How to use a Grader Scraper

[scootr]

Me thinks 20 tons will make a wide lane 200 ft x 3-4 inches deep

 

[scootr]

And sometimes you have to cheat. I put the final finish grade on 320 tons of 3/4 and fines on my road with a 12ft 2x8 held captive under the gannon in front of the cutting edge.

 

[civilian]

I have a small Landpride grader scraper. The cutting edges, (non adjustable) are set below the bottom of the side runners. And like the OP, I was having trouble. But I was using the front bucket to spread 3/4 to fines the thickness I wanted. After 6 or 7 buckets full, I would pull the land plane forward over the loose material. And yes because I had set the plane dead flat while on a concrete floor, I ended up over filling the land plane sides when I dropped and dragged. So ended picking landplane up just a tad to keep it from cutting so much. Better but I then picked land plane up at the end of the material, pulled forward to be out of the pile left, and dropped land plane all the way down and backed over the same path. That smoothed it out nicely. Now my BX2230 only has a 4ft bucket to put material down, and my land plane is 5ft wide. Three bucket wide over the drive width and planed 3 passes. Yes for me I thought it would be drop and go, but it didn't work that way at first. I have only used the one time with about 20cyd of 3/4 to fine. More next year. Just my observations with my conditions. Jon

 

[Bendboater]

Deezler; The first 10 yards was just to raise a low spot I had. I doubt the next 20 yards will be enough to raise the driveway and parking area much more than 1.5".

 

[Bendboater]

Jon, Good suggestion to drag away from the pile rather than through it when possible. Thanks.

 

[ljjhouser]

I probably should know better and not say anything because I have not used a Land Pride land plane. I always used a box blade.
That said, it seems to me that it might be better to use the loader bucket to distribute the load of material. Then the land plane should do a nice job of leveling the material. ( maybe with several passes). If you use the land plane to pull material off the pile, it will start and remain overloaded.

It is designed to distribute gravel and cut and fill high and low places. Spread the material. Then, with a section smoothed via the loader (drag the bucket backwords, locked in float if possible). Then, set the land plan to be mostly flat and see if it will start smoothing the high and low places.

I love my box blade. It will dig - and move a lot of material. But the land plane is better at improving and cutting-filling high and low spots and finishing.
Both land planes and box blades take practice. Neither one is a one pass job. Relax and take your time.

By EA
you have probably seen this video, but it is pretty good.
I hope this helps some.

 

[scootr]

A Pile? Whenever possible ask the driver to tailgate spread. They set the tailgate chains to limit the amount of material that can be dropped and drive along spreading out the load. Then you smooth it

 

[ruffdog]

The OP did state the driver tailgated the load.

"The driver spread the gravel as he drove. More was deposited in the center of the road than on the edges though necessitating I move it some laterally."

 

[scootr]

The OP did state the driver tailgated the load.

"The driver spread the gravel as he drove. More was deposited in the center of the road than on the edges though necessitating I move it some laterally."

My bad - carry on.

 

[Bendboater]

Ljjhouser;
From what I am learning here, I think you said it the best:
"Both land planes and box blades take practice. Neither one is a one pass job. Relax and take your time."

First snow of the year here in Central Oregon this morning. Pretty soon it's gonna be time to put on the rear blade.....and screw up the driveway