3pt Harrow and landplane DIY

[jenkinsph]

Last spring while waiting for the new tractor to arrive (4520) I decided to build the landplane and harrow to help smooth up some property for lawn space.

The landplane is 8' wide with straight set blades for field work and the harrow is fixed spikes at 45 degrees. The 8' double edged grader blades were the most expensive parts. The landplane weighs in about 950 lbs with all the steel being structural to eliminate any flexing. The blades are flush with the wear strips on the sides, this works well for removing mounds or anthills without tearing up the grass too bad. In a field it does wonders to smooth out prior to planting a seed bed too.

I use the harrow to cover broadcast seed and will be adding a roller to this asap.

Hope this helps some guys looking to stretch their money. Harrow was about $150 and landplane with new blades and bolts was about $700.

 

[eepete]

Very nice. I like the heavy-duy features and extra diagonal bracing you've used. Welding sure seams like the game of chess- learn it in a day, master it in a lifetime.

Pete

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Steve, very nice fab work.:thumbsup: What did you use for the spikes on the harrow?

 

[jenkinsph]

Thanks for the nice words guys,


Pete,
I had originally thought I would have the top link flex on the harrow but decided against it after dicovering I could float the top link. I am no welder but I am better than when I started.


Brian, the teeth on the harrow are 5/8" sucker rod, they last a long time and are cheap.

 

[DDT]

Nice job

 

[ModMech]

VERY good work!

Thank you for sharing your ideas.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Great looking work. I could use you around my place for a few days... or months.:laughing:

Chris

 

[jenkinsph]

I have commented here many times about using a landplane for yardwork as much as driveway maintenance. I planted this lot last July/August after clearing and cleanup. It was rough with ditches and lots of mesquite trees and others peoples trash. At any rate I am installing sprinkers right now and thought I would show some before and after pics of the landplane work.

Okay got the pics out of sequence.:ashamed:
If you look at the third picture you will see the rough fill after installing the sprinkler system in the background. The second pic shows the ground after running the plane across to level and smooth over the trench. First new pic is a close up and shows a patch of the grass after refilling the ditch from the piping. Notice the grass is still in place to grow back. Couple more pics of the work, hopefully this will all fill in this year. I will post some completion pics when it is all cleaned up. Everybody seems to like before and after pics.


Hey thanks for the compliments guys.

 

[Lawnjocky]

Your tools look really good. I do have a question about the landplane. All the one's I have seen for sale have the blades angled. I guess this makes them cut better/smoother? It looks like you made yours straight across. How do you think angled vs straight compares? My own thought was to put the two cutting edges in a V pattern so the dirt would move from one side to the other.
I'm asking because a landplane is high on my list of things to build. I also like your idea of making the blade level with the sides. That's how I plan to make mine.

 

[jenkinsph]

Lawnjockey,
Thanks for the compliment, I thought about all the options when building my landplane and finally decided to go with straight blades as my primary use is grading lawns. The straight blade setup does a better job for smoothing and leveling without building up one side more than the other. I have a 7' rear blade and topntilt for crowning and ditching the drives.

If I were to make a change I would consider building it with adjustable blades. My blade setup is not typical though, what I have is 8"x1/2" flatbar on a 45 degree angle with two pieces of 3"x3"x3/8" angle welded to the flatbar. This boxes in the flatbar making it super strong and heavy too. The double edged grader blades are bolted to the flatbar.

All in all it does a good job with driveway shaping and smoothing and is almost perfect for smoothing lawns and pastures, This thing will carry alot more dirt that it appears too.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Nice work!

They look great. A landplane is something I have been thinking about building for a while. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Lawnjocky]

Jenkinsph,
Grading lawns is my main idea for a plane as well. Originally it was for new installs but now I'm thinking more about using it to topdress existing lawns. I roll yards in the spring and can shovel dirt into holes but a lot of times the whole yard needs dirt. Unless I rake it in or tear up the lawn there's no simple (low cost) way to fix some yards. Hence the landplane idea.
Thanks for the comparison info. Straight will be the way I go. I like your idea of making the blades adjustable. Better to have it and not need it than to not and need the adjustment.
Thanks again.
Lawnjocky

 

[jenkinsph]

Finsihed the sprinkler system Saturday and smoothed up the lawn with the landlplane. Here are a couple of pics before starting the sprinklers up. I seeded the strips heavily with Fescue, hope it fills in fast.

 

[Steve Schunk]

Hi all,

Interesting topic. What's the trick to see the pictures of your 3pt. harrow/landplane?

thanks,

Steve

 

[jenkinsph]

Here are pictures from 2010,

 

[TomSeller]

Here are pictures from 2010,

Very nice. Makes me feel like grabbing my golf clubs.