Box Blade Question

SteveH_CT · Apr 27, 2004

Don't let your ignorance get in the way of asking... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif because I've faced this exact same problem and I don't know exactly what the BB will do for me either /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif . I'm glad you started this thread - I was just in here to begin a similar one regarding use of a York Rake. I've been torn between getting a BB or renting the York Rake - or doing both. I really wish they had a 1 or 2 day class you could go to and learn a lot of this stuff.

RobS · Apr 27, 2004

I've used my box blade for exactly what you're describing. I needed to remove top soil for a drive and place it in nice decorative mounds about 30 feet away. Using the box is MUCH faster than the FEL in this situation. Think of it as a mini-pan scraper. Yes, you will scar the travel path between cut and fill but that will be repairable.

The key is to lay out your path to keep forward motion at all times. Drop the box at the cut, let it fill, feather it up (TNT would be great here) for the travel then raise it in the fill to dump and head back for another load. After a while you'll make the trip without stopping/slowing much /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

JerryG · Apr 27, 2004

Do what I do for that type of distance. Fill the loader bucket and the drag the full BB also. That way you get twice as much moved at once.

fractal · Apr 30, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Do what I do for that type of distance. Fill the loader bucket and the drag the full BB also. That way you get twice as much moved at once. )</font>
Durn, I was wondering if I was the only person who thought that was obvious. Use the BB to drag up a bucket full, lift box, back up, fill the FEL with the nice loose dirt, then drag up a bunch more into the box for the drive..

I have no clue if it will work, but is sounds like it might.

To20Chris · May 17, 2004

And the winner is... both! I went at it with the FEL first, and I did make progress but it was slow. I got a 60" BB from TSC, and it works very well, even if it is a little light in weight. I realized that with the FEL only I was still going to need to level quite a bit of area with the dirt I had moved, and now I have the BB to help with that.

I find that if there are enough stones packed in too hard that the BB can have a hard time getting a bite, and that football sized rocks will just roll it up in the air. I need to use the FEL when I get into that situation.

Lastly, a BB is not much use when it gets muddy, and frankly neither are R4s. I'm beginning to wish I had gone with the R1s. I ran out of time on the day I got the BB home, when everything was nice and dry, and then of course it rained buckets. The second day with the BB I ended up with part of the area simply too wet to work properly. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

deere_x475guy · May 18, 2004

HI guys, I am pretty new to this group but thought I would chime in here. I for the first time last evening got to use my box scraper. After a little practice and adjusting it worked great. I to have a low spot that is collecting water and making a mudding hole for the local 4 wheelers. I soon used both the FEL and the scraper at the same time and had it filled in a few hours. This is a 48" KK that I am using on the back of my 2210. Seems to be a well balanced combo for me.

Have a great day
Bob