I think I've got this box cutter thing figured out

[woodya]

I think I\'ve got this box cutter thing figured out

I'm a tractor newby (1 year, 100 hrs), so I was very happy to find this excellent forum! You guy really do rock. I have been looking longingly at box cutters, and have gotten a lot of good info from this forum. I thought I'd post a summary of my research so far, hopefully it may be helpful for some other newbies.
The basic box scraper is a heavy steel box with an open bottom and top that mounts on your 3ph, with a set of tines that stick down below the box to break up hard soil. The tines can be retracted or lowered manually. These run in price from $300 - $1000 depending on size and quality. A quick indicator of quality is simply the weight of the unit - better units use thicker steel. The next level of box scraper is similar to the basic ones, except that they have a mechanism to raise/lower the tines manually from the tractor seat. These scrapers cost in the rage of $1800 - $2000. The other major category of box scrapers have hydraulically-adjusted tines and they cost $2300 - $2600.
Now I just have to decide which type I want. There are threads on this forum that swear by hydraulic adjusters, but I don't think I could justify the expense.

- Woody

 

[theboman]

Re: I think I\'ve got this box cutter thing figured out

But Woody we can't decide on what you need until you fill in your bio/background..... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif We want to help you spend your money, not all of it... just most of it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[EastTexFrank]

Re: I think I\'ve got this box cutter thing figured out

And as theboman says, we're real good at spending other people's money.

Like you, I can't see any justification for a $2000+ box blade. I'd never get that one past the CFO but a top-n-tilt and a box blade .... now that has possibilities. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[KubotaSteve]

Re: I think I\'ve got this box cutter thing figured out

I think you might be confusing the hydraulic tines for the hydraulic toplink that people swear by. I've heard of a lot of people with the hydraulic top links but not very many with the hydraulic scarifiers on a box blade (most couldn't justify that cost either).

 

[JRP]

Re: I think I\'ve got this box cutter thing figured out

Woody,

It depends on your use. I have a Gannon box with hydraulic scarrifiers ($2000) and also a hydraulic top link. I do swear by them. My application primarily was to build a crossing over a river slew. I could dig with the teeth, then move the material with the box. I did some testing and was moving about a yard of dirt 50'70 feet in a 70 second cycle time. My slew crossing is great and the savings from doing the work myself paid for the box.

I think of a tractor/implement as a system. A $30,000 HST tractor with a poor$400 box works only poor. A $20,000 tractor with a $2000 box is far more effective.

My suggestion for priority is as follows:

1. A heavy box. Paint quality does not matter. #1000 is good for a 6' box.

2. Hydraulic top link. Can be usedinstead of hydraulic scarrifiers.

3. Speeco, JD, or Landpride quick hitch. Makes implement changes much easier. Hydraulic top link helps with this.

4. Load the tires. I say this even though my tires are not yet loaded.

5. Hydraulic scarrifiers. Mine adds functional box capacity because the dirt flows better. When full the dirt is overflowing and rolling to the back tires. I think this only added about $300 to the box price.

Hope this helps.

 

[jinman]

Re: I think I\'ve got this box cutter thing figured out

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have been looking longingly at box cutters )</font>

Just a word of advice: Don't talk about box cutters on an airplane! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif You'll have lots of folks mad at you. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

A "box cutter" is one of those little adjustable razor knives that the hijackers used. A "box blade" is what you want. Sometimes its spelled as one word (boxblade). /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I think you have received some good advice so far. A heavy boxblade with good, strong scarifiers is important. Also, look at the beam where the scarifiers are mounted. That needs to also be very strong. Some blades are made of such lightweight steel that if you hit a rock with a scarifier, you can twist or tear the beam. Just remember heavy and tough and you can't go wrong. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Chechnya]

Re: I think I\'ve got this box cutter thing figured out

My L35 has a 6 foot gannon, heavy as hell. It has a handle that you pull up and drop and lock the scarifers.