Grader/Scraper Build

[redheelerdog]

Looks like the leading edge of your blade is opposite from most. Just wondering.

It just turned out that way, no specific reason.

Maybe he is gonna use it in England,, where people drive on the opposite side of the road??

Many, (not me) believe the angle of the blade does nothing as far as moving material towards the center of the driveway.
If that is so, the direction of the angle is meaningless.
The angle is mostly there so that the blade will contact many "washboard ripples" , rather than riding up and down the ripples.

The build is looking great!! :thumbsup:

Thanks, I've read a bit about the angle blades and asked some questions, I do believe the angled blade makes a difference with washboards, etc. - Thanks

I agree. The angle will definitely shift material toward the trailing end. In the case of this build, only having one blade, it will move it very effectively.

I always thought if I built one I'd use two blades at opposite angles. But I don't have any experience with one to base that on.

I always follow threads about land planes because they perk my curiosity.

This is an excellent build thread. Very well documented and discussed.

If the road material doesn't do what I want well, I just hack the thing apart, modify it, and put it back together until it does! That's one thing about building it yourself, its always open to modifications. - Thanks for the comments

I also have a King Cutter style rotatable back blade (self built) to move material around with too. :thumbsup:

 

[Smokeydog]

Plasma cutter has been a welcome addition to the small farm shop. Like tools that can pay for themselves, save time and expand capabilities. Repair, utilize scrap materials, prototype, etc.

Had the opportunity to try another brand land plane before EA. Like the inventor of the original land plane design, the angle and length of side panels matter. Also depends on the end user satisfaction and needs.

Great deal of pleasure building or modifying equipment to meet your expectations and needs.

The first one I tried had a ssqa on the back as well 3pt hitch. Didn’t try that feature but might be useful sometimes.
Offset or sliding hitch might be handy to bring gravel back onto the road bed.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I agree. The angle will definitely shift material toward the trailing end. In the case of this build, only having one blade, it will move it very effectively.

I always thought if I built one I'd use two blades at opposite angles. But I don't have any experience with one to base that on.

I always follow threads about land planes because they perk my curiosity.

This is an excellent build thread. Very well documented and discussed.

Intuitively that would seem to be true but I think that the lateral movement along the blade is very very small. I have straight blades so I can't say for sure first hand what angled blades do but I have looked at every video I could find and honestly cannot see any lateral movement along the blade except if material is falling into a low spot spot, like a rut, off a full blade. The blade tilt back angle is shallow, only about 45* usually, and the angle across the road is usually small so it is easier for material to flow up over the tilted back blade rather than along it against the weight of the material in a full blade with a closed end. Unless the blade is mounted up right like a a rear blade and has a strong angle across the road.

I would love to see a video that proves my theory wrong by actually showing the material flowing along the blade more than a inch or so. If any one knows of one or can make one please post it.

gg

 

[Rustyiron]

Great build, thanks for posting.:thumbsup:

 

[ovrszd]

Intuitively that would seem to be true but I think that the lateral movement along the blade is very very small. I have straight blades so I can't say for sure first hand what angled blades do but I have looked at every video I could find and honestly cannot see any lateral movement along the blade except if material is falling into a low spot spot, like a rut, off a full blade. The blade tilt back angle is shallow, only about 45* usually, and the angle across the road is usually small so it is easier for material to flow up over the tilted back blade rather than along it against the weight of the material in a full blade with a closed end. Unless the blade is mounted up right like a a rear blade and has a strong angle across the road.

I would love to see a video that proves my theory wrong by actually showing the material flowing along the blade more than a inch or so. If any one knows of one or can make one please post it.

gg

I agree that there's no dramatic movement of material as with a rear blade angled.

In the case of this build. If the operator drives down the right side of the roadway every time he will eventually move his material to the outside. It's inevitable. It won't happen the first time he does it. Or even the second time. But in a year or two, dependent on frequency, he will be hitching to a rear angle blade to rebuild his crown.

I'm a grader guy. I function in small increments. I move minimal material and repeat the procedure as many times as weather permits in a year. I don't build crowns, I maintain them.

 

[redheelerdog]

Dang it, now I am going to have to build two, one for the left side of the road, and one for the right! LOL

 

[ovrszd]

Dang it, now I am going to have to build two, one for the left side of the road, and one for the right! LOL

Yep.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I agree that there's no dramatic movement of material as with a rear blade angled.

In the case of this build. If the operator drives down the right side of the roadway every time he will eventually move his material to the outside. It's inevitable. It won't happen the first time he does it. Or even the second time. But in a year or two, dependent on frequency, he will be hitching to a rear angle blade to rebuild his crown.

I'm a grader guy. I function in small increments. I move minimal material and repeat the procedure as many times as weather permits in a year. I don't build crowns, I maintain them.

What you say is true about the incremental moves with each pass over time but also over time the surface material is moving down hill from natural forces. If this were not true you would not have to maintain the crown as you say and you do it with a grader specifically designed to contour roads. The LandPlane is not like that it is designed for surface maintenance not contour maintenance. So the question is - How significant is the minimal crown maintaining ability of the angled blade LandPlane. Every owner would likely have a different answer depending on the road, the climate, and how they maintain it. To you it may be a great feature to have a very small amount of crown maintenance happen with each pass over long periods of time. To me it insignificant. What is wrong with that ?

gg

 

[ovrszd]

What you say is true about the incremental moves with each pass over time but also over time the surface material is moving down hill from natural forces. If this were not true you would not have to maintain the crown as you say and you do it with a grader specifically designed to contour roads. The LandPlane is not like that it is designed for surface maintenance not contour maintenance. So the question is - How significant is the minimal crown maintaining ability of the angled blade LandPlane. Every owner would likely have a different answer depending on the road, the climate, and how they maintain it. To you it may be a great feature to have a very small amount of crown maintenance happen with each pass over long periods of time. To me it insignificant. What is wrong with that ?

gg

Sorry if I ever indicated there was something wrong with what you said. Certainly was not my intent.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Sorry if I ever indicated there was something wrong with what you said. Certainly was not my intent.

I know that. So no apology necessary at all. Actually my mistake so I am the sorry one - I forgot that redheeler has his blades angled opposite to convention so I missed your point entirely and then on top on that I went and misread/misinterpreted what you said. Thank you for being polite to a guy ranting on for no reason.

gg