Leveling my driveway

tessiers · Jun 8, 2008

After trying a number of attachments to level and smooth my 1/4 mile+ driveway I Built something that works better than all of the factory ones including a rock rake, bow blade, grader blade and chain drag. I designed it by looking at several factory versions and a little of my own input. It works very well although I have to stop and pick the rocks out every now and again. If I let too many rocks build up inside they tend to roll under the blade leaving ridges. All the steel was scrap I had on hand. Total Investment to build it was $13.00.

Dyer retired · Jun 8, 2008

tessiers said:
After trying a number of attachments to level and smooth my 1/4 mile+ driveway I Built something that works better than all of the factory ones including a rock rake, bow blade, grader blade and chain drag. I designed it by looking at several factory versions and a little of my own input. It works very well although I have to stop and pick the rocks out every now and again. If I let too many rocks build up inside they tend to roll under the blade leaving ridges. All the steel was scrap I had on hand. Total Investment to build it was $13.00.

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That is certainly a beefy looking rig and even if you counted your labor on the build, it would be impossible to beat the price! I hope you weren't out in the sun today working on that driveway? We hit 98 on the shaded side of the house in Belgrade.

How wide is your box blade (I call it that, but you invented it with a combination of implements in mind, so I guess you should put a name to it) and what are you pulling it with? Dyer, retired

tessiers · Jun 8, 2008

I was napping on the porch while it was 98 deg today.

It is 6' wide, and I guess it is a box blade. It is 5' long which makes it ride over the holes and fills them in much better than my factory box blade. The front blade is cut out with teeth every 4" so it breaks up the gravel so the second blade can level it out. The chain allows me to lift it and have it float when it is down so both blades do their job.

I pull it with a 95 John Deere 790. I own a small family farm and the 790 has turned out to be a super tractor for us. It replaced a Massey Fergusen, which was a good tractor but I didn't like the dealer.

plowking · Jun 8, 2008

It reminds me of some of the small groomers I see for neighborhood snowmobile trails. My friend has one made with plow cutting edges he pulls with his skidoo. Looks good! plowking

Dyer retired · Jun 8, 2008

tessiers said:
I was napping on the porch while it was 98 deg today.

It is 6' wide, and I guess it is a box blade. It is 5' long which makes it ride over the holes and fills them in much better than my factory box blade. The front blade is cut out with teeth every 4" so it breaks up the gravel so the second blade can level it out. The chain allows me to lift it and have it float when it is down so both blades do their job.

I pull it with a 95 John Deere 790. I own a small family farm and the 790 has turned out to be a super tractor for us. It replaced a Massey Fergusen, which was a good tractor but I didn't like the dealer.

It's a nice design and sturdy looking for sure. It does the job, which is the whole idea. Good work!

We beat the heat by kayaking on Great Pond while the breezes were up. I think they are predicting more of the same for the next couple of days.

Dyer, retired

3RRL · Jun 9, 2008

That type of blade is referred to as a "road grader" type blade.
I love that you used what you had and made it yourself. There's a lot to be said for doing it yourself and I admire that.
It looks well made and I'm sure it will do a really good job for you too.
How much does it weigh?

Dyer retired · Jun 9, 2008

3RRL said:
That type of blade is referred to as a "road grader" type blade.
I love that you used what you had and made it yourself. There's a lot to be said for doing it yourself and I admire that.
It looks well made and I'm sure it will do a really good job for you too.
How much does it weigh?

I guess I should have known it was called a road grader, I get literature about once a week from DR on their Road Grader. I don't remember, but must have inquired at some point about their product and am now on the mailing list for life. It looked pretty low grade compared to Tessiers design.

3RRL, I suspect you have built one of these at some point? I follow, with great interest, about every project you work on and am always impressed with the final product. The backhoe thumb build was the last I followed....anything new in the works? I also enjoy the pictures. Dyer, retired

tessiers · Jun 9, 2008

It weighs about 500 lbs. The angles for the 3 point connection are designed to hold a 2' square concrete block that I have that weighs an adittional 300 lbs. I have not put on the additional weight, mostly because I felt it was not needed.

I atually considered buying the DR grader until I looked at it. The teeth on the front blade are 1/2" square bar stock and I felt they would bend too easily. It might be OK if you didn't have many rocks but I dont think it would stand up to my use. It looked like it should be behind a lawn tractor.

