Box Blade - Rigid or Hinged?

[F_22]

What's the difference between a rigid back box blade and a hinged back box blade? Are they designed to do different things, or does one or the other have any particular advantage?

 

[TresCrows]

I have a swing back type. I am not saying one is better than the other. I don't know. All I do know is that the swing back digs and cuts in the forward direction and is used to smooth and disperse material in the backward direction . I set my blade so that it is angled forward, the box is tilted forward, so I can cut and dig going forward and then smooth in reverse without making adjustments to the box or toplink. With a fixed back type you can tilt the box back and smooth going forward. This would not work with a swing back unless it was modified to lock the rear blade down. I am told the swing back types cut/dig better, I don't know if that is true, makes sense that as the rear blade swings out of the way the forward blade can get a better bite but but as I said I really don't know if it matters that much. J

 

[WVBill]

The back blade on my box can be pinned to be fixed or un-pinned to be hinged.
If I leave it pinned and tilt the box just right, the rear blade controls how much "bite" the box takes when pulling in the forward direction. If I want to take a real agressive bite in the forward direction (by tilting the box way back), the rear blade must be un-pinned.

 

[Henro]

If one does not try both, how could he conclude which is better?

I don't know...

I wanted a better box blade with a hinged rear blade, but I waited until it was too late and then my dealer could not get the one I wanted in time, and I ended up with a cheap KK box.

And it seems to work just fine...

And I don't see the need for a hinged rear blade now...

And I am pretty happy with what I have, even if I do have top put several hundred pounds of concrete blocks on it for extra weight, so it cuts better... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Seeing what I do now with the fixed rear blade...I don't think I have the need for a hinged one at extra cost.

Then again, I may just be dumb and happy, and working on the fat part... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Here is a poor shot of my box blade with the extra weight...

 

[CTyler]

Hi Henro, my Woods BB has the solid cutting blade with a hinged rear blade behind that. Its' the only BB I've ever used. The only benefit I have observed is that is helps smooth the material a little more. I'm not sure I'd miss it if it wasn't there.

 

[jmc]

I've got the fixed kind and would like to try the hinged. Around here, we've got clay that sticks to everything. The blind space between the two fixed blades packs full of clay until you are just dragging mud balls. The 10 or 12 cutting edge bolts that protrude into this space help keep the clay in place and make removing the clay more difficult. I think a hinged blade would prevent that build up.

 

[PineRidge]

We're taking notes here on this one guys. Right now we have no box blade and plan to make a purchase in the spring. All comments are most welcome. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> Around here, we've got clay that sticks to everything. The blind space between the two fixed blades packs full of clay until you are just dragging mud balls. The 10 or 12 cutting edge bolts that protrude into this space help keep the clay in place and make removing the clay more difficult. I think a hinged blade would prevent that build up.
</font>

Jmc,

That is an interesting observation. Something that happens to my box blade as well.

I figured it made no difference if that space was packed with dirt, since when cutting I tilt the box so it points down in the front, and when dragging smooth I tilt the front end up a bit.

But now that I think of it, for cutting, having that space filled with dirt may actually require me to both angle the box more aggresively and require more weight on the box to get it to cut like I expect.

Still, I am satisfied with the performance of what I have for the dollar spent. The Woods BB60 was what I originally ordered but did not end up with.

 

[DK35vince]

Henro,
The bottom of the side plates on my King Kutter boxblade were flat front to rear.
When I angled the boxblade ahead for more aggressive cutting the front of the sideplates would dig in taking the weight off the cutting edge.
I cut a taper in the bottom of my sideplates, starting at 0 near the cutting edge tapering up to 2" cut out at the front.
Seems to cut much better now keeping the weight on the cutting edge.