The Trifecta of Attachments

[apriordan]

Welcome to TBN.

Rear blade?

Yes and ty. Last year I moved to a 15 acre horse farm and my job is bldg and grounds. I've got a light duty JD 790 (30hp) and no attachments other than 419 series loader/bucket. Driveway is crushed stone/dirt. I've got a homemade drag, but even with weight it's not cutting down the driveway properly for me to roll it...

 

[ovrszd]

I don't have a favorite brand. I'm a "whatever is worth the money" guy. I always buy used.

As to size, you need to be able to angle the blade 45 degrees and still be wider than your tractor tracks. Might want to experiment with a tape measure or a 2x4 or something similar.

A Box Blade is more aggressive than a rear scraper blade. But if the primary use is driveway maintenance I'd rather have a rear scraper blade.

A Land Plane is a very handy tool for driveway maintenance but isn't capable of doing much else.

Of the three, rear scraper blade, box blade, land plane, rear scraper blade will give you the largest variety of service if only buying one tool.

 

[apriordan]

I don't have a favorite brand. I'm a "whatever is worth the money" guy. I always buy used.

As to size, you need to be able to angle the blade 45 degrees and still be wider than your tractor tracks. Might want to experiment with a tape measure or a 2x4 or something similar.

A Box Blade is more aggressive than a rear scraper blade. But if the primary use is driveway maintenance I'd rather have a rear scraper blade.

A Land Plane is a very handy tool for driveway maintenance but isn't capable of doing much else.

Of the three, rear scraper blade, box blade, land plane, rear scraper blade will give you the largest variety of service if only buying one tool.

Cool, thanks for this insight. Previous owner of the tractor welded 1ft extensions on both sides of the bucket. So I'm just over 7ft wide. I'll do some homework on used implements, appreciate it.

 

[powerscol]

Do you recommend a particular type? Size? etc?

There are many brands out there. I am saving too buy a Landpride RBT 3584 - it is a beast. Others have mentioned the Landpride 37 series - a little less movement. One thing to remember there are lots of cheap ones out there and they will bend quickly.

Hope this helps

 

[apriordan]

There are many brands out there. I am saving too buy a Landpride RBT 3584 - it is a beast. Others have mentioned the Landpride 37 series - a little less movement. One thing to remember there are lots of cheap ones out there and they will bend quickly.

Hope this helps

That's a good point. You always get what you pay for, problem is used stuff often looks in better condition than it is. Good points here as usual.

 

[JRobyn]

I mostly agree with Overszd, except that for gravel driveway work, a grading scraper requires MUCH less setup and adjusting while you're grading. Almost totally set once and forget. Just drop it and drag it.

 

[Ron50]

Jimmy in NC. Curious how you reheat the grindings without messing up the plant. Don't you normally heat the rock and then mix in the oil? Seems like melting the grindings would make a real mess over time.

 

[beowulf]

Nope just a regular rear scraper blade. To crown the driveway I tilt it a bit and angle the blade so the loose material goes to the middle. I do a few passes each way as the scraper doesn't dig in much and then back drag the middle pile with the bucket in float and then pack a bit with the tractor. I do pick off the odd 3"+ rock that comes up but there isn't too many.
I have a 7' box blade which I use to spread new 3/4" crushed gravel but it rips into my base too much to crown with it.

IndyIan, I do pretty much exactly what you do, including a need to toss off the odd large rocks that appear from time to time. Over the years, and having some 3/4 minus added 2 or 3 times, there is a nice base, and the blade (tilted and angled) lets me toss the gravel back in the road and maintain a crown - and a nice crown makes all the difference.

 

[airbiscuit]

I don't have a favorite brand. I'm a "whatever is worth the money" guy. I always buy used.

As to size, you need to be able to angle the blade 45 degrees and still be wider than your tractor tracks. Might want to experiment with a tape measure or a 2x4 or something similar.

A Box Blade is more aggressive than a rear scraper blade. But if the primary use is driveway maintenance I'd rather have a rear scraper blade.

A Land Plane is a very handy tool for driveway maintenance but isn't capable of doing much else.

Of the three, rear scraper blade, box blade, land plane, rear scraper blade will give you the largest variety of service if only buying one tool.

This sounds pretty close. A rear blade or landscape rake is even better for driveway maintenance if it has a tail wheel / guide wheel. I have a rear blade and a box blade, but what I use most for my 1/2 mile driveway are:

or

 

[CADplans]

Jimmy in NC. Curious how you reheat the grindings without messing up the plant. Don't you normally heat the rock and then mix in the oil? Seems like melting the grindings would make a real mess over time.

Around here,, they just put it down,,,
and hope the sun will heat and bond it like shingles,,,

I do not know if that works, or not,,,,