3R Home and Barn Project

[3RRL]

Rob, Thanks for the update! I think this thread has quite a few addicts, and we all appreciate new pics. The place is gorgeous! How well does your road hold up to heavy rain, or is that a minor issue in your climate? Glad Loretta is getting some upgrades on the tractor. I am sure they will pay off for you in all she gets done! All the best, Brian

Hi Brian, thanks for the comments and questions.
My road is crappy when it rains hard. It gets real slick in a couple of areas and there is one section where it crosses a deep arroyo where it sometimes washes out. So I am always screwing with that part. Other sections that are mostly DG (decomposed granite) are very good even in a hard rain. But then I have my trusty tractor and box blade and Loretta at my side.
Someday I'll probably put some rock on it?

 

[rtdiggr]

Hey Rob, that road grader is humongous, it looks like it does a nice job though.

Thanks for the updates, i know you where otherwise preoccupied with other things, so we will let it slide this time.

Shane

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Ok Rob, now you have made me look bad here. I know that I should have supplied pins with the blade, but all I had was cat 2 pins and I was thinking that the Kama was cat 1? I need to get that thing painted, it really looks bad in the pics. You need to give the grader blade another chance or two. You mentioned moving dirt backwards, that blade leaves an unbelievable smooth surface when used in reverse. And what is the deal with the rocks, your supposed to have all the rocks already pulled out of the road. And you are absolutely right as far as if you could only have one or the other, the box blade would be the one to have, way more versatile. But if you go ahead and try using the grader blade a few more times, and maybe a couple of different ways, I think that you will be able to appreciate it a little more. Was your ground already dry?

Hey, how many cfm does your compressor put out, and at what pressures? Just want to figure how much time I need to allow for sandblasting if I'm going to paint that thing. Your place sure does look nice in the spring, how long does it usually last?

 

[3RRL]

Hi Shane and Brian,
Yes, that road grader is huge and it sure does a good job of leveling like I said.
Brian, lol ... no big deal, I put some pins in it for you. (The Kama is also Cat II)
Hey, I didn't even think about using it in reverse and will give it another try for sure. I thought the road was ready but not rock hard yet...which to me is a perfect time to do the road. I'm sure that's why it popped out a few rocks too. Plus the fact that it probably weighs more than my box blade and that the blades are at a steeper more aggressive angle. But like I said, it levels better from point to point because of the length. I guess I'm just used to the box blade collecting more of the rocks and dirt scraped up?
I'll use it again if you don't mind.

My compressor is has these specs:
I hope that will work for you your spray painter and sand blaster since I don't have one.

Tank Capacity 80 Gallons
Max. PSI 175
SCFM at 90 PSI 14.6
SCFM at 175 PSI 14.1
Horsepower (Running) 5
Voltage 240V
Type Oil-Lube
Style Vertical

Looking forward to seeing you again soon. Let me know when you're planning to come up again.
Oh, Spring usually lasts about a month or two before it gets blazing hot again. It's like we ***** about the cold weather, wishing it was warmer. Then when Summer gets here, we can't wait for Winter again...lol.
Rob-

 

[weldingisfun]

Rob, it looks like you got hold of a Road Boss grader Road Boss Grader - Road and Landscape Grading, Surfacing and Leveling, and Material Spreading and Reclamation
I bought one a couple years back and love it.
Love your pictures. Take care of that camera wouldn't want you to stop posting them.

 

[EddieWalker]

Rob,

The place looks amazing. Seeing your pics reminds me that it's already been a year since we were there. The house was still empty on the inside and there was no stairs were not done. It's really changed since then and we've enjoyed following all your progress. You two have sure done allot in the last year!!!

Is Murder Meadow below the camp and where you had your food plot?

Thanks for the comparison between the box blade and grader. I've only seen a grader used on two different parking lots. It was used to maintain gravel in both places where it was tore up regularly from heavy trucks. I've always been impressed with the results, but don't think anybody can compare to what you can do with a box blade. While it's informative to read your personal experiences with them, I wonder if others would feel the same? Especially if somebody didn't have your level of expertise with the box blade, and/or you top and tilt abilities with your box blade?

Eddie

 

[3RRL]

Hi Lee and Eddie,
Thanks for checking out the updates and the comments.
I'm not sure if it is indeed a Road Boss Brand or not. It's not my implement and Brian would know for sure.
The comparison I gave was strictly from limited personal use. Yes, others may vary their opinion.
Having only had the box blade for all those years to learn with certainly has affected my view. Not just the view of the road grader, but also what you can actually do with the box blade if you are forced to use it for every dirt moving experience. I'm sure that holds true for the road grader as well. Like anything else, the more you use it, the more you will discover what can really be done with it. I'm sure my opinion will change as that happens. But for now, I was only reporting what I experienced with this first use of it.

A couple of things to consider is the initial cost of an implement like that, and also what else it can do for you vs the cost. I have no idea what it would cost new, but I'll bet it's several times the cost of my box blade. I paid 500 bucks for my box blade in 2005 and have done some mods on it to make it function better. I have about 300 bucks in doing that. It has allowed me to construct all those building pads which saved me thousands ... and I mean thousands of dollars. I'm not even sure if the road grader would have done any of that except perhaps the final leveling and maybe smoothing? For sure not the heavy ripping, contour work, gutters and granite pit excavating to get material for building...at least I don't think so? I tried pitching the grader sideways, but the side plates are so big it's hard to get it to work effectively like that. It ends up riding on one skid and only a very small portion of the cutting blades engage. Of course those long skids are there for a purpose ... to allow you to establish levelness over that length.

But don't get me wrong, I'm NOT putting it down at all. If you already have a road or lot that needs leveling and smoothing, and a LOT of it, it would do a terrific job very quickly for that same reason. Or even a rough virgin area that would accept a large piece of equipment like that allowing you to maneuver over that piece of land. However, looking at it from a view of which implement to get for versatility and value, it's a matter of opinion. Most of us little guys (except Brian of course) do not have enough dough to buy specialty equipment like that. Especially considering the initial cost and what you (can) do with it vs another implement, like a box blade for example, which can give you adequate (to excellent) results when used properly. For me, the road grader would be an implement to get as a luxury item to make things easier to maintain AFTER you have gotten your place to where you want it. At this point, and I speak from limited use of it, I can't see getting one first and trying to establish your place with so many different aspects of dirt moving, like was in my case.

So even though I admit my experience with it is minimal, I still sticking with that it's more of a specialty implement for leveling and maintaining roads. Hence the name "Road Grader" or Road Boss. That is not to say you can't do other stuff with it too. With Brian's permission, I might try to drag it down some of my trails I made with the box blade. I think I'll hook it back up to drag that area Loretta is preparing to roto-till too. It should drag the weeds off the surface nicely. Getting it between trees is less handy than using the box blade because of it's shear size.
Rob-

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Rob, you may do about anything you want with the grader blade other than I would prefer that you don't take a torch or saw to it to get some of your left over metal that you might need for one of your other projects. I'm sure that you could use a lot of that metal, and it was not intended to be a portable supply house.

As far as the make of that blade, I am not 100% sure. The dealer that I bought them from, (I have 3, 2-7 footers & 1-5 footer) could not remember who he bought them from, he had had them for over 10 years. Anyway, I had thought that they were early Road Boss graders, but I had a chance to talk to the owner of Road Boss 2 years ago at the World Ag Show. I described them in detail to him and he knew right off that they were not his but that they were Road Master graders and that they had long since gone out of business. They are close to a Road Boss, the differences being that the side panels on mine are about a foot longer, mine does not have bolt on wear plates on the runners, (mine are welded on) and the hitch for the 3 pt is bolted on the Road Boss, (for shipping purposes) and mine is welded. I have not weighed it yet, but based on what that size Road Boss weighs, mine should be around 1600lbs.

As far as uses for this blade, they can be many. I have a road that had some big dips in it, 4-5 foot deep. I used the grader blade to fill them in. I can move about 2 cubic yards of dirt at a time with it if I want to. You would think that it would just flow out the back, but it doesn't if you don't want it to. It's all in how you operate the implement, and I suppose the type of and moisture content of the ground being worked helps. I think that a rear blade is the best blade for constructing a road other than a dozer with a six way blade. Then touch up with a box blade, moving dirt where it might need to be. It is easier to control the dirt with a box blade rather than the grader blade. Grade with the twin blade grader blade to remove wash boarding and unwanted bumps. Final dressing with a landscape rake. When finished, you have a road that is smooth and easily maintained. All of this applies to the ground and soil types and conditions that I have at my place. Other places include other steps to deal with different conditions.

Rob, please use the grader blade as often as you might think that it will work for you. Try different techniques with it, you may be surprised at what it can do. And as I had said when I brought it to you, I feel that it will not do a better job of grading on your road than you already do, just do it faster. Keep on using it, and keep us informed on if it works for you or not.

Good luck with everything and I will let you know when I have a chance to make it up there.

 

[3RRL]

LOL Brian, your first paragraph cracked me up and I spit my coffee out!!!
You know me pretty well, hahaha.
Thanks for the clarification about the grader make and weight. I'm sure there are lots of guys who are interested in it. Also thanks for the further explanation of all you can do with it. I will use it again and I promise not to turn it into another project of mine.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Sorry about that, I hope that you had your thermos with you so that you didn't have to go back upstairs to get some more.