Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar

/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar
  • Thread Starter
#21  
Curious what other uses you have for the box blade and rake?

I use all of these mentioned attachments and get good results out of them. For a novice a box blade has the longest learning curve when attempting to get a good finish. I use a box blade more often when I need to change grade on a field, for instance when I need to reshape areas requiring a cut and fill. If you need to make larger cuts and move the dirt into low areas to make corrections the box blade is a good choice.

Where I need to perform smoothing tasks where the dirt is moved a minimal distance such as you describe a land plane grader scraper(lpgs) or fel bucket is my choice. I use a fel bucket when it is a small job because it is handy and or available without the need to change rear implements. The lpgs is much easier to use on larger areas, does a good job of smoothing over bumps and holes and is an easy attachment to utilize for a novice. Most people use a lpgs to smooth driveways and gravel roads, I find that they are also good for smoothing lawn and field areas too.

I use landscape rakes primarily when I need to collect surface debris and perform minor smoothing. Great tool to have when you need to do clean up tasks. I find I use them more when starting a job and need to clear the debris such as sticks, vegetation and surface rocks that deter finish grading. While you can use them to smooth a field they are not as good for this as a lpgs which is more precise.

I find that having top and tilt for the 3 ph is very beneficial, particularly for box blade work. I would buy the tnt before any of the secondary use implements on my list.

If it were me and starting from scratch I would buy a tractor with fel, landscape rake if there is lots of surface debris, lpgs and a tiller. I would consider whether I could get by with steel posts and simple post driver for the fencing and hold out for a hydraulic auger buy or rent when needed. A seeder or broadcast spreader is another useful tool, depending on the need you may be able to get by with a walk behind while getting started. I am fortunate to have a good variety of implements to work with but I did build these up over the years. If money is tight you really need to think about which implements are the most useful and save you the most time and labor.

Here are a few pics of the implements I use the most for lawn and pasture smoothing and grading along with a post hole digger. While I have a large and small landscape rake, box blade, tiller, lpgs, and seeder the ones pictured get the most use.


Thanks a lot, really appreciate the time you have given this. The box blade is intended for boar affected areas, other uneven areas and aiding restoration of a short gravel driveway. The landscape rake for maintaining the driveway when renovated and gathering of waste material as i clear brambles. There are a lot, I had blackberries that concealed large fruit trees! The fruit trees are now exposed but there are a lot of blackberries elsewhere. Points taken re lpgs, suspect the landscape rake if heavy duty enough can aid restoration of the driveway. Like the sound of ease of use of the lpgs, sounds the way to go for a complete novice like myself, thanks. Ordering a FEL with the tractor so looks like I have planned something right:).

I think you are right re landscape rake, lpgs and tiller for starters (also getting a flail mower for grassland and keeping the scrub down after initial cut) along with probably a seeder as it looks like I'll end up re-doing the lawn and want to seed a couple of acres with wild flowers. Was hoping to avoid the tiller initially but might have to bite the bullet.

Thanks for the piccies, nice, you certainly have some gear:).

Dave
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #22  
I have not had good experience using a box blade or landscape rake where established sod is prevalent. The sod just clumps up and makes both tools pretty useless. Both are good for loose soil when little to no grass is involved.

I find that using the FEL and pushing and back dragging work to fill in holes better than most any other tool. You can push the dirt back in going forward then smooth it out by back dragging. Only practice will get you the knowledge to get the right angles on the FEL bucket so that it digs in, but not too much. Back dragging is pretty easy and just need to watch what the dirt is doing behind the bucket and adjust up or down as needed. Usually 5-10 degrees past flat is sufficient for smoothing while back dragging. You want the cutting blade portion to be slightly down but not enough that dirt is piling up behind the bucket.

Sometimes just back dragging in an X configuration to the hole is all that is needed to drag the dirt back level and no need to push forward with the FEL. Pushing dirt takes a lot of practice to keep from digging in too much.
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #23  
Cheers Egon,

Will look out for gauge wheels.

re Trichinosis, you are just trying to spoil my barbecue vision:)......

Best

Dave

Gauge wheels you may have to make yourself.
Practice really helps but geometry of tractor and back blade combined with the three point controller make for very difficult control. Smoothing is easy but getting all consistently even is another matter.
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar
  • Thread Starter
#24  
I have not had good experience using a box blade or landscape rake where established sod is prevalent. The sod just clumps up and makes both tools pretty useless. Both are good for loose soil when little to no grass is involved.

I find that using the FEL and pushing and back dragging work to fill in holes better than most any other tool. You can push the dirt back in going forward then smooth it out by back dragging. Only practice will get you the knowledge to get the right angles on the FEL bucket so that it digs in, but not too much. Back dragging is pretty easy and just need to watch what the dirt is doing behind the bucket and adjust up or down as needed. Usually 5-10 degrees past flat is sufficient for smoothing while back dragging. You want the cutting blade portion to be slightly down but not enough that dirt is piling up behind the bucket.

Sometimes just back dragging in an X configuration to the hole is all that is needed to drag the dirt back level and no need to push forward with the FEL. Pushing dirt takes a lot of practice to keep from digging in too much.


Hi Gary,

I have a feeling I am going to end up thanking the wild pigs for the experience gained:). I will definitely give the FEL a try using your tactics (good description by the way), I think I have been talked out of the box blade at least until I have more experience.

Thanks

Dave
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #25  
Bah. .30-06 is for boar is for panty-waists. I understand Cabellas has a really nice boar spear for under $100 for those of us who want to prove how manly we are when it comes to hunting dangerous big game. 95BOASK_m.jpg
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar
  • Thread Starter
#26  
Gauge wheels you may have to make yourself.
Practice really helps but geometry of tractor and back blade combined with the three point controller make for very difficult control. Smoothing is easy but getting all consistently even is another matter.

Ahh, showing my ignorance re gauge wheels:eek:. Just about convinced to leave the box blade 'boxed', it doesn't sound the tool for a tractor 'virgin'.

Thks

Dave
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar
  • Thread Starter
#27  
Bah. .30-06 is for boar is for panty-waists. I understand Cabellas has a really nice boar spear for under $100 for those of us who want to prove how manly we are when it comes to hunting dangerous big game. View attachment 413940


:)Count me in with the panty-waists:p
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #28  
Ahh, showing my ignorance re gauge wheels:eek:. Just about convinced to leave the box blade 'boxed', it doesn't sound the tool for a tractor 'virgin'.

Thks

Dave

Ahh--good move. Box blades work very well for some jobs.

Learn all about the float position for the loader. The curl function works well when back dragging. If your gonna dig make sure you start out level and keep it that way.
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #29  
Well, the first trick is to catch/kill your hog....then just cook it up done...no worries about the trichinosis as long as proper cooking preparations are followed...no trich to it!! People in Texas eat wild hog all the time. I have a bunch in my freezer right now.

Shucks! Panty waists use a spear...Texas boys simply grab hold and hog tie them...literally...see link below for step by step instructions...

Hunters bag, tie 790-pound “BoarZilla” hog | The Flash Today
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #30  
I have not had good experience using a box blade or landscape rake where established sod is prevalent. The sod just clumps up and makes both tools pretty useless. Both are good for loose soil when little to no grass is involved.

I find that using the FEL and pushing and back dragging work to fill in holes better than most any other tool. You can push the dirt back in going forward then smooth it out by back dragging. Only practice will get you the knowledge to get the right angles on the FEL bucket so that it digs in, but not too much. Back dragging is pretty easy and just need to watch what the dirt is doing behind the bucket and adjust up or down as needed. Usually 5-10 degrees past flat is sufficient for smoothing while back dragging. You want the cutting blade portion to be slightly down but not enough that dirt is piling up behind the bucket.

Sometimes just back dragging in an X configuration to the hole is all that is needed to drag the dirt back level and no need to push forward with the FEL. Pushing dirt takes a lot of practice to keep from digging in too much.

Gary, do you think a Ratchet Rake on the FEL would help? Or would it just dig up too much of the grass? I was thinking he could back-drag with a Ratchet Rake (lightly) and then take it off to smooth it out with the bucket cutting edge.
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar
  • Thread Starter
#31  
Ahh--good move. Box blades work very well for some jobs.

Learn all about the float position for the loader. The curl function works well when back dragging. If your gonna dig make sure you start out level and keep it that way.

