Does a boxblade / bucket make for decent excavator?

[Birdhunter1]

I wonder why it is that every piece of equipment that I buy I have to change its design and make it preform better.

You didn't buy one heavy enough!

 

[MarkV]

I am brand new at tractoring, but experienced at earthmoving, so I am appreciative of advice! Thanks for any and all responses.

I have a pond with a spillway that is nothing more than a big trench or cut in the bank. I want to place a big culvert in the trench and then backfill so I can drive across the spillway.

There is an area of my property maybe a hundred yards from the spillway where I want to excavate the soil for the backfill. The best equipment for this application would be a track loader. However I don't have one but I do have a Kubota L3400 with a regular bucket (no teeth). And since I am a hobbyist, time isn't of the essence.

What I am thinking is to purchase a boxblade which I need anyway for road maintenance and using it to loosen the soil enough that I can load it with the bucket and tram to the dumpsite. The soil is clay and if there are any rocks they will be small broken shale. I anticipate having to move about 25 cubic yards.

Can a boxblade be effective at loosening and windrowing soil for picking up with a regular bucket?

Welcome to the forum Commissioner. You have a workable plan in my opinion. It is going to take some time to move that much dirt though. One piece of advice about box blades. They are one of those attachments where weight makes all the difference. Buy the heaviest one you can afford or add weight to it if you can.

MarkV

 

[Spiveyman]

...One piece of advice about box blades. They are one of those attachments where weight makes all the difference. Buy the heaviest one you can afford or add weight to it if you can.

I have a couple of related questions about BB's. I'm getting a FEL installed on my tractor today and have ordered a toothbar. I didn't think about needing one until I read several other threads here on TBN. I want to even out an old road bed that runs down the side of my property. I'll probably start one of those project threads when I get to it.

Anyway, my questions:
I have been looking at a TSC 72" KK box blade, is that one heavy enough?

The 72" BB would weigh more, but that weight is spread out over 6 feet. Would the 60" one work better? (I have a Ford 6610, so I figured I'd get the biggest BB I could find.)

Thanks as always.

 

[horse7]

I just bought a 6 foot from TSC and I bent it today. I was using the rippers and it must have hooked a rock that pushed it sideways. I can fix it and make it better at the same time. I wonder why it is that every piece of equipment that I buy I have to change its design and make it preform better.

I've been considering a box blade, but the roots and immovable rocks are an issue. Rollovers look promising if I could find one strong enough... otherwise might have to go to industrial, at substantial cost. What I don't want is what you had happen, unit too light (as in not strong enough) and bends.

Must be summer vacation season (apparently, some people can take time off from work ) or something, having a hard time getting information and prices. Or maybe I need to speak Chinese first.... [Woods (available locally)/Gannon, and Cammond (not available locally) seem to be the front runners now, 84" size]

 

[Spiveyman]

Is a heavy duty BB (i.e. Woods, BushHog) worth the extra money compared to the TSC version?

 

[flusher]

I am brand new at tractoring, but experienced at earthmoving, so I am appreciative of advice! Thanks for any and all responses.

I have a pond with a spillway that is nothing more than a big trench or cut in the bank. I want to place a big culvert in the trench and then backfill so I can drive across the spillway.

There is an area of my property maybe a hundred yards from the spillway where I want to excavate the soil for the backfill. The best equipment for this application would be a track loader. However I don't have one but I do have a Kubota L3400 with a regular bucket (no teeth). And since I am a hobbyist, time isn't of the essence.

What I am thinking is to purchase a boxblade which I need anyway for road maintenance and using it to loosen the soil enough that I can load it with the bucket and tram to the dumpsite. The soil is clay and if there are any rocks they will be small broken shale. I anticipate having to move about 25 cubic yards.

Can a boxblade be effective at loosening and windrowing soil for picking up with a regular bucket?

You can rip the compacted soil with a box blade/scarifiers or spend $140 at Tractor Supply Co. for a middle buster plow. I've done it both ways with success.

Don't use your FEL bucket to dig into compacted soil. That really puts a strain on the FEL arms.

 

[mnbowhunter1960]

I just purchased a new 60" frontier box blade, I think it's about 500 lbs. I am totally impressed with what it will do and the rocks and roots it tears out of the ground. It never even put hardly a scratch in any of the metal.

I completely redid a gravel 1/2 mile trail that the logging trucks used 1 1/2 years ago and it looks like a brand new road. also built another new food plot in no time at all (what fun) best implement I have so far. MH

 

[john_bud]

Is a heavy duty BB (i.e. Woods, BushHog) worth the extra money compared to the TSC version?

Decent BB's have about 100# per foot of width.

Good ones are 125#

Industrial ones are 175 and over# per foot.


The TSC one maybe 350-400# for a 6'.

Weight does two things. It makes the box work better by digging in and being in control of the ground. Less bouncing, sliding over the dirt, etc. It also makes it more physically robust. Meaning it won't bend up like taffy on the first root or rock. Light duty ones are ok for pulling loose gravel or dirt, but not for demanding jobs. Choose your job, select your box, check with your wallet. It if all lines up - go for it!

jb
jb

 

[jbrumberg]

Decent BB's have about 100# per foot of width.

Good ones are 125#

Industrial ones are 175 and over# per foot.


The TSC one maybe 350-400# for a 6'.

Weight does two things. It makes the box work better by digging in and being in control of the ground. Less bouncing, sliding over the dirt, etc. It also makes it more physically robust. Meaning it won't bend up like taffy on the first root or rock. Light duty ones are ok for pulling loose gravel or dirt, but not for demanding jobs. Choose your job, select your box, check with your wallet. It if all lines up - go for it!

jb
jb

I agree - Jay

 

[Spiveyman]

Thanks john_bud, and I mulled over it, that's what I came to as well. The 400#'s looks about right for the TSC version, not a very strong top link section as 3RRL found out.

This picture is the 60", but the 72" is $469 with one more scarifer:


I talked to the guy who's putting the FEL on and he has a couple of options for me in the industrial range, 84", weighs about 710#'s for about $700 and change. Similar to this Wood's version with the beefed up top link section and a floating rear gate:


It's a bit of a stretch for me, but I've never been sorry to get something made better.