Blades on a box blade

[ovrszd]

Thanks for posting the additional pics catman8. So with the cutters bolted on solid, the edge of each is now arched?

I was at the Farm store today and they happened to have a BB laying on it's face so I snapped a couple pics.

 

[ovrszd]

Not trying to justify your situation or argue it in any manner. I understand your concerns.

With all that said, I still contend that no operator can cut a grade any closer than the curve of your cutters. I believe if your BB had been painted and assembled when you received it you would have never noticed this issue.

Very nice paint!!!!

 

[Catman8]

Not trying to justify your situation or argue it in any manner. I understand your concerns.

With all that said, I still contend that no operator can cut a grade any closer than the curve of your cutters. I believe if your BB had been painted and assembled when you received it you would have never noticed this issue.

Very nice paint!!!!

Thanks for the photos, I wish you would of laid a flat level on that edge so we could see. I am familiar with welding and know all to well the affects it has on steel, warping, bending. I notice all the extra bracing on the EA compared to the one in your pic, trying to control the part from warping with all those welding beads is probable very hard. If you ever welded you know what I mean.

Yes, they are both arched when bolted on tight.

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks for the photos, I am familiar with welding and know all to well the affects it has on steel, warping, bending. I notice all the extra bracing on the EA compared to the one in your pic, trying to control the part from warping with all those welding beads is probable very hard. If you ever welded you know what I mean.

Yep. I fabricate a lot. Extremely hard to control warping, especially with a MIG.

 

[RNeumann]

Based on the photos it looks like a miss to me. It doesn't look warped- it looks like it was welded in crooked.
I now have a greater understanding of your disappointment/frustration since it has been powder coated. You are stuck between fabing some type of shim that doesn't create point loads or wrecking the paint to fix it. Bummer either way.
I haven't found anything that is better for finish grading small to medium projects than a BB. Saying it's only good for rough grading and moving dirt is selling the tool significantly short.

 

[johnk]

If you used a perfectly straight box blade and put yours on and did a strip of dirt or gravel right next to it you wouldn't be able to tell the difference which BB did which one. It's not like you're floating concrete. JMHO

 

[Code54]

To me it looks like a mistake lining it up when welding, but a minor one at that. With the nice paint job I don't think I would worry about it at this point and use it. Can always adjust the side link a tiny bit to correct it....

 

[kthompson]

I have a 7 foot rear blade: 8 foot 3pth and a 10 foot pull type box blades and have never looked at the blades for being straight in any manner. I really wonder how many ever have looked at their blade to verify if the blade was straight or curve or what ever.

Not saying there is not equipment today that can be off if the cutting edge was off 1/8" over the length of your blade but I do not think the normal tractor's 3 pth is any where that precise nor do I think any of us are that accurate in adjusting the two lift arms to be level. Matter of fact many if not most or all of the adjustments for the lift arms for leveling are lockable only one place in the rotation for adjustment.

I think you will never notice it when you use it but I do not think the blade will wear level near as quickly as some have expressed. Who ever pointed that out I agree with them.

 

[jenkinsph]

Sorry I did not respond to your post I forgot to go back and reread it. Do you think it's ok to put washer on the bolt holes to shim it straight or do you think it needs shiming across the entire blade for support.

If I did anything to it I would use a couple of flat washers to shim it close enough. Then tighten it down and start using it. I would agree with others that this is a minor issue though and nothing to be concerned about.

If you are new to using box blades understand that it takes seat time to be proficient with them. Do not think for a minute that this warping will cause any problems with grading. With practice and patience a box blade can achieve good results +/- .25 inch.

Here is a picture from a few years ago where I graded a small field +/- .50 inch, specs called for +/- 1 1/4 inch.

 

[jenkinsph]

I have a 7 foot rear blade: 8 foot 3pth and a 10 foot pull type box blades and have never looked at the blades for being straight in any manner. I really wonder how many ever have looked at their blade to verify if the blade was straight or curve or what ever.

Not saying there is not equipment today that can be off if the cutting edge was off 1/8" over the length of your blade but I do not think the normal tractor's 3 pth is any where that precise nor do I think any of us are that accurate in adjusting the two lift arms to be level. Matter of fact many if not most or all of the adjustments for the lift arms for leveling are lockable only one place in the rotation for adjustment.

I think you will never notice it when you use it but I do not think the blade will wear level near as quickly as some have expressed. Who ever pointed that out I agree with them.

If the blade would wear in quickly it would also wear out quickly too. In my past life with tractors and box blades level was by eye and close enough. Now with laser and machine control accuracy tolerance is a bit tighter and there are adjustments you can make for blade wear. Nothing I would loose sleep over though.