Box Scraper Will a box blade help with this?

[Laminarman]

I have several areas with poor drainage and am thinking of cutting a swale for each. One about 75 yards long, one 150 yards long, one about 25 yards long. The areas are established grass over rocky soil and the water just runs down the lawn and pools in my yard and other areas during heavy rains. I have a hydraulic side link on my TC40DA so can tilt the box blade easily. I haven't used one and wonder if this would let me cut a shallow, six to eight inch deep swale to aid drainage, and I could use it for other projects as well. Estimates for a guy to come up with a dozer range from $700 to $900 for what amounts to a couple hours work for them. Thanks.

 

[ToadHill]

I've had success using a 1 bottom plow for projects like you describe, but I see no reason the boxblade wouldn't work.

 

[Laminarman]

I've had success using a 1 bottom plow for projects like you describe, but I see no reason the boxblade wouldn't work.

I have a two bottom plow, but if you saw me plow, you'd rather I use another implement. I just plain suck with it, and it's a Tractor Supply model and I just hate it. I can't seem to turn soil over. I also have other areas that fill up with mud and rocks come spring that I think the box blade might help. Looked at a Woods, gosh is that a heavy beast at six feet wide.

 

[gpflepsen]

Several passes with the rippers full down will get the sod busted. IF I had a plow, I'd turn over the width of the FEL bucket and scoop it out. But the BB will get it done and may tend to "plug up" a bunch while working the old sod.

 

[Steve C]

I have several areas with poor drainage and am thinking of cutting a swale for each. One about 75 yards long, one 150 yards long, one about 25 yards long. The areas are established grass over rocky soil and the water just runs down the lawn and pools in my yard and other areas during heavy rains. I have a hydraulic side link on my TC40DA so can tilt the box blade easily. I haven't used one and wonder if this would let me cut a shallow, six to eight inch deep swale to aid drainage, and I could use it for other projects as well. Estimates for a guy to come up with a dozer range from $700 to $900 for what amounts to a couple hours work for them. Thanks.

I just flattened an area for an above ground pool using a box blade. I just dropped the rippers down all the way and made a couple of passes with the blade slightly above the ground, letting the rippers loosen up all the sod, then I raised the rippers up and pushed the sod out of the way in one pile, went back and moved the dirt. the pool pad was on a slight incline, I removed about a foot of material on the uphill side. It was a very easy process even with my little tractor. I think it would work very well for your application.

 

[Laminarman]

Several passes with the rippers full down will get the sod busted. IF I had a plow, I'd turn over the width of the FEL bucket and scoop it out. But the BB will get it done and may tend to "plug up" a bunch while working the old sod.

I would likely kill the grass first with Roundup, run my HD discs over it to soften up the matted dead grass, then try to cut the swale out. I learned long ago doing this type of work with our thick farm grass goes slowly if the grass is alive and vigorous.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Here are a couple of pics of a small swale that I made with my 4' box blade. I actually started it with the loader, but the BB does a much smoother job. So far I've found that it cuts the sod pretty evenly along the edges as you can see.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Laminarman, do you have a box blade, or do you need to purchase one to do this job? If you have a box blade, then yes you can do this job with it as others have described. But if you need to buy the implement, then I would suggest a rear blade, way easier to make a swale with the dirt rolling off the end of the blade. Oh, and I think that your 6-8" depth is not going to be anywhere near enough to get the water to flow. I would guess more along a minimum of 1%, and then it will barely flow, especially if grass will be on it in the future. So with that 150 yd swale, you will need to go down a minimum of 4&1/2 feet . Plan on moving a lot of dirt if you want it to drain properly.

Good luck, you have lots of seat time in front of you.

 

[Kfbeal]

I just ran a water line directly from our water well to the south side of our home for our sprinkler system. I used a single middle-buster plow and made a couple passes. I then angled my box blade to clean out the ditch. It was about 12" deep and the wings on the plow blade wouldn't clean out the ditch very well. After using the box blade it worked fairly well but it tends to fill up and you have to pull off to the side to dump it.

A straight blade that angles may be a better option but the single middle buster plow worked great.

 

[Laminarman]

No, I don't have a box blade....yet. But an update: I found a guy down the road who's willing to bring his dozer up and get it done, right, for less than half the cost of a box blade. Seems like at least a temporary solution to me!