Grader scraper build, would like options of operators of them.

[jwmorris]

I have wanted to try one for years but they all seem to be priced too high and never last long enough for the owner to lower the price.

About 5 years ago I came across a cheap box blade ($200) on Craigslist and bought it so I didn't have to haul the one from the farm to the house but it has been unused for the last two years.

After I priced out components to build a grader scraper I decided it would be better as a donor since I already had one and started.

I cut out the side plates and punched them for adjustment and will drill them to attach sacrifice skids too.

I took the front and rear blades off the box blade and mounted them to 5" angle iron I had, that will be welded to a section of plate steel so they can be adjusted from level to the skids to 1.5" below.

With a 5 deg angle like the landpride versions.

The next step will be cutting the 3 pt hitch, rear support and ripper teeth from the box blade and welding it to what I have now.

I figure if I don't like it, I can always paint it and turn it for profit but would be interested in suggestions before I stick things together.

I have also thought about using the rest of the "hull" from the box blade as an adjustable back stop, pivot on two bolts, behind the scraper to catch spoils and distribute them at an adjustable height to make it more versatile for spreading say a dump from a FEL, that would otherwise just spill over both blades.

Looking for "I wish" comments before I make it more difficult to change.

Kind of like not thinking about from what side I set the angle so now grading a road will need to be done driving down the left side vs the right...

 

[bcp]

Kind of like not thinking about from what side I set the angle so now grading a road will need to be done driving down the left side vs the right...

That's not enough angle to matter.

Bruce

 

[jwmorris]

How much is enough? Thus the advice part of the thread.

 

[bcp]

My rear blade at about 20-30 degrees barely moves a little dirt sideways. It starts really moving sideways at 45 degrees.

Watch some of the many grading scraper videos on YouTube. Very little sideways movement.

Here's one. Watch the gravel from about 1:35 to 1:55

Bruce

 

[Rustyiron]

Not sure I understand what you are asking, but I built in a 15 (or so) degree angle with the right side leading the left. I find on my (dirt) roads, that's not enough to really move the material in to the middle to restore the "crown" needed for proper drainage of the surface. It works, but I had hoped for more cut material flowing to the left. It might work just fine on crushed stone, but with more than a mile of roads, the natural gravel will have to do.:laughing:
There are a bunch of nice "builds" here, do a "land plane" or LPGB ?? search here for some other input. I do think that your local "dirt" conditions/materials matter.

 

[roadhunter]

I love using the hydraulic top and tilt when I use my box blade but I'm not sure how that would work with that setup. I guess the tilt would work but the top link might not do much.

I was able to use a 20 ft piece of rail for smoothing a parking lot the other day. Wow that was impressive. I think it just comes down to weight.

 

[jenkinsph]

I love using the hydraulic top and tilt when I use my box blade but I'm not sure how that would work with that setup. I guess the tilt would work but the top link might not do much.

I was able to use a 20 ft piece of rail for smoothing a parking lot the other day. Wow that was impressive. I think it just comes down to weight.

I don't use the tilt function much with my land plane but consider the hydraulic top link to be essential. Top link adjustments are made almost constantly between forward and reverse.

 

[Ford850]

How much is enough? Thus the advice part of the thread.

I think their point is that you won't be moving material from side to side unless you have an extreme angle, so you can drag it on either side as needed.

 

[jwmorris]

Well, I got a little more angle on them and can adjust the blades from 0"-1.5" from level on the skids. Not sure where exactly the sweet spot is but I set them at 3/4" below for the first test.

I suppose that setting one side to 0 and the opposite for a deeper cut might make a crown on its own.

I guess now at least I have one to play with.

 

[crazyal]

I "hardfaced" my skids with my mig welder using the wire I had in it. The mild steel didn't last very long but the welds seam much better. I did about 6" on the front and maybe 2" of the bottom at the rear of each one. It looks to be a bit late now but I would put the rippers lower to the ground. When I don't use them I flip them over. When I do need them they are always on the lowest setting and the top link shortened up so they get down a ways to really loosen up the gravel. Also having rippers go deeper helps when leveling an uneven road surface.