Box scraper questions

[J_J]

I need some plans or pictures or something to base my design on. I could go to a store and take pictures, I guess. Any other thoughts.

Bob, You could go to a nearby tractor place and take some pictures, or go to a TSC and look at the box blades to pull behind a 4 wheeler. Will try and find some pictures .

 

[BobRip]

I will give TSC a try. Thanks.

 

[BobRip]

Clint Blake is going to take some pictures of his box scraper. Meanwhile I need to work on the thumb.

 

[BobRip]

Clint Blake is going to take some pictures of his box scraper. Meanwhile I need to work on the thumb.

I now have Clint Blake's box blade in my garage. It is 48 inches wide. I have some steel that is 44 inches wide. I am considering making the box blade that wide, the same width as the power trac 422. It there something magic about 48 inches and will I be forever sorry that I went to 44 inches. I can weld the pieces together to make it wider, but it may not be as strong and of course it is more work. Any suggestions or comments will be appreciated.

 

[pajoube]

I now have Clint Blake's box blade in my garage. It is 48 inches wide. I have some steel that is 44 inches wide. I am considering making the box blade that wide, the same width as the power trac 422. It there something magic about 48 inches and will I be forever sorry that I went to 44 inches. I can weld the pieces together to make it wider, but it may not be as strong and of course it is more work. Any suggestions or comments will be appreciated.

Just a comment from my experience. I would go wider than the wheels. As you drag backwards you do not want wheel marks on the finished product. A slight turn when backing will give this to you.
PJ

 

[MossRoad]

I now have Clint Blake's box blade in my garage. It is 48 inches wide. I have some steel that is 44 inches wide. I am considering making the box blade that wide, the same width as the power trac 422. It there something magic about 48 inches and will I be forever sorry that I went to 44 inches. I can weld the pieces together to make it wider, but it may not be as strong and of course it is more work. Any suggestions or comments will be appreciated.

I agree with PJ... you want the implement to be a bit wider than the wheels.

 

[BobRip]

Thanks to both of you. That was what I was looking for. I do have to turn while scraping my driveway. I will go with 48 inches.

 

[BobRip]

I took a few pictures of the PT box scraper. Here is the thought on this. PT connects the quick attach plate (QA)to the back of the box scraper. Clint Blake and my thoughts are to connect the QA to the front of the scraper and then add some reinforcement connecting the bottom of the box scraper to the top of the quick attach plate. Why you ask? A box scraper, as we understand it, does its job because the distance from the front wheels of the PT and the box scraper is less than the wheel to wheel distance. This way when you go over uneven ground the box scraper moves up and down less than the wheels. So each time you make a pass the ground becomes a little more even. By moving the front of the box scraper back about 16 inches you shorten the front wheel to box scraper blade distance, hopefully enhancing this situation. So hopefully you don't have to make as many passes.

Also since most of the forces are on the front of the box scraper, by making the front connnect to the QA plate you may save a little on the metal in the box scraper. Does anyone have any comments on this? Speak now before I build the thing. I have attached a picture of the PT box scraper for reference.

 

[BobRip]

If you look you at the previous picture you may see that the scraper blade is actually angle iron with the point facing up. I have attached a picture of the angle iron that I will be using. It is about 3 inches wide. I have cut four pieces to four inches long and these will be used as extensions and as weld reinforcement pieces to attach the extensions to the 44 inch pieces for a total length of 48 inches. The same as the PT scraper. I will also use a piece of angle iron for the top of the front blade assembly with 5/16 inch plate between the blade and the top piece. The bottom of the QA plate will then be welded to the top angle iron. The QA plate will be tilted forward to about 60 degress (just like the PT version). Another piece of angle iron will be welded from the scraper angle iron to the front top of the QA plate. Other reinforcements will be added as I figure it out. I am sure this will be clearer when I build it. See attached picture of the angle iron.

 

[pajoube]

I took a few pictures of the PT box scraper. Here is the thought on this. PT connects the quick attach plate (QA)to the back of the box scraper. Clint Blake and my thoughts are to connect the QA to the front of the scraper and then add some reinforcement connecting the bottom of the box scraper to the top of the quick attach plate. Why you ask? A box scraper, as we understand it, does its job because the distance from the front wheels of the PT and the box scraper is less than the wheel to wheel distance. This way when you go over uneven ground the box scraper moves up and down less than the wheels. So each time you make a pass the ground becomes a little more even. By moving the front of the box scraper back about 16 inches you shorten the front wheel to box scraper blade distance, hopefully enhancing this situation. So hopefully you don't have to make as many passes.

Also since most of the forces are on the front of the box scraper, by making the front connnect to the QA plate you may save a little on the metal in the box scraper. Does anyone have any comments on this? Speak now before I build the thing. I have attached a picture of the PT box scraper for reference.

I use the float position which really helps with the leveling.
PJ

 

[BobRip]

I started some welding today on my homemade box scraper. The picture shows the scraper bar, which is really just an angle iron with the point up. I welded plates to the ends of this bar. These are the side pieces that keep the gravel in the box.

 

[pajoube]

I started some welding today on my homemade box scraper. The picture shows the scraper bar, which is really just an angle iron with the point up. I welded plates to the ends of this bar. These are the side pieces that keep the gravel in the box.

Looking good, what do you figure the weight will be (about) for finished product?
PJ

 

[BobRip]

Looking good, what do you figure the weight will be (about) for finished product?
PJ

A very rough guess is about 100 pounds. What I have now is over 60 and I am probably 2/3 of the way there.

 

[BobRip]

I added some more metal to the box scrapper. I am making progress but it seems slow. Attached are some pictures.

On boxscrapper004 you can see where I made the scrapper bar longer and added a back plate for strength.

 

[pajoube]

I added some more metal to the box scrapper. I am making progress but it seems slow. Attached are some pictures.

On boxscrapper004 you can see where I made the scrapper bar longer and added a back plate for strength.

That is heavy duty steel. I like the weight you will end up with. This will help keep it down when in hard pack.
PJ

 

[BobRip]

I am thinking about making it so the box scrapper can tilt (lower the left or right side). This would help put a crown on the driveway. I don't know a good way to do this, but first let's discuss is it a good idea, or just an unneeded complexity that would weaken the device. Do you really need a crown on a driveway?

 

[MossRoad]

A crown helps water run off and that helps keep it off the road surface. If water remains on the road surface, it can freeze and thaw and help reduce the life of the road. I also makes the cars muddy. Low spots will cause water to pool and that makes soft spots. Then those soft spots turn into ruts or chuckholes. Better to get it off the road if possible.

There were a few posts regarding making a pivoting quick attach so that implements could be angled on the horizontal axis like you are thinking. We where thinking of using a truck wheel hub or a couple pipes one inside the other for this project. No on undertook that project.... the torch is passed to you!

 

[BobRip]

Moss, thanks for your input. It just came to me that a universal adapter that would fit between the PT and the attachment so that any attachment could be tilted. That way it would not hold up the building of the box scraper and if it did not work, no big deal. Just thinking out loud for now. I don't have a spare QA plate at this time for that purpose, so it might be awhile. With the equipment I have this could take a lot of time. It sounds like I need a milling machine to cut the slots. There might be other options, so if anyone has suggestions let me know. I could drill several holes and have stepped adjustments.

 

[ClintBlake]

Moss, thanks for your input. It just came to me that a universal adapter that would fit between the PT and the attachment so that any attachment could be tilted. That way it would not hold up the building of the box scraper and if it did not work, no big deal. Just thinking out loud for now. I don't have a spare QA plate at this time for that purpose, so it might be awhile. With the equipment I have this could take a lot of time. It sounds like I need a milling machine to cut the slots. There might be other options, so if anyone has suggestions let me know. I could drill several holes and have stepped adjustments.

There you go again. Keep rationalizing the need for more equipment and you will fill up that 70' x 120' garage yet.

 

[BobRip]

There you go again. Keep rationalizing the need for more equipment and you will fill up that 70' x 120' garage yet.

Clint, when are you going to build this garage for me, at your expense of course.