I don't yet have a box blade, but am making plans for spring rock cleanup in foodplot fields. I was thinking that windrowing them by york rake would allow me to collect them in BB . I assume you use a BB with 3-pt free floating so it follows the contour of the ground. If you reverse the blades so that they curve backward and adjust them to protrude an inch or so from the bottom, would they likely act like runners to keep the BB off the ground a bit avoiding moving a lot of dirt while still collecting rocks??
Box Scraper Box Blade
- Thread starter flINTLOCK
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johnk
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There are a lot of variables as to how big these rocks are and how the BB will work. I wouldn't suggest a box blade being the implement I would use to get rocks dragged off the land. Probably a york rake or rent a rock hound all depending on the size and amount of rocks...
LoneCowboy
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Having cleared a 20acre field once (an old gravel pit being used a city public works place and we had the landscaping contract and the whiners said "too many rocks")
the really funny part is now 12 years later I live like 5 minutes from it, every time I drive by it I think of it.
Anyway, back on track
Take the York rake, winrow them as you said. Then run the winrow with the FEL and dump them somewhere. You get some dirt, but it's generally ok. A rock grapple would work best, but the FEL works fine too.
You'll be amazed how fields (esp old gravel pits) grow rocks.
the really funny part is now 12 years later I live like 5 minutes from it, every time I drive by it I think of it.
Anyway, back on track
Take the York rake, winrow them as you said. Then run the winrow with the FEL and dump them somewhere. You get some dirt, but it's generally ok. A rock grapple would work best, but the FEL works fine too.
You'll be amazed how fields (esp old gravel pits) grow rocks.
johnk
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Why is it when you put rocks on the walks and driveways they disappear and in the gardens and fields they just keep appearing???Maybe I'll make my driveway a garden and the garden the driveway.
Z-Michigan
Veteran Member
N80 said:I would agree with what has been said. BB is no good for moving rocks around. It is great from finding them and bringing them to the surface, just not for getting them from point A to point B.
Is it great to the point where it would be a smart thing to do? I have a similar rock situation to the first poster, and it would be nice if I could find all the rocks near the surface while simultaneously smoothing out the field. Would you do this with the rippers all the way down?
N80
Super Member
Z-Michigan said:
I do it with the rippers all the way down. Problem is, at least where I am, there is no end to the rocks. Every time I 'plow' my food plots using the ripper teeth, I get a new and bountiful crop of softball sized rocks!
Flintlock, there are a lot of variables. I hit large, and often immovable (at least with my tractor) rocks all the time. Several of them are flat on top (about the size of a dining room table, and the teeth just scrap over the top. I've never hit a big rock going fast so when I do hit a rock (or stump) I usually get on the clutch pretty fast. When I've been slow to respond, the tractor stops and the tires break traction. I've yet to come to a sudden violent stop and I've yet to have any damage. But, at higher speeds with hard ground (good traction) you can easily damage the BB or tractor if you hit a big solid one.
