matches its HP or weight. 4000lbs and 65 HP.

I have been mulling just doing a tow hitch and adding an hydro/electric jack and wheels so it can be easily towed. Could then put it behind my truck as well.

Thoughts?

It should be very easy to build a landplane with a front hitch to use with your PowerTrac. At 4000 lbs machine weight I would recommend about 6' width and about 800 lbs., more than that and you might experience to much wheel slip. You could get a lot done with that arrangement.

I am currently designing a new 14' width landplane with 8 1/2' skids. This should weigh about 2600 lbs and is about as large as I can trailer without issues. I agree with Brian that higher weights will work better since they have less tendency to ride over mounds, instead the heavy landplanes cut through the mounds.

Very important to make sure the entire frame is very rigid without any flexing, that is much more important than the blade depth you choose imo.

MtnViewRanch · Jan 12, 2014

jenkinsph said:
It should be very easy to build a landplane with a front hitch to use with your PowerTrac. At 4000 lbs machine weight I would recommend about 6' width and about 800 lbs., more than that and you might experience to much wheel slip. You could get a lot done with that arrangement.

I am currently designing a new 14' width landplane with 8 1/2' skids. This should weigh about 2600 lbs and is about as large as I can trailer without issues. I agree with Brian that higher weights will work better since they have less tendency to ride over mounds, instead the heavy landplanes cut through the mounds.

Very important to make sure the entire frame is very rigid without any flexing, that is much more important than the blade depth you choose imo.[/QUOTE]

I agree and cannot be stressed enough.

What are you going to pull that 14'er with???

crazyal · Jan 12, 2014

I adjust the height of my blades all the time. I leave them lower than the skids for the first few pass or two. That really digs up the top 1/2" to help spread it around and fill in the low spots. Once I've done that my needs change. I'm no longer trying to move dirt around but just trying to smooth it. Sometimes I'll have the blades level with the skids while if the dirt is really loose I'll raise the blades above the skids because the skids will sink down into the dirt. I suspect the answer to your question really has more to do with what type of dirt you have and how soft it will be once you have worked it.

MtnViewRanch · Jan 12, 2014

crazyal said:
I adjust the height of my blades all the time. I leave them lower than the skids for the first few pass or two. That really digs up the top 1/2" to help spread it around and fill in the low spots. Once I've done that my needs change. I'm no longer trying to move dirt around but just trying to smooth it. Sometimes I'll have the blades level with the skids while if the dirt is really loose I'll raise the blades above the skids because the skids will sink down into the dirt. I suspect the answer to your question really has more to do with what type of dirt you have and how soft it will be once you have worked it.

Working conditions-circumstances do indeed make all the difference. Many of us, me included,:ashamed: forget that sometimes.