Cheers for the follow-up Egon, will do my 'studies':) and thanks to all who have given their time very much appreciated. Planning delivery of the tractor to France in April, would like to have earlier but currently nowhere to secure it, still no doors on the garage, no problem if i'm there all the time but still splitting time between there and UK. Suspect the 'Novice Brit' tag will be very appropriate for some time after delivery though so expect I'll be hassling you guys again:confused:

Very Best

Dave
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar
  • Thread Starter
#32  
Well, the first trick is to catch/kill your hog....then just cook it up done...no worries about the trichinosis as long as proper cooking preparations are followed...no trich to it!! People in Texas eat wild hog all the time. I have a bunch in my freezer right now.

Shucks! Panty waists use a spear...Texas boys simply grab hold and hog tie them...literally...see link below for step by step instructions...

Hunters bag, tie 790-pound 釘oarZilla hog | The Flash Today


Cheers,

:laughing: Brilliant!! Some hog too. Grow big in France as well and going by the holes in the lawn out there, one pig would have been good for many a barbecue roast, sausages etc etc......
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #33  
I'm sorry - the title of your thread makes me laugh. There are no wild boar around here - at least the four legged variety.

However, we do have an animal - that if invited into your yard by feeding - will tear the living snot out of shrubbery, lawn, gardens, flowers etc, etc.

We are blessed with an ever increasing population of wild turkey. They are the most destructive wild animal around here - so I know of what you speak when you talk about your lawn being torn up. Wild turkey will make your yard look like it lost the battle with a mutant rototiller.
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar
  • Thread Starter
#34  
I'm sorry - the title of your thread makes me laugh. There are no wild boar around here - at least the four legged variety.

However, we do have an animal - that if invited into your yard by feeding - will tear the living snot out of shrubbery, lawn, gardens, flowers etc, etc.

We are blessed with an ever increasing population of wild turkey. They are the most destructive wild animal around here - so I know of what you speak when you talk about your lawn being torn up. Wild turkey will make your yard look like it lost the battle with a mutant rototiller.

No need to be sorry, you returned the chuckle:), loved the 'battle with a mutant rototiller' comparison, still chuckling now:laughing:

I have never been fortunate enough to eat a wild turkey but if they are anything like the domesticated I guess there are some tasty bonuses:licking:. Love Australia by the way and your member picture looks fantastic. I have been fortunate enough to have some terrific holidays there but you have more than your fair share of invasive species and almost invariably at the expense of the native, i'm guessing the turkey was introduced:mad:.

Cheers for the chuckle
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #35  
Actually, my novice brit, the wild turkey is native to the US. Benjamin Franklin favored it to be the national bird over the bald eagle.

Wild turkey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The ranch I grew up on was used as a source of wild Rio Grande Turkey to aid in repopulation of the bird when numbers dropped to 30,000 at one point. My grandmother gathered fertile eggs in the wild and hatched them with her domesticated turkey hens.

Yes, they eat very well. Have done so many times.
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar
  • Thread Starter
#36  
Actually, my novice brit, the wild turkey is native to the US. Benjamin Franklin favored it to be the national bird over the bald eagle.

Wild turkey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The ranch I grew up on was used as a source of wild Rio Grande Turkey to aid in repopulation of the bird when numbers dropped to 30,000 at one point. My grandmother gathered fertile eggs in the wild and hatched them with her domesticated turkey hens.

Yes, they eat very well. Have done so many times.


Cheers TexasJohn, Interesting and thanks for enlightening me:). See I'm going to learn about a lot more than just tractors and related equipment on this site. Sounds like you will have had a fantastic upbringing. re good eating, I hope to try one, one day and sounds like they should be on the menu more in Australia but so much 'free' meat in Oz......
 
/ Best attachment for levelling out lawn dug up by wild boar #37  
Well, the first trick is to catch/kill your hog....then just cook it up done...no worries about the trichinosis as long as proper cooking preparations are followed...no trich to it!! People in Texas eat wild hog all the time. I have a bunch in my freezer right now.

Shucks! Panty waists use a spear...Texas boys simply grab hold and hog tie them...literally...see link below for step by step instructions...

Hunters bag, tie 790-pound 釘oarZilla hog | The Flash Today

Sort like the Cheechaco in the Alaskan Bar and the Grisly bear and ----!
 
 

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