I just purchased a 55 acres farm with a log home. I am a newbie with a tractor. I have a MF 261 w/FEL. My gravel drive way is 1800' from the road. The drive needs grading in several places to the house. I just looked at a 6' box blade and a tractor shop. Can one of you guys explain to me how to use a box blade and which size to get? Don't mean to sound stupid but honestly I have never used one. I also am going to purchase a 6' rotary cutter for 15 acres of pasture. The rear wheels on the tractor 74" so will a 6' be fine. I priced a dual blade for $750. I would like to purchase cheaper implements in the beginning until I get more experienced. I hate to buy a high end mower and tear it up. Any help would be appreciated
What to get?
- Thread starter Grizzman
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I would recommend a rollover blade instead of a standard box blade. With a box blade you go forward to dig dirt up and reverse to smooth dirt out, which can be a pain. With a rollover blade you can do both plus have just your shanks in the ground. Kind of hard to explain over the net but if your dealer has one then they should be able to explain the difference.
Also, not sure what kind 6' Bushhog you priced for $750 but I can almost promise you that at that price that mower will have a 40hp gear box...way to small in my opinion for your 261 Massey. I would look into the SQ series made by BushHog. They have 85hp boxes and slip clutch. No sense in buying cheap equipment now and then having to spend more money for better equipment...just take the loss now and thank yourself five years from now.
Also, not sure what kind 6' Bushhog you priced for $750 but I can almost promise you that at that price that mower will have a 40hp gear box...way to small in my opinion for your 261 Massey. I would look into the SQ series made by BushHog. They have 85hp boxes and slip clutch. No sense in buying cheap equipment now and then having to spend more money for better equipment...just take the loss now and thank yourself five years from now.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I'm not a big fan of box blades. They are fine for small porjects and a compimise tool for other things. You have a very long driveway and the box blade will just make things worse.
The problem with a box blade is it hangs off the back of the tractor, so if your front tires hit a high spot, the box blade will cut a low spot into your road. Now you have a high spot AND a low spot. Now you have to fix both. If you have a gradual bump or depression, a few passes with the box blade will make them worse.
There are special attachments for maintaining a gravel road. My favororite is the Grade-All
It's set at an agle with two cutting edges. It drags along on the road cutting the high spots and spreading the material to the low spots. It's juts about idiot proof and the results are amazing. When you look at one, you'd think it would be very simple to make, and it might be, but the angles and spacing are critical.
Prices for a grade all will be three times what you pay for a box blade, but witih the right tool, you will have a perfect driveway for all time. With the wront tool, you will ruin your driveway and eventually have to hire somebody to come fix it.
Godd luck,
Eddie
The problem with a box blade is it hangs off the back of the tractor, so if your front tires hit a high spot, the box blade will cut a low spot into your road. Now you have a high spot AND a low spot. Now you have to fix both. If you have a gradual bump or depression, a few passes with the box blade will make them worse.
There are special attachments for maintaining a gravel road. My favororite is the Grade-All
It's set at an agle with two cutting edges. It drags along on the road cutting the high spots and spreading the material to the low spots. It's juts about idiot proof and the results are amazing. When you look at one, you'd think it would be very simple to make, and it might be, but the angles and spacing are critical.
Prices for a grade all will be three times what you pay for a box blade, but witih the right tool, you will have a perfect driveway for all time. With the wront tool, you will ruin your driveway and eventually have to hire somebody to come fix it.
Godd luck,
Eddie
have_blue
Veteran Member
Hi Grizzman, and welcome aboard.
Some of your questions need more information.
15 acres is not much land... until you start mowing it! With a 6' mower, it's an all day job, maybe even daylight until dark. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
What kind of growth is in your pasture now? You need to walk it several times. Pick a cool afternoon and walk until you know it well. If you don't have any rocks, stumps, or brush larger than 2", you will not tear up a rotary cutter (RC). You may consider something bigger. I don't know exactly what your Massey's horsepower is, but you really need something in 7-10' width. I'm sure a big tractor like the 261 has enough power to pull a 10 footer. In the best case, (no brush) even a big wide rear finishing mower (RFM) would work. They are light and easy to pull, and a tractor can pull a foot or 2 wider finishing mower than it can pull in a brush hog. FOr example, any tractor that can comfortably pull a 6' brush hog can probably pull a 8' RFM.
A loose rule of thumb is that you need ~5 tractor HP minimum for each 1' of brush hog width. A 10 footer would need 50 HP minimum, which you probably have. RFM's would need a bit less HP per foot.
Start with your box blade (BB) level, top link tight as it sits on the ground. If it gouges, loosen the top link a thread or 2 and try again. You will pick it up real quickly. One note about BB: A lot of work on gravel tends to dull the blade. A dull blade doesn't work too great for shaving undisturbed dirt. Maybe get a cheap rear blade if you intend to use your BB for a lot of other stuff.
Ideally, your implements need be wider than the tire tread. A mower is not that big of a deal, however.
Good luck!
Some of your questions need more information.
15 acres is not much land... until you start mowing it! With a 6' mower, it's an all day job, maybe even daylight until dark. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
What kind of growth is in your pasture now? You need to walk it several times. Pick a cool afternoon and walk until you know it well. If you don't have any rocks, stumps, or brush larger than 2", you will not tear up a rotary cutter (RC). You may consider something bigger. I don't know exactly what your Massey's horsepower is, but you really need something in 7-10' width. I'm sure a big tractor like the 261 has enough power to pull a 10 footer. In the best case, (no brush) even a big wide rear finishing mower (RFM) would work. They are light and easy to pull, and a tractor can pull a foot or 2 wider finishing mower than it can pull in a brush hog. FOr example, any tractor that can comfortably pull a 6' brush hog can probably pull a 8' RFM.
A loose rule of thumb is that you need ~5 tractor HP minimum for each 1' of brush hog width. A 10 footer would need 50 HP minimum, which you probably have. RFM's would need a bit less HP per foot.
Start with your box blade (BB) level, top link tight as it sits on the ground. If it gouges, loosen the top link a thread or 2 and try again. You will pick it up real quickly. One note about BB: A lot of work on gravel tends to dull the blade. A dull blade doesn't work too great for shaving undisturbed dirt. Maybe get a cheap rear blade if you intend to use your BB for a lot of other stuff.
Ideally, your implements need be wider than the tire tread. A mower is not that big of a deal, however.
Good luck!
SnowRidge
Elite Member
Great to have someone else from TN on board.
I think your tractor is too big for a 6' rotary mower. As someone else mentioned, you have too much power for a low end six footer, which typically will have a 40 HP gearbox. I think a 7' foot medium duty would be a better fit and would not cost an arm and a leg. Going bigger than 7' is likely to require a multiple gearbox unit, which will raise the price substantially. A 7' will cover your track and allow you to mow close to a fence line.
What part of Tennessee are you in. If you are anywhere near Sweetwater, I can point you to a place that has great deals on locally made mowers, etc., which avoids the freight charges. PM if you prefer to not to discuss it online.
I think your tractor is too big for a 6' rotary mower. As someone else mentioned, you have too much power for a low end six footer, which typically will have a 40 HP gearbox. I think a 7' foot medium duty would be a better fit and would not cost an arm and a leg. Going bigger than 7' is likely to require a multiple gearbox unit, which will raise the price substantially. A 7' will cover your track and allow you to mow close to a fence line.
What part of Tennessee are you in. If you are anywhere near Sweetwater, I can point you to a place that has great deals on locally made mowers, etc., which avoids the freight charges. PM if you prefer to not to discuss it online.
TNhobbyfarmer
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2004
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- 1,185
- Location
- Middle Tennessee
- Tractor
- Kubota L3430 Polaris Ranger 500
Hi Grizz.....Where in Tenn. is your farm and log home? I have a farm and log home in Stewart County between Clarksville and Dover. I built the log home with logs cut off the farm. It's my weekend getaway. I always have some project going, just finishing a 24X27 storage building. My son gets agravated with me; wants to know if I'll ever just relax for a weekend instead of always working on something....probably not....guess I'm one of those type A personalities. Well, I've strayed off the subject of your post. I do own a box blade, but am not real handy with it...yet. I just haven't had much time to fool with it since I bought it. So there you go. A lot of rambling and absolutely no help. Anyway have some fun with the blade. Any new piece of steel to hang on a tractor is a good thing.
