Box Scraper Box scraper for hard pack dirt/gravel road

[Taters525]

I believe I could build one but having the time to do so is another story. Has anyone had any luck adding weight to the ones available. Maybe strategically reinforcing and adding weight at the same time

 

[Xfaxman]

I use my box scraper as much for moving dirt etc. as road maintenance and have TnT so my preference is: HR35 & HRL35 Series Box Scrapers | Land Pride

On the hr35 box scrapers it mentions a hydraulic back gate or blade. Not quite understanding what they mean or the purpose of it.

Here is what it says:

HINGED REAR BACKFILL BLADE. FIXED OR FLOATING	Rear backfill blade can be in float or fixed position. For packed down grade, level grade or rough grade

And for the scarifer shanks:

HYDRAULIC SHANK TUBE	Hydraulic shank tube makes for efficient use of time.

If the pictures don't answer your question, ask again. :thumbsup:

You can also read the epic thread: How to use a box blade?

 

[ovrszd]

Not here it ain't. In the flat lands many places where by rule ditching is required such as along all county roads, the ditches just fill up and cover the roadways. Two of our farms are in the hills and a new neighbor built his nice new house along with driveway and ditches on both sides. Before the house was finished his washouts were 5-5' deep an he's spent a fortune fixing it, hauling gravel an three years later, he still has to take a back hoe down to repair his plugged culvert and county road that inevitable washes out due to the now redirected water flow.

It was settled by immigrants with many farms being Century Farms and people do what works best which in many case do not include ditches in driveways and field roads.

As my Dad would say, "Do as the natives do".

 

[ovrszd]

I think you will find that there is no magic recipe for the blade placement on a Land Plane for road work. There have been lots and lots of various designs on here over the years and they all seem to work well. While adjustable blades may ( or may not ) be a benefit they add much complexity to the build so it is a trade off that is hard to make w/o experience. The most important design factor by far is weight. If you have enough weight you can set the aggressiveness of the blades with your top link adjustment.

Go back and look at all my pictures. That work was all done with a fixed blades, not angled, and 3/4" below the skids. It would be wrong for me to say that that is the best design but as you can see it works might fine. I have seen photos of others work with different blade configurations that work mighty fine also. Look at some of Steve's (jenkinsph) work for instance, his blades are flush with the skids. I think you learn to work with what ever you have. Just my two cents.

gg

Very well stated Gordon. And thanks for the pics you posted earlier. They clearly show the results of properly using a tool to complete a task.

Only design I've never saw is the blades angled in opposing directions? Anyone have opinions of doing that?

 

[JRobyn]

Here's how the Land Pride blades adjust. I was concerned that with some potentially high forces involved that these would slip. They absolutely do NOT in my experience so far - about 3 full round trips. They are about 3/4" or 7/8" bolts. I torque them to maybe 90-100ftlb with the 1/2" air wrench.



p.s. BTW, I have NOT yet put a straight edge on the cutter blades to see if they are bowed.

 

[Fallon]

Only design I've never saw is the blades angled in opposing directions? Anyone have opinions of doing that?

I keep planning my own LPGS build & thinking about that too. Every post I find about it indicates the angle of the blades really has little to no affect on lateral movement of material. You want the blades angled to maintain ground contact when hitting washboard, but the precise angle doesn't matter as long as there is some.

 

[ovrszd]

I keep planning my own LPGS build & thinking about that too. Every post I find about it indicates the angle of the blades really has little to no affect on lateral movement of material. You want the blades angled to maintain ground contact when hitting washboard, but the precise angle doesn't matter as long as there is some.

Yep, I've heard that too. But if I look at a pic of a LPGS with angled blades pulling an over capacity of loose material it is pouring over the rearward end of the cutter.

 

[fried1765]

Good advice.

I'd follow up a back blade on wheels. You should be able to tilt and angle it. Scarifier of some type is also a requirement.

The grading equipment should have the ability to make and move a windrow back and forth across the road. In this process materials are properly mixed and a continuous road grade with crown can be achieved. Any implement that can come close to duplicating the actions of a proper motor grader is desirable.

This is the absolute BEST advice!
A land plane simply smooths out the bumps, and takes away the crown.
90% of homeowners have little or no crown, and use a box blade or land plane to fill the holes, keeping a nearly level roadway.
It ain't gonna work!
No one here has mentioned moisture content either.
If the roadway is dry, the material will fly out of the holes when driven on.
If the roadway is too wet, the material will slop out of the holes when driven on.
A well cared for driveway should not need to have any holes filled in.....just reshaped/re-crowned occasionally.
Meaningful crown is a very important factor!

 

[ovrszd]

Crown is extremely important and can most certainly be created with a Land Plane.

If not, then it's the operator that's deficient, not the implement.

 

[Taters525]

So it was my understanding that the blades always angled towards the left side so when you drive down the left side of the road it pulls material back to the middle helping to keep the crown.....