Dyer retired · Jun 9, 2008

I hadn't seen a DR grader other than the pamphlets they send every week and that's the impression I got.....that they would not hold up very well. They show a guy pulling it to level a driveway, but the driveway looks like it is made up of loam....zero rocks bigger than a marble, so it would not work for my yard. I've been looking at Box Blades, but the price always turns me around when I consider the use I'll get out of it...a couple of times a year (I've noticed that there is no such thing as a used box blade for sale either.) I've been able to level my driveway with my six foot blade, but it's taken me a couple of years to get the hang of it and I wouldn't be so bold as to say I've completely got the hang of it yet. I bring up some big rocks in the process and scare myself looking back at initial passes. Anyway, good job on yours! John

Flatheadyoungin · Jun 9, 2008

impressive! looks like a well designed commercial product......

i saved the pics, i hope to have a 1/4+ driveway soon

tessiers said:
After trying a number of attachments to level and smooth my 1/4 mile+ driveway I Built something that works better than all of the factory ones including a rock rake, bow blade, grader blade and chain drag. I designed it by looking at several factory versions and a little of my own input. It works very well although I have to stop and pick the rocks out every now and again. If I let too many rocks build up inside they tend to roll under the blade leaving ridges. All the steel was scrap I had on hand. Total Investment to build it was $13.00.

3RRL · Jun 9, 2008

At 500lbs and with your design it should work really well as a road grader. Like you said, you don't need to add that concrete. Especially if you got your road somewhat where you want it already and are now maintaining to keep it smooth and groomed. The skids are the magic ingredient, I presume. Where weight really makes a big difference is like on a boxblade or rear blade since they don't have those skids on the sides, and you're trying to establish the road.

John, thanks for the compliment but I've not made one like that yet. I say "yet" because I almost bought from Brian "Mtnviewranch". They are pricey even at the great deal he offered. Don't know if you saw the grapple made from scratch for my wifes's tractor. I think that was the last one? My Very Own Grapples

Dyer retired · Jun 10, 2008

3RRL said:
John, thanks for the compliment but I've not made one like that yet. I say "yet" because I almost bought from Brian "Mtnviewranch". They are pricey even at the great deal he offered. Don't know if you saw the grapple made from scratch for my wifes's tractor. I think that was the last one? My Very Own Grapples

Rob,

I read the thread on Mrs3RRL's grapples for Honey Bee and, as usual, was extremely impressed with the craftsmanship that went into the project. My compliments to your wife for a fine job. I know you have a lot of precision equipment, but that equipment is of little use without the knowledge and experience you bring to these projects. I watch American Chopper and American Hot Rod because I like to see the artistry of the metal work they do on those shows. I even watch a show on the Discovery network which details a British outfit that reconditions old Tanks for somewhat the same reason, the tank rebuilds require that they make many of the replacement parts and I like the machining process. I think you could start a show of your own, show a project from start to finish, and you would get a tremendous following beyond TBN even. I'm impressed and look forward to future projects you post here. John

3RRL · Jun 10, 2008

Thanks John, you are too kind.

BayouMan · Jun 10, 2008

Hey Tessiers,
Your implement looks very similar to what we call a Bionic Blade here in Louisiana. A Bionic blade has two grader blades mounted in between skids that are about 4-5' in length. These implements are great for leveling driveways and for leveling property. They will scalp off high spots and deposit into low spots as the implement rides on the skids. Once you have used one, you wonder how you ever did without one.

Mike

drrelaxx · Oct 30, 2012

Greetings Tessiers,
apparatus looks interesting. Im needing to the same thing. used blades, scrapers, etc, nothing works well with my 1" clean gravel, 1/4 mile drive. Question, what is the front bar, made from? the rear bar has a pitch inward. what is that slope from vertical? does the gravel uniformily flow over the rear sloped blade?
Dr. relaxx.

Gordon Gould · Oct 30, 2012

drrelaxx, you probably don't realize that this is a very old thread so tessiers may not see it. To me his front blade looks like it might be a piece cut from a serrated cutting edge for a road grader. There are lots of discussion and plans for those type impliments on here. do a search on 'landplane' in the thread title to find them.

Ed of all trades · Oct 31, 2012

We had a dirt drive on the farm, 9/10 of a mile plus the circle at the house. Dad built a three blade "grader" 5 ft wide and about 6 ft long with the blades angled slightly to one side. You adjusted it so that the front blade dug in, the 2nd caught a good amount of dirt and the 3rd just a little. It would fill potholes and wash board better than anything I ever saw.:2cents: