Yet Another Box Blade Question

[Harv]

Okay, I can now add a few visuals to the discusson. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I examined my box blade closely, hoping to find a hidden locking mechanism for the hinged rear blade. No such luck. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I then tried to figure out a quick 'n' dirty way to create a lock of my own. Still being welder-challenged, I looked for a way to achieve a lock-down by maybe drilling and bolting, but I just plain didn't see any good way to do that, either.

The attached picture shows the rear blade in its natural position, half-raised and then raised up and out of the way entirely. If anybody out there sees a nifty way to lock that rear flapper down solid, I'd be most anxious to hear from you. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[Harv]

The attached picture here shows the path in its current state. The lower picture shows more clearly the type of "soil" I'm working with. You can see that I've already pretty much smoothed out the entire area, but laying down that elusive mirror finish through the rock-strewn surface is where the challenge lies. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[Harv]

This final picture was taken on Sunday when my official path tester (Mom) finally felt well enough to give 'er a try. She's not quite sure who I am any more, but she appreciates what I've done to her front yard. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Von]

Harv,
How about three holes, one under each hinge about 2". You could use bolts to hold it down if you can get to the other side. If not, have someone weld post onto the back and have them slide thru the holes in the hinged blade, and use snap pins to hold it shut. You just will have to move that mig welder up a few notches on your "want list"!!!

 

[RobS]

Harv, as always nice pics. The one with you and your mom is especially good since it shows the real value of the tractor /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Regarding your hinged blade... unless you are really sold on having the hinged option you might just want to consider trading/selling for an entirely different scraper. Might be cheaper in the long run plus it would allow you more time at the implement dealers /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[GlueGuy]

Nice shots Harv.

One thought that would not require any welding would be to drill 3 (or 4?) holes through the hinged blade where it butts the back of the front blade. You could then put pins or bolts through to hold it down.

This is not optimal, as I don't know what the affects of putting holes through the blades would do to their strength. Probably not much though....

There doesn't appear to be enough material behind the blades to make a way to pin them down. Only way I see there is to add a tab to the back so that you could create a hold-down.

The GlueGuy

 

[Knight9]

Hi Harv,

I'll qualify this by saying I'm a "metal" newbee....haven't done anything with anything /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif....but what about running some sort of metal rod/tube across the whole back of the boxblade behind the swinging blade. This would prevent it from swinging out. The rod could be pinned to some sort of clip bolted to the two sides of the box. This would allow you to remove the pins and the crossbar allowing the rear blade to swing free if you desired.

Not sure if that made sense...but the picture in my mind is really clear /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif.

Kevin

 

[mlmartin]

Thanks for posting the picture. I had been wondering what value a hinged rear blade would have. Seeing that the blade hinges completely out of the way it would help when grading down a steep slope. With my fixed rear blade I find that I have to grade going upslope to get a good finish and put the material where I want it.

If you want to fix that blade without welding consider using a 3/4 inch bolt per foot with thick fender washers against the blade and the back of the box (if the bolt heads won't interfere with front blade).

I can see why you didn't want to buy material to make smoothing that path easier. I spent $1200 on stone dust for my new paddock and the ramp from the paddock to the pasture. The gravel fill under it was too loose and too stony for my wifes view of horses needs. It looks like you would have needed far more than the 100 tons I bought to do the same thing for that path.

Matthew

 

[Richard]

Sweet looking lady there! You must favor your father /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Seriously though, is that a "Chalkley Patch" on your right pants leg??

I like the concept. Can use it myself.

Richard

 

[glennmac]

Having the least amount of actual boxblade experience of anyone in the known universe, I will offer my most recent hypothesis. If you have all those little rocks mixed uniformly into your top layer of dirt, then maybe you simply can't get a mirror smooth surface. No matter what you do, you essentially will always be re-churning the same rock-soil mixture, and hence no technique is going to make those rocks go away. The only way to smooth would be to lay rockless soil on top.

The additional benefit of swallowing my hypothesis is that you can lay claim to having a superb implement and superb technique, and legitimately blame the mirrorless surface on Mother Nature.

As opposed to Mother Crisler, who looks good and who I am sure much appreciates your visits and efforts.

 

[Harv]

Glenn -
You make an interesting observation about the rock/soil mix we call home up there. The more I dig, the more rocks I turn up. The distribution is pretty uniform. Since I got the tractor last year, I have removed most of the larger stuff, from softball to football-sized and even larger ones for which I can't think of a sports metaphor. I've knocked off the highs and filled in the lows as best I could, leaving the terrain as you see it in the previous photos.

When I started the path project, however, I was surprised (as us benighted often are) at what transpired under the blade. On the first couple of passes, digging in agressively, I was able to define the general contours I wanted, but at the same time I just kept turning up the next layer of rocks. When I leveled out the box and started feathering the position control for a lighter touch, I was actually able to skim off a great deal of the surface rubble, which I then just discarded out of the way. The main problem at this point was the holes left by the most recently uprooted stones. Each successive pass filled in some holes, but continued to turn up more. Can't help but think guage wheels would have helped.

By this time I was pushing mostly fine dirt around, with just enough small rocks to be really annoying. Using the infamous hinged back blade, I was able to re-distribute some of this fine stuff the way I wanted, but without any down pressure (flapping in the breeze), it would just climb over these rocks or drag them along a ways, leaving undesirable grooves in the path.

It's as if Mother Nature wanted to cooperate, but wondered why the heck I was using a hinged blade. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Richard -
I didn't realize Mr. Chalkley had patented a knee patch in addition to everything else he's invented. I just call it my "duct-tape-over-the-knee-hole-cuz-I-might-be-walking-through-poison-oak" patch. The fact that it makes a fashion statement is just frosting on the cake. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Rob -
I am definitely looking at this as my "first" box blade. Unfortunately, circumstances (<font color=green>$$$</font color=green>) dictate that I stick with what I have for a while. When I do move up, it will be to a heavier box with hydraulic rippers, hanging off my TNT and bank of extra spools. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Kevin -
I think I understand what you're suggesting, but a sketch of your mind would help. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

GlueGuy, Matthew -
The bolt idea sounds most feasible at this point, assuming there is no alignment problem and the stresses work out okay. Might just have to give it a try. The fender washers are a nice touch, but are we basically trying for a direct bolt-down?

 

[woodstock]

You Old Fart

Nice Shirt Harv.

I am a I.O.O.B. card carrying Member, International Order of Old Bastards.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2001 BX2200 (20 hrs) All Kubota FEL,Tiller, box blade, blower w/elec shute, 60 mid mt deck, Ag tires.
Grey market B7000 w/Tiller (120 hrs)

 

[Harv]

Re: You Old Fart

Uhhhhhhhhh...... thanks, Stephen! /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

That shirt was picked out for me a few years ago for my 50th birthday by my daughter.

At that time, she was six!!! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

 

[GlueGuy]

Harv,

Yeah, that's the idea I had! I've even thought about it some more, and realize that the bolts don't even have to be large (or many), as the backward angle of the back blade won't be under a lot of pressure when going forward. Might even be able to get by with one or two of 'em... You can deal with the alignment issue by simply hand-drilling the holes. Might take a little while, but certainly do-able.

I should take a cue from you and do more of those little drawing thingies. Sure helps to get an idea across!

The GlueGuy

 

[Jag]

Harