Building our land leveler

[BMan2005]

Pretty much have my plan together in my head & going to pick up supplies tomorrow. Will be using mostly metal out of a friend's recycling yard & some new things I'll be purchasing. I'm sure it won't be as nice as some you can purchase, but for the diy that wants something just serviceable I figured you would like me sharing the build. I plan to over build a little bit, and heavy.

We need it to help put a final smooth level on land we had cleared this past year & smooth our 1500' drive (soon to be double) so we kinda needed one.

Build pictures to come

 

[airbiscuit]

Not quite sure what your design will be, but if you are going to use it for a drive, it would be nice to make it adjustable for tilt, so you can build and maintain a crown to the road.

 

[BMan2005]

Just straight blades. I have a Landpride 4096 to keep a crown on the road. From all the reading I've done most everyone who has them with angle says they honestly don't move much dirt to the center for a crown. Have you had a different experience?

It'll be 8' wide x 6' long btw

 

[joeu235]

The only I know of to make a crown with a land plane is to adjust one lower link on the 3 point to make the crown side higher.

 

[BMan2005]

The only I know of to make a crown with a land plane is to adjust one lower link on the 3 point to make the crown side higher.

Maybe that's what airbuscuit meant, having some tilt adjustment in the blades. I automatically took it as angle, which still may because I haven't ever ran one either way. But I could definitely see tilt doing it.

 

[airbiscuit]

Are you building something like this?

 

[airbiscuit]

Or a grader/scraper

 

[BMan2005]

2nd video maybe I should have wrote land plane? I know it goes by a few names, kinda confusing. The Twin blade set up.

Also I was thinking to set up the blades to cut 1.5" below the skids on it, sound about right?

 

[airbiscuit]

Here is a pretty good thread.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/287452-land-plain-blade-height-help.html

 

[BMan2005]

Material list complete. Final build will be 8' wide x 6' Long.

2- 12" I beams cut 6' long for side's
1- 6x4x 3/8 tubing for front cross member
1- 4x4x 5/16" tubing for rear cross member
6- 2x3x 1/2" pieces of angle iron for cutting edge to me mounted to and various brackets.
2- 8' double sided 1/2" cutting edges
4- packs of bolts for cutting edge.

I have some 2x2" & 2.5x2.5" square tubing laying around that will be used to build the 3pt & top link mount/brace as well.

 

[hosspuller]

I have a Road Boss. Neat design trick they used was drilling two sets of bolt holes to mount the blades to. The second set is about an inch lower than the first holes. It's to lower the blade when the blade gets worn. So, one gets twice the blade life.

 

[BMan2005]

I have a Road Boss. Neat design trick they used was drilling two sets of bolt holes to mount the blades to. The second set is about an inch lower than the first holes. It's to lower the blade when the blade gets worn. So, one gets twice the blade life.

Appreciate the info, when I set everything up I'll look and see how that will work out and possibly do that!


Question, for leveling land and recovering packed gravel what depth do y'all think is best for the blades to be set below the skids? I've read anything from 3/4 - 1.5"

 

[TractorGuy]

Ever notice how all the videos demonstrating a land leveler is done on ground that is already level?

I want to see a device to level uneven overgrown surfaces.

 

[joeu235]

 

[hosspuller]

I set the skids on a 1x6 then let the blade holders (which have slots in addition to the two sets of bolt holes) drop to the pavement. Tighten the bolts and off I go. So a bit more than 3/4 inch

JoeU video is of a Road Boss in use.

They didn't show the end technique... When you get to the end of the drive. Make a hard left, while raising the land plane. It drops all the accumulated stone in the middle of the drive. Back over it and pull it for the second pass. For the last pass, use the rockshaft control to feather it out.

 

[BMan2005]

Started on the build today. I used my 16' utility trailer as a level plane to build from. After squaring and getting the I beams completely level with wood shims I Tack welded two pieces of angle iron across the top to keep everything square while working on it.

So far I got the 4x6 and 4x4 tubing cut to size and tacked into place. Measured out placement for my angle that my blades mount to as well. No plans, building as I go so I'm having to plan it out as I go. Blades will be 15" behind each top cross brace to keep material from hanging up. Also, I will be wire wheeling and painting after the build, so ignore the ugly industrial paint on the steel.

Build should start coming along quiker now.

 

[BMan2005]

Doesn't look like much yet, but I had a few hours to work on it today. Finished cutting and tacking in the angle to hold the blades, added a 2.5 x 2.5 piece of square to the rear for more reinforcement, and decided to use the angle for my top link hook up. Should finish framing everything up tomorrow if I get some spare time and then start welding it all in place.

 

[BMan2005]

The top & bottom of the I mean is 3/8", so I decided to just let it use that as a skid for now & when the day comes just remove it and stitch weld some more 3/8" back in it's place. Also went with straight blades instead of angle since I will use it for leveling land as much as on our drive. I've read as long as I stay left or right of the center it will not affect the established crown, so hope not.

 

[BMan2005]

Making progress. Everything is tacked into place, now to clean my tacks and start running some welds.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Not knowing what all you have for tools and equipment, but would it not be easier to drill the 3pt hitch holes in the mounts before this all gets welded together?? :confused3: