Box Scapers vs Blades

schmeal · Nov 11, 2004

Newbie questions, although I grew up on about 8 acres, I only mowed them, didn't do much else. Now I own 6.5, (mixture of trees and cleared space... and I'm looking at buying my first tractor, (probably something in the BX series). While looking at the accessories, I was just curious what is the difference in using a Box Scaper vs a Blade?

I do know we plan to have a garden an so I will eventually want a titler attachment, which BX series do you guys recommend for doing such work.

I mainly see using the tractor to mow (probably a the mid-deck mower), haul fallen trees (small ones of course), and work a small garden.

Thanks for any information...

WVBartMan · Nov 11, 2004

From personal experience I would choose the box scrape over the rear blade.

btolle · Nov 11, 2004

( I was just curious what is the difference in using a Box Scaper vs a Blade? )

With a blade you can smooth dirt out. With a box blade you can MOVE and smooth dirt.

When you try to move dirt with a blade much (or most) of the dirt will spill off the open ends of the blade. That is good is you are maintaining a road where you want to move the gravel or dirt from the edge of the road toward the center. Think of a blade as road grader. You generally pull the blade at an angle to the tractor so the material will be moved to the left or right. You can tilt one side (the trailing side) up a little to help build up a crown in the road.

The sides on a box blade will trap the dirt and move it as you travel. You can use it to smooth dirt out. It would not work as well as a blade if you trying to grade a road. You can make do with a box blade as a road grader by tilting it so one end is off the surface allowing the excess material to flow under the upraised end.

Unless you are maintaining a road I would recommend a box blade.

BTW, if you are going to be clearing woods you need to be aware that the BX2230 has only 6" or so of ground clearance and has a fan on the hydraulic pump that has an exposed plastic blade that can easily be broken by a limb that gets under the tractor.

I started to buy a BX2230 but went with the B7510 because it has 12" bound clearance, not nearly as much underbelly exposure and is a larger (size, not horsepower) tractor. Cost was about 12% higher than the BX2230 but I consider that a bargain for the upgraded size and other features.

Bill Tolle

schmeal · Nov 12, 2004

Thanks for the information Bill, that helps a lot. It won't be as much clearing the woods as cleaning up fallen trees, but I'll take the clearnence into consideration...

I'm very early in the looking process /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif although of course I'm ready to have one right now! ha!

Neal

JimMorrissey · Nov 15, 2004

Take a hard look at the B series before you plunk you $ down on a BX. 6.5 acres is a fair bit of land to deal with.

frank_f15 · Nov 15, 2004

( I mainly see using the tractor to mow (probably a the mid-deck mower), haul fallen trees (small ones of course), and work a small garden.
)

With those tasks in mind WHY do you think you need a box scrapper or a rear blade? just curious /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

schmeal · Nov 16, 2004

I Didn't say that I needed one /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif just was curious what the difference in them.

I do have a gravel driveway that is a circle drive way, but one side is pretty steep, wouldn't be bad if it was graded a bit less steep. It might be hand to have a box scraper to move around a load of fresh gravel (which the driveway could use), of course a FEL might be more useful, but after moving it around I don't know how much I would really need a FEL.

theboman · Nov 16, 2004

I don't know if it's been mentioned but you can pivot blades on an angle to do some ditching.

frank_f15 · Nov 17, 2004

( of course a FEL might be more useful, but after moving it around I don't know how much I would really need a FEL.

)

you would be amazed at the tasks that u will find to do with a fel. i can not imagine a tractor (for me) WITHOUT A FEL