Slamfire
Veteran Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Great to have someone else from TN on board.
What part of Tennessee are you in. If you are anywhere near Sweetwater, I can point you to a place that has great deals on locally made mowers, etc., which avoids the freight charges. PM if you prefer to not to discuss it online.
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Henry's?
As for the driveway try one of these:
driveway groomer
What part of Tennessee are you in. If you are anywhere near Sweetwater, I can point you to a place that has great deals on locally made mowers, etc., which avoids the freight charges. PM if you prefer to not to discuss it online.
)</font>
Henry's?
As for the driveway try one of these:
driveway groomer
Farwell
Veteran Member
Slamfire,
I made something similar to the Driveway Groomer and it worked quite well on my driveway. Something that works equally as well is an old set of bed springs. One side roughs up the ground or gravel and the other smoothes it out. It might look a little funny in some neighborhoods but where I live in Michigan bed springs are used by many to dress up their long driveways.
Farwell
I made something similar to the Driveway Groomer and it worked quite well on my driveway. Something that works equally as well is an old set of bed springs. One side roughs up the ground or gravel and the other smoothes it out. It might look a little funny in some neighborhoods but where I live in Michigan bed springs are used by many to dress up their long driveways.
Farwell
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Here's a picture of the attachment I'm talking about. It's not the Grade-All brand, which I can't find on a search, but know it exists cause a friend has one and it's only a year old.
This is the Howse model and they call it a duel edge grader blade.
Eddie
This is the Howse model and they call it a duel edge grader blade.
Eddie
Attachments
txdon
Super Star Member
Eddie, the grade-all looks like a neat implement, but...... theres always a but, I find that my dual bade box blade works well..... IF, there's always an if, the front blade is set to 3/4" to 1" above the grade while the rear blade, which is just like the front blade but curving backwards instead of forward, is dragging on the ground. The bumps over 1" will be skimmed off and the rear blade will distribute and press down the excess road material. The end result is a smooth surface.
Since the rear 3 point hitch is floating, in the full down position (on my tractor), when the front of the tractor goes up or down the rear blade which is always in contact with the ground will also go up and down but will be smoothing not cutting deeper because of the tilt (up) of the box blade.
See attachment.
Since the rear 3 point hitch is floating, in the full down position (on my tractor), when the front of the tractor goes up or down the rear blade which is always in contact with the ground will also go up and down but will be smoothing not cutting deeper because of the tilt (up) of the box blade.
See attachment.
Attachments
FL_Cracker
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2004
- Messages
- 626
- Tractor
- Kubota L5030HST,R4 & Kubota RTV900R Utility Vehicle
We call that a Land Plane (Plain)?
Works good with large flat areas of soft sand.
Works good with large flat areas of soft sand.
GaryM
Veteran Member
Bird, it's a Grademaster, see here http://www.beavervalleysupply.com/sectione/grademb.htm Looks a lot like the Howse unit.
Our subdivision road was in bad shape. We had a fellow with a BIG JD Ag tractor and one of these work it over. It's now nice and smooth. He did a really nice job.
The Grademaster cuts off the bumps and mixes the stuff all up so it's as if the road was freshly constructed.
Our subdivision road was in bad shape. We had a fellow with a BIG JD Ag tractor and one of these work it over. It's now nice and smooth. He did a really nice job.
The Grademaster cuts off the bumps and mixes the stuff all up so it's as if the road was freshly constructed.
Thanks guys for all of the responses. I am taking your advice on on the bushhog. I am looking at purchasing a BushHog SQ720 with the 65hp gear box and a slip clutch. I would like to get the SQ840 but at this time cannot afford it. I am going to be grooming some trails in the timber bottoms below my house and a 6 ft hog will be better for me. I was quoted $1195 out the door, does this sound like a good price?
JoeL4330
Platinum Member
Can you provide a pointe to the "Grade-All" you mention?
thnx
thnx
