Poor man (ok, cheap sob) wants a land plane grader/scraper

[deezler]

If you're getting spillage out the sides of your box blade, I would posit you are taking too deep of a cut.

No, spillage from a straight rear scraper blade. Spillage out the top/sides of a full box blade is some heavy duty scraping. Done it with light, dry dirt but not sure my tractor could do it with gravel.

 

[RSR]

No, spillage from a straight rear scraper blade. Spillage out the top/sides of a full box blade is some heavy duty scraping. Done it with light, dry dirt but not sure my tractor could do it with gravel.

Ahhh, makes sense now. I must have misread the post.

 

[Underdog57]

Deezler: I think you're on the right track, I think a good Land Plane is what you need. And while your at it spend an additional $250. On a hydraulic top link, (money well spent, especially for grading)

 

[deezler]

Deezler: I think you're on the right track, I think a good Land Plane is what you need. And while your at it spend an additional $250. On a hydraulic top link, (money well spent, especially for grading)

Ha, I was just thinking how bad I wanted top and tilt. My tractor doesn't have any hydraulic remotes, though..... next one definitely will.

 

[MF243RedTop]

Sounds like the first thing you need is a new quality top link, make sure it's long enough for letting it out for the box blade.
Then some time on the box blade using the rear blade going forward. It will do a nice job, when adjusted out.
By that time you can save $$$ and hopefully buy a quality landplane. JM2C...

 

[old and tired]

...My tractor doesn't have any hydraulic remotes, though..... next one definitely will.

Why get a new tractor, add the remotes to yours. Have you ask the dealer if they have a kit for 2 rear remotes? If you don't think you can do it, ask him how much to install them... (If I can add them, ANY one should be able to).

Rear blade in reverse and angled to dump excess in the middle... final path after pulling from the 2 edges, is flatten out the middle crown (or just drive over the middle to pack it down). I could not use a land plane, too many large rocks / base material (or not enough top coat).

 

[metalbender]

One pass with a land plane does not complete the job. I usually make four passes on my 1/2 mile gravel drive. The land plane does not carry material, therefore will not fill up. The surface is refreshed by the material flowing over and being redistributed by the low blades. My blades are set about a half inch below the sides.

 

[WranglerX]

Apply the KISS principle ... (Keep It Simple Stupid)..... To surface dress you only need a drag harrowed and you don't even need to lift it with all the fancy booms or forks or what ever on 3PH....

A harrow has been mentioned many times, can be made for FREE or at very little cost, try it first before going expensive or exotic.... Drag harrow has worked for me for 12 years and for first 9-10 years only had a JD riding mower to tow it with....

Dale

 

[deezler]

Thanks for all the recent posts. Solid advice.

And good news! I actually already had another top link laying around that had come along with one of my used 3-pt attachments some years back. It looked kinda bent and rusty so I had tossed it aside in the barn and never gave it another thought until yesterday.

But! After a quick clean up and lube, it spins way nicer than my original one. And luckily, extends to several inches longer. Way beefier overall.

New one installed, old one laying on top for comparison:

I promptly extended it way out to tip my box blade way back. First test:

This is just one pass down each side, done for now!

So using the box blade did slice off a good bit of my crown in the interest of smoothing and dressing everything. Once I get the rear scraper blade put on to handle snow plowing (if winter ever shows up here), I can pull the gravel back to the middle and then feather it back into a crown.

Anyway, I will call this a victory and try not to be sad that I don't get to buy another implement. :laughing:

 

[MF243RedTop]

Looks like it done a great job!