New project: Front Snow Plow

[SkunkWerX]

I snagged a used 54" Deere Front Plow.
Brought it home, gave it a quick pressure wash.

It's now in the workshop, disassembled, getting wire brushed, fixed, painted, new hardware, etc. I'm ordering steel to make a Kubota BX/Deere Blade Quick-adapter plate. Also planning to add power angle, but will probably use an after market cylinder and build my own brackets.

I would have preferred a 60" blade, but, beggers can't be choosers.

Skunkwerx SnowPlow1

 

[Dascro]

I'll be looking forward to reading (and seeing) your latest project as it progresses. I enjoy following your projects and have learned a few things from them. You do nice work! I hope to build a few projects myself using your approaches and ideas as the basis (if you don't mind).

Dave

 

[SkunkWerX]

I'll be looking forward to reading (and seeing) your latest project as it progresses. I enjoy following your projects and have learned a few things from them. You do nice work!

Thanks for the compliments!!

I hope to build a few projects myself using your approaches and ideas as the basis (if you don't mind).

Dave

Be my guest! I do the same thing.
There are a couple old threads adapting Deere Blades to other tractors, one was a Yanmar, the other a BX series. Both guys did great jobs. I'll link them in this thread, when I re-find them.

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[SkunkWerX]

OK, here is RayBo's thread fitting a Deere Blade to a Kubota BX.
http://www.tractorbynet.com:80/forums/kubota-owning-operating/91158-deere-x585-kubota-bx24-w.html

And here is a TBNers website showing how he fitted one to his Yanmar.
Yanmar and JDblade


Both of these guys did great work, and I am just following their lead.

Thanks guys!!

 

[GuglioLS]

John,

This will be a good project to follow, I look forward to it. How much snow do you get at your place in Maryland? Looks like the plow has a fairly decent outer diameter size cylinder for lifting, how long is the stroke?, is there any way to adapt that for power angle? The plow looks light weight enough so that it should not be adding too much weight to the FEL. I've seen a few of these in the past. The only thing I wonder about is how much affect it has on steering when trying to push a huge pile of wet snow. Maybe it being 54" wide is a good thing. Did I understand your correctly in that this is a freebie?


Larry

 

[SkunkWerX]

Larry,

As far as snow in Maryland, we can have winters with a few 3" to 6" snows, or we can have major DUMPS. 18", 24" 36" and we even had 42" around 2003. The southern moisture pumps up the Atlantic Coast, meets the Cold air, and wham, we can get hammered.
Like this (taken at my old house; circa 2003):

So the answer is, some years all you need is a snow shovel, other years you need all you can get.

Originally I was thinking of FEL mounting it, but, I think I am going with a standard frame hook-up.
These plows all have the holes already drilled for a Deere "Power angle Kit" , so, yes, it is ready. I'll just make my own brackets.

The cylinder is a 4" stroke. Replacements are EXpensive, so, I went and found 2 other stubby cylinders , slightly longer in OAL, with 5 inch stroke. Got both for 2/3rds of what I would pay for a single Deere replacement cylinder.
And they are new, so I know I'm starting with fresh-meat.

The aftermarket cylinders should also allow me a little more Up and Down.

As an added bonus, the Deere Blade has a pin for rigid down-force, or pull the pin and gives a mechanical float linkage. As well, the blade itself can be unpinned so the spring-tripper will also work.

Having a float linkage and the spring tripper is a double bonus!

 

[3RRL]

Geez Skunk, another project? LOL ... Don't you sleep?
I will be keeping an eye on this thread too. I love to see what you're up to. You do really nice work and you're a good thinker. Your finishing is outstanding... better than store bought.

Looks pretty cold in those pictures. Do you think you'll have a Winter like that this year? Man, I'm glad I don't have to deal with all that snow. I know you guys like it. It's just an excuse so you can get or make another project to deal with it.
What's happening with your tiller project?

 

[SkunkWerX]

Geez Skunk, another project? LOL ... Don't you sleep?
I will be keeping an eye on this thread too. I love to see what you're up to. You do really nice work and you're a good thinker. Your finishing is outstanding... better than store bought.

Looks pretty cold in those pictures. Do you think you'll have a Winter like that this year? Man, I'm glad I don't have to deal with all that snow. I know you guys like it. It's just an excuse so you can get or make another project to deal with it.
What's happening with your tiller project?

Rob, thanks for the support and kind words. I'm a hack when it comes to fabrication and welding, I am an idea-stealer, and amatuer parts-changer.
This is the project I said might pre-empt the tiller depth job. I had been bidding on Flea-bay with no luck, but then this one came available locally, I practically stole it.

Right now it is all disassembled, in various states of cleaning and de-rustifying. Let's just say me and the wire-wheel have been getting intimate, lately.

Got the 2 replacement cylinders yesterday eve. Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to do some painting of various parts, and re-assembly of sub-assemblies.

The real meat of this project will be the Kubota to Deere Blade Adapter Plate.
As always, waiting for the steel to arrive. If it doesn't show up today (Fri) then I'm looking at next week.

Here's a peek at the 2 cylinders.

 

[srossman]

skunk,

Are you planning on mounting this to the FEL or taking it off and mounting like a typical snow blade? I can't wait to see how this turns out.

-Scot

 

[scott_vt]

I snagged a used 54" Deere Front Plow.
Brought it home, gave it a quick pressure wash

I would have preferred a 60" blade, but, beggers can't be choosers.

Skunkwerx SnowPlow1

Mornin John,
A great time of year for another snowplow ! I adapted an old 54" Cub plow to my Super A by extending each side of the plow out an additional 7" for a total of 68" I believe along with raising the height for additional capacity ! That may be an option for you !

In any event good luck, and I will be following along !

 

[SkunkWerX]

Mornin John,
A great time of year for another snowplow ! I adapted an old 54" Cub plow to my Super A by extending each side of the plow out an additional 7" for a total of 68" I believe along with raising the height for additional capacity ! That may be an option for you !

In any event good luck, and I will be following along !

Scott, great pic, thanks!!

Yeah, I thought about adding a few inches to each side, didn't really want to go much beyond 60". I think at this point, I'm going to get the thing adapted so it will work, then, I can always look into adding a couple of extensions. I do like yours, they look as strong or stronger than the original blade.

 

[SkunkWerX]

And now for the Friday night teaser photo.

Original Cylinder, alongside one of the new cylinders, with a sprayed-on chrome paint.

As you can see, the retracted length of the new is almost equal to the extended length of the old. I will modify the mounting brackets, as necessary, looking for a little more Up&Down distance. Lucky again, the mounting pin holes are same/same old to new. shew!

 

[SkunkWerX]

Saturday progress:

Finished painting parts, re-assembled, and started making brackets for the power angle cylinder. (Brackets labelled A and B in pic)

Pic:
Put Back Together

-

 

[TCBoomerCT]

Wow, cleaned up nicely, paint looks great. I'll be watching this one, don't know if I have the skills to do a plow, but sure like the idea of it.

 

[kennyd]

You painted a JD blade orange

 

[SkunkWerX]

You painted a JD blade orange

and black!

 

[2manyrocks]

Next it will be robotics and sensors so the tractor will clear the snow by itself while SkunkWerx stays warm in the house.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Next it will be robotics and sensors so the tractor will clear the snow by itself while SkunkWerx stays warm in the house.

I have a small woodstove in the workshop, that's where I'd be.

That would just be too automated, I was thinking making it Radio Controlled, with video monitors to give you "from the seat" view angles, then you could sit at PC and play it like a Video Game.

Ding Ding:
"You have just plowed another 100 feet, 75 BONUS POINTS!"


It's Sunday morning, about 30F degrees outside (and the F does not stand for Farenheit). Another cup of coffee and gonna head down to the shop to finish those brackets.

 

[2manyrocks]

So there we have it. The idea has taken root........

 

[SkunkWerX]

I finished the brackets today for the power angle cylinder.
Both new cylinders are now mounted and ready for plumbing.

Steel doesn't arrive until Tuesday, so I can rest for a couple of days, take measuremnts and figure out the best way to build this frame adapter to accept the Plow pins.

tonight's picture:
Cylinder Brackets Close Up

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