Everything attachments box blades

[RJJR]

EA,
I would like some feedback on two of your models. I have a Kioti DK45 hp and will be cutting down some virgin soil with roots and rocks. I see you have the 72" United on sale for $745 which weighs just over 500 lbs. I'm comparing it to your own X-treme duty 72" blade for utility tractors at $840 but weighs about 30 lbs less. Can you give me an idea of which would stand up better? I can't see the side plate dimensions on the United. What are they? I do see it's only 1/4 inch on the X-treme blade.


Any of you guys have the X-treme blade that can speak to its durability?


Thanks

 

[kiotiken]

No idea about the EA products, but I bought a 60" box blade for my CK30 that weighs 400-450 if I remember correctly. The CK30's gone, but I kept the box blade and use it on my DK45. It's far too light, I'll look for something 800+ lbs when I buy again. Yes, there are some features I'd look for, but when you're looking at basically a metal box, the weight will indicate the gauge of steel used and how much of it there is.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

The United is a good box blade that ETA has sold for years, and we have our remaining inventory marked down to sell. It is true that weight is important, but we think that the design and quality is equally as important.
The design of our products and the materials we use set our box blades(and other products) apart from United and other manufacturer's attachments.
Here are some differences:

Both box blades have 1/4" side plates. We weld an additional 1/4" piece on the leading edge, where the most wear occurs. This doesn't add much to the weight, but greatly increases the lifetime of our box blades.


We have a more durable attachment point for the ripper shanks.
ETA:


United:


We use a longer, heavier 4 hole ripper shank vs. the 3 hole on the United:


We add a bend to the back moldboard that helps the sod/dirt roll off and improves results/useability:


We also use a 4" square cross tube. They weld together 2 pieces of angle that results in a 4x6 tube. Their design results in a heavier tube but not necessarily a stronger tube.
Our box blades feature high quality US made cutting edges. I'm not really sure what United and other Mfgs use, but I doubt they're US made because of the additional cost involved.
All of our components are cut with a laser which results in smooth edges that fit together perfectly. The components have tabs so our welders can fit them together like a tinker toy with little room for error.
We use a high quality, automotive grade paint that looks good and should stay that way for years.

There are other differences, but those were the main points that stood out. This was just a quick comparison that I made by walking outside and looking at both blades. I think it shows that weight is not the only thing to look at when shopping for a box blade.
Hopefully it will help.
Travis
(Comparison of the United 672DHD and ETA Xtreme Duty Utility Box Blade)

 

[kiotiken]

Y'a, I agree, weight is not everything and everything Travis just said are great features to look for. Unfortunately, all the features in the world, as nice as they are, won't stop your box blade from skipping along the top of your material instead of being able to take a nice clean bite out of it, only weight will. My box blade is noticeably too light and I have no experience with a really heavy one, but from the multiple threads here on TBN on the subject, everybody seems to say a heavy box blade makes all the difference in the world.

There's no doubt the EA box blade is much better when comparing the two. I'd just think about a heavy duty version that weighed in around 800 lbs.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Adjusting your toplink can have a huge effect on the results. A box blade is much more aggressive when the front is angled down allowing the ripper shanks and front cutting edge to cut rather than skipping along.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Y'a, I agree, weight is not everything and everything Travis just said are great features to look for. Unfortunately, all the features in the world, as nice as they are, won't stop your box blade from skipping along the top of your material instead of being able to take a nice clean bite out of it, only weight will. My box blade is noticeably too light and I have no experience with a really heavy one, but from the multiple threads here on TBN on the subject, everybody seems to say a heavy box blade makes all the difference in the world.

There's no doubt the EA box blade is much better when comparing the two. I'd just think about a heavy duty version that weighed in around 800 lbs.

I agree, EA's BB is a good design, if they would just offer that unit design so that it weighed in at about 150lbs per foot width, then you could really put it to work.

No, the heavier units are not for everyone, but it would be nice if the option was there, especially with that design.

 

[RJJR]

No idea about the EA products, but I bought a 60" box blade for my CK30 that weighs 400-450 if I remember correctly. The CK30's gone, but I kept the box blade and use it on my DK45. It's far too light, I'll look for something 800+ lbs when I buy again. Yes, there are some features I'd look for, but when you're looking at basically a metal box, the weight will indicate the gauge of steel used and how much of it there is.

Ordered the EA today. May regret the lack of weight but will report back here on the results either way? Thanks

 

[kiotiken]

Let us know what you think. It's obviously a much better constructed BB, hopefully it works well for you.

 

[rjwerth]

Sorry to be late to this, but I would highly suggest going to the 78" for your tractor. I have their heaviest 78" BB and wouldn't want it shorter.

 

[jeff9366]

Adjusting your toplink can have a huge effect on the results. A box blade is much more aggressive when the front is angled down allowing the ripper shanks and front cutting edge to cut rather than skipping along.

In my 16 months experience pulling a 630 pound Rollover Box Blade behind my Kubota B3300SU/33-hp/1,900 pounds I agree with Travis at ETA.

I have about ten implements which mount on the 3-Pt hitch. It has taken me longer to master the ROBB than any of my other implements. Implement weight is CERTAINLY important but so is adjusting the top link to the optimum length for the blade to perform best for the particular task you want the box blade to perform; with cutting and smoothing requiring different top link lengths.

 

[kiotiken]

In my 16 months experience pulling a 630 pound Rollover Box Blade behind my Kubota B3300SU/33-hp/1,900 pounds I agree with Travis at ETA.

I have about ten implements which mount on the 3-Pt hitch. It has taken me longer to master the ROBB than any of my other implements. Implement weight is CERTAINLY important but so is adjusting the top link to the optimum length for the blade to perform best for the descreet task you want the box blade to perform; with cutting and smoothing requiring different top link lengths.

Yup, I'm all to aware of the difference shortening the top link can make. I welded up a frame on top of my BB, added two stainless steel 55 gallon drums on their sides and plumbed it all together to make a zamboni for the rink. I forgot to check my angle at the beginning of the year. I wondered why I could feel the zamboni when pulling. Didn't take me long to see the 20' long, 6" deep ruts I was carving into the ice because I was tilted way to far forward and the sides were digging in. A 400 # BB + 1500 # of water will go though anything!

I'm mostly in clay, and while changing the angle of the box blade with the top link helps, it's not always enough. The DK45 weighs about 6500# with loaded tires. That's a lot of weight to be holding back with a 500lbs box blade. EA's is probably the nicest that size I've seen, and I'm sure it will do a great job.

 

[IXLR8]

Ordered the EA today. May regret the lack of weight but will report back here on the results either way? Thanks

I am looking to order the same one, please keep us posted on how everything, from order to use, goes.
Thanks

 

[RJJR]

I am looking to order the same one, please keep us posted on how everything, from order to use, goes.
Thanks

Truthfully, there is a vendor close that sells a LMC weighing over 500lbs for just over $600 which would have been a good combination of weight and price but he was out of 6 footers and said he orders them by the truckload and all he had was 5's and 7s. I'd have gone that route if available but he said he didn't know when he'd get another truckload. So, I've been watching Craigslist and other adds for over a year an now have to have one. I have several swells to cut down and a couple of ditches to cut, similar to he one Ted shows in his United video so I figure an American mistake is better than some of the other kinds if it doesn't turn out well. I'll let you know how it goes.
thanks
RJ

 

[Piston]

If budget is the main concern for you guys who haven't purchased yet, then I recommend looking at used box blades. The good heavy duty ones don't come up nearly as often, but they do come up. I wouldn't waste the time and money on a lightweight box blade. It is true that design can help, but weight is the single most important factor with a box blade.
Most companies consider a 500lb 72" box blade to be fairly light duty (maybe medium?). True heavy duty box blades are close to double that amount. I'm not trying to knock EA, it's just that you have to be careful as a lot of the so called "heavy duty" implements are missing the "heavy" part of the name. Unfortunately, there is no standard classification throughout the industry. We see this a lot in rotary cutters as well, compare the "heavy duty" rotary cutters from some manufactures to the "heavy duty" from companies like Bush Hog and Brown Manufacturing. (even medium duty for that matter)

 

[Deerherd]

I'm in the same boat as RJJR, I have been looking for a used box blade for a while and nothing has come up. I'm going with the EA heavier duty one, it weighs 815 lbs and is Cat II compatible.

96" Category I&II XTreme Duty Box Blade by Everything Attachments

 

[RJJR]

I'm in the same boat as RJJR, I have been looking for a used box blade for a while and nothing has come up. I'm going with the EA heavier duty one, it weighs 815 lbs and is Cat II compatible.

96" Category I&II XTreme Duty Box Blade by Everything Attachments

What size is you tractor? Mine is 45 HP and the Cat. 2 stuff looks to start at 50hp according to the ads. Wonder if I'd have trouble with it. I have 4WD and I pull a 1000 lb bush hog but that's not like cutting new dirt. Thoughts?

 

[rjwerth]

I wouldn't try pulling a 96" with my DK50SE. 84 would be the biggest I would attempt...

 

[Deerherd]

What size is you tractor? Mine is 45 HP and the Cat. 2 stuff looks to start at 50hp according to the ads. Wonder if I'd have trouble with it. I have 4WD and I pull a 1000 lb bush hog but that's not like cutting new dirt. Thoughts?

My tractor is 88 hp and has a 90" width so I'm going with the 96". They make the "severe extreme" box blade starting at 72" and they are QH compatible. I would think the extra 160 lbs wouldn't make that much of a difference, 475 lbs vs 635 lbs and your tractors ability to pull it. Not sure if the price difference is worth it to you either.

 

[Deerherd]

Ordered the EA today. May regret the lack of weight but will report back here on the results either way? Thanks

Did you ever get the EA Box Blade or are you still waiting?

 

[RJJR]

Did you ever get the EA Box Blade or are you still waiting?

I did get it. The shipping time wasn't as quick as some. I didn't look exactly but it was about 3 weeks or better. I know some people have complained theirs came in skint up but I didn't have that problem. It looked fine. However, every bolt on the bottom that holds the blades in place was loose. I had to put a wrench on all of them and got a couple of turns on them. Unfortunately, I can't tell you how it works yet. I've been out of town and came back today to use it and it appears the switch on my tractor is bad. Only 110 hours on it. So the tractor, hooked to the box blade is under my shelter where I parked it after hooking to it the day they delivered it. I'll provide an update once I get to put it to work. I have some swells to cut down and I'll let folks know how it works considering its weight. For those who advised on buying used I'll just say I tried for 9 months and they are scare in these parts or they are ragged and folks want $500 and up for them.
thanks