Loader Bucket Converted Into a Grader

Fergy · Nov 11, 2013

Has anyone thought about turning a loader bucket upside down and converting it into a grader/scraper and gravel spreader.
I have an old bucket, I have no use for,

.
I'm thinking of welding a 3 point, so I could drag it over my 600ft driveway. Do you think this is workable?

Dave M7040 · Nov 12, 2013

I you look at land planes they have vertical sides extending out beyond where the cutting takes place to avoid having two ridges of gravel form off the ends of your bucket.
These sides, perhaps made of channel, would stabilize the bucket as they would be longer than the bucket in the direction of travel.
You would only need the 3 point linkage if you needed to lift the unit otherwise just connect to the draw bar with a chain.
I encourage you to try and and modify it as you see the need!
Dave M7040

Fallon · Nov 12, 2013

Land planes only have short grading bars. Material flows over the top pretty easily. I'm assuming this is by design.

Your bucket would end up behaving like a back blade rather than a plane I expect.

CharlieKtractor · Nov 14, 2013

Fallon said:
Land planes only have short grading bars. Material flows over the top pretty easily. I'm assuming this is by design.

Your bucket would end up behaving like a back blade rather than a plane I expect.

i agree

wploetz · Nov 14, 2013

voice of experience, this will take all the loose material off the top, take all the crown off your driveway, will only move loose material and will wear down the bucket quite quickly unless you add some type of cutting ripping bar/teeth.

I added cutting edges from an old grade, 3/4" thick, cut serrated v points into them and in a years time of grading our 1/2 mile driveway, the points wore down to over an inch wide and lost effectiveness.
Only one edge of your bucket probably has a cutting edge. The other edge will wear down real quick. If your driveway is loose and not well packed you may get away with it for a while.

If it is hard packed, I am thinking it won't do much. It will be hard to drag it or keep the edges on the ground if you don't make some type of frame.

Plus as someone else mentioned, you need the little wings to keep from getting all the ridges on the edges of each pass.