Grading How do I cut a shallow ditch with a rear blade?

[Phred]

DMA,

When I bought my property the roads were awful.
Places were unaccesable with even my 4wd tractor. A few still need a dozer to finish the job. I now have it under much better control through the use of my rear blade. The key, as I am sure you are aware, is controlling the water run off with ditches and culverts. I use the rear blade exclusively for ditches. Works great.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/37-218325-bladeinaction1.jpg

Takes a bit of practice to get the angle right.
Put it in low gear and go slow at first until you get the hang of it. Otherwise you may do more harm than good in the beginnig.
Use the tilt from side to side to control the bite you take, and the tilt from front to back to control the flow of the material you cut with the blade. The heavier the blade the better it will cut but it will also require more traction if you take a big bite of heavy soil and or rock.

Fred

 

[MLB]

ha! that's not fair!!!!!!
Cool setup. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[fivestring]

I have one that is manual instead of hydraulic. I can tilt either side up or down, slide the blade from left to right and angle it front to back. It works wonders doin ditches! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Phred]

Yes the hydraulics are just a bonus. You do not need them to get the job done. It just speeds it up since you can adjust the angle(s) on the fly. I had so many ditches to form or repair that it made since to go this route.

I added the hydraulics myself, and used the blade quite a bit prior to that with just the pins. The only thing about the pins is you need to be careful because these suckers are heavy. You have got to watch the fingers and toes.

Fred

 

[fivestring]

"The only thing about the pins is you need to be careful because these suckers are heavy. You have got to watch the fingers and toes."
True dat! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif You did a great job on that! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif