Grader/Scraper Build

[Smokeydog]

My driveway has to be contoured. I maintain that contour with the land plane using the side link adjustment. 26” rain already this year. That’s about a million gallons of water to shed so far.

On my 3rd grader blade in 50 years. 98% of the time pulled the blade backwards at angle to maintain the road. Yardbox was used sometimes to mostly carry washed gravel back up hill. Yardbox takes an incredible amount of adjustment on a convoluted, hillside driveway and still needs to be cleaned up with a grader blade.
Have not hitched to either the blade or box since getting the land plane.

The land plane has been the best tool so far to maintain to keep the road bed hard and contoured to get the water off. Fast, efficient with long lasting results. Results also duplicated by neighbors with similar driveways. I may never understand the how’s and why’s on why it works, but sure appreciate the results.

Always a better tool, technique or idea to be had. Applaud the OP effort and sharing. Enjoy the craftsmanship and challenge it takes to create. Getting close for the first ground engagement test? Good dog!

 

[Yard Sarge]

I have found mine land plane to be the best for driveway maintenance also. it does move material to the crown. It is subtle though. I did have to add a brace for the top link post though. there was far more side stress on it than i thought. Your build looks far more professional than mine. Good Looking so far.

 

[CADplans]

Red, before you paint, consider adding a bracket to the left side, that will allow you to hang some front end weights.

I have found having the side of the land plane weighted really helps with moving material towards the opposite side of the land plane.

Your blade angles opposite of mine, I hang weights on the right side.
My sides are 1/2"X12" bar, there is nothing on the top of my sides,, I just place the weights directly on the side.

I would recommend using 3/8" thick bar, that should allow any type suitcase weight to fit.

If you look at the far side of my land plane, you can see three black 65 pound front end weights hanging on the side.
The weights dramatically increase penetration of the blade of the land plane on the weighted side.
The non-weighted side will "float up" allowing the land plane to deposit material towards the non-weighted side..

My only other suitcase weights are the 42 pound JD weights, they will not fit on the 1/2" thick bar,,
so the most weight I have ever tried is 195 pounds.

I tie a rope through the handle hole of the weights, so they will not fly off when I hit a bump,,

 

[ovrszd]

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

I have the utmost respect for you Gordon. It's easy to be polite.

 

[ovrszd]

I have found mine land plane to be the best for driveway maintenance also. it does move material to the crown. It is subtle though. I did have to add a brace for the top link post though. there was far more side stress on it than i thought. Your build looks far more professional than mine. Good Looking so far.View attachment 647206

I like that. Very simple. Gets it's weight from it's frame construction. Do you remember what angle you are running your blades?

 

[Yard Sarge]

No I don't off the top of my head. I did cheat and measured the dealer's $1,500.00 one though. Same angle as that was. If I remember correctly, it was more subtle than I expected.

 

[ovrszd]

No I don't off the top of my head. I did cheat and measured the dealer's $1,500.00 one though. Same angle as that was. If I remember correctly, it was more subtle than I expected.

Yep .

 

[redheelerdog]

My driveway has to be contoured. I maintain that contour with the land plane using the side link adjustment. 26” rain already this year. That’s about a million gallons of water to shed so far.

On my 3rd grader blade in 50 years. 98% of the time pulled the blade backwards at angle to maintain the road. Yardbox was used sometimes to mostly carry washed gravel back up hill. Yardbox takes an incredible amount of adjustment on a convoluted, hillside driveway and still needs to be cleaned up with a grader blade.
Have not hitched to either the blade or box since getting the land plane.

The land plane has been the best tool so far to maintain to keep the road bed hard and contoured to get the water off. Fast, efficient with long lasting results. Results also duplicated by neighbors with similar driveways. I may never understand the how’s and why’s on why it works, but sure appreciate the results.

Always a better tool, technique or idea to be had. Applaud the OP effort and sharing. Enjoy the craftsmanship and challenge it takes to create. Getting close for the first ground engagement test? Good dog!

Thanks Smokeydog, it is fun and I like the challenge of building things.

I have found mine land plane to be the best for driveway maintenance also. it does move material to the crown. It is subtle though. I did have to add a brace for the top link post though. there was far more side stress on it than i thought. Your build looks far more professional than mine. Good Looking so far.View attachment 647206

Thanks for the compliment.

Red, before you paint, consider adding a bracket to the left side, that will allow you to hang some front end weights.

I have found having the side of the land plane weighted really helps with moving material towards the opposite side of the land plane.

Your blade angles opposite of mine, I hang weights on the right side.
My sides are 1/2"X12" bar, there is nothing on the top of my sides,, I just place the weights directly on the side.

I would recommend using 3/8" thick bar, that should allow any type suitcase weight to fit.

If you look at the far side of my land plane, you can see three black 65 pound front end weights hanging on the side.
The weights dramatically increase penetration of the blade of the land plane on the weighted side.
The non-weighted side will "float up" allowing the land plane to deposit material towards the non-weighted side..

My only other suitcase weights are the 42 pound JD weights, they will not fit on the 1/2" thick bar,,
so the most weight I have ever tried is 195 pounds.

I tie a rope through the handle hole of the weights, so they will not fly off when I hit a bump,,

Thanks for the info, I will definitely keep that in mind.

No I don't off the top of my head. I did cheat and measured the dealer's $1,500.00 one though. Same angle as that was. If I remember correctly, it was more subtle than I expected.

My research prior to building was 7 to 10 degrees.

 

[Smokeydog]

Noted on my EA LP yesterday the angles that hold the blades are not a true angle iron. They are a bent 90* piece of 3/8” plate with approximately 5” and 3.5” legs. I didn’t measure. Cutting blades bolted to the short leg. This stands up the angle of the cutting blades to a more like a grader blade. This design also puts more steel depth behind the blades for strength.

The blades after three years show wear. Have large rocks just under the roadbed in spots. The LP does a good job of going over them but does take its toll. The beauty of the LP is that it helps build the road around these high spots over time.

 

[CADplans]

My research prior to building was 7 to 10 degrees.

I ended up angling my blade at 15 degrees,, (post #32 in this thread,,)

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...7-landplane-my-diy-4.html?highlight=landplane

I think I did research this, and went 5 degrees further than any commercial landplane that I could find specs on,,

10 degrees will probably be great,, I just had long enough sides to accommodate 15 degrees,,