Dirt Scraper (Dirt Pan) / Towed Vs. Dirt Scoop / 3-Pt. - WHICH ROUTE ????

[Verticaltrx]

I think you will be very disappointed with the setup if you get a scraper. Scrapers are among the hardest pulling and most abusive pieces of equipment you can put behind a tractor. Using one in sand negates some of these issues, but causes others. As mentioned traction will be a real issue if the sand/soil it loose, also it's hard to get a scraper to load properly in loose sandy soil. You really need the 'peeling' effect of loam or clay to push a nice load into the bowl. With sand you'll only get part of a load before it starts trying to come back out the front.

Like I said before, I think you'd be much happier with the small dump trailer. IMO it's a far better match for you tractor. Now, with all that said, if you do still decide on a scraper please post plenty of pics and info about it. The DB-5 or 6 is something I may be interested in someday and there is very little info on the web about them.

 

[NHmitch]

I think that the combination of a dump trailer and a dirt scoop might actually be a very good combination. You could drag the scoop at the height that you want using your 3 point, and then empty it into dump trailer parked nearby that you only need to empty after multiple buckets full. Just a thought. I have been extremely impressed with the multi-usability of my dirt scoop.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Dad had a different twist on how to load and haul creek gravel and dirt with only an 801 Ford with a 6' manual Ford rear blade and 1955 Ford F600 with a 12' flat steel bed dump.

Over a 30 year period he must to hauled a 1000 loads and never did have a FEL but just dragged/pushed it onto the the truck with the rear grader blade then later a box blade.

When you are poor you learn how to make do with your tools at hand.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Dad had a different twist on how to load and haul creek gravel and dirt with only an 801 Ford with a 6' manual Ford rear blade and 1955 Ford F600 with a 12' flat steel bed dump.

Over a 30 year period he must to hauled a 1000 loads and never did have a FEL but just dragged/pushed it onto the the truck with the rear grader blade then later a box blade.

When you are poor you learn how to make do with your tools at hand.

Sounds interesting. Did he back the truck down in a hole, up to a bank or loading dock or something to get it at a level to push the dirt on?

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Sounds interesting. Did he back the truck down in a hole, up to a bank or loading dock or something to get it at a level to push the dirt on?

The dry creek had been used for a 100+ years as a local source of gravel so it had a nice entrance to back down into the creek so people could back a team wagon down and load it by hand. Pit gravel was around but very hard to get out before heavy equipment.

So each time dad would get set up to haul some gravel he would take the gravel down to about the bottom of the creek bed (to the dirt almost) by dragging it on down the creek say 30' so that would drop the truck down somewhat plus the dump did not have a sub frame was it was just a couple inches above the rear tires when loaded.

Then depending how much gravel he was going to haul he would start pulling the gravel upstream into a very tall and long pile. Now he would back down into the creek and finish the "loading dock". When he got where he could drive the tractor to the front of the bed he would then build a ramp of gravel as high as possible 100-300' long. This was easier to do after getting the box blade but he did it for years with just a 6' rear blade with no end caps.

Now that the tractor was on the long ramp of gravel 2-3' above the bed of the truck he would pull on as much as on to the rear of the bed and as high as he could then turn around and push it on to the truck giving him all the old truck wanted to haul/dump.

Now hauling tons of dirt which he did was a snap. He had a long sharp hill that he wanted to work down into pasture. By then he had the box blade and would just cut a place flat for a loading ramp at the base of the hill so that he could back up to and it was cut so his wheels dropped about 6" to help keep the truck from rolling forward as easy. By disking/breaking before a big rain helped it go faster getting the dirt down the hill. I know he was still hauling off of that hill years later when he passed at age 72.

At the time I just thought that was the way most did things and you really did not see many FEL's around here. Now we want $100,000 in equipment to move snow off a 30' drive and dig three post holes.

 

[DJ54]

Know all about that Gale..!! We put an addition on in 1965. The basement was dug with a horse slip scraper, and a Farmall A. Mom at the wheel of the A, and Dad on the slip scraper. He would ride, balanced on the handle's, to keep it from digging in, once loaded to the dump pile. My uncle gave him an hour meter off an old scraper, so as to keep track of the hours. Start to finish in 40 working hours... I know there are pictures of it around here somewhere, some snowy day I'll see if I can find some of them.

We've cut several waterways with that old A, and slip scraper, and a lock level, then finished with a #2 round point Razor-Back. It still amazes me the miles of canals built through here, simply with horses and slip scrapers.

Read a quote somewhere a good number of years back that I always thought it applied to our means of doing things... "We've done so much, with so little, for so long, it's just a way of life..." I know I sure learned a lot over the years, doing "stuff"... Some buddies of mine told me years ago I'd have made a great Grandpa, when I problem solved something for them in a matter of minutes, and they were on their way. He said, 'Grandpa's always know how to do that stuff..."

I know my equipment isn't new and shiny, but compared to the way I have done things, it is MUCH easier, and gave me a whole new respect for hydraulics over the years... A little care, and preventitive maintenace will make it last a long time..!!

 

[kneedeep]

I have a small pan, DP-60 by Durabilt, that I use with a 3510 Mahindra in Mississippi Delta gumbo when it is dry. Works great cutting a few inches at a time. Takes about 50-60 feet to fill. Once the topsoil and organic matter is removed, it is easy to fill overflowing.
I bought it used for 2K. Southland Equipment in Batesville, MS has them new for $4200.

Product - Dirt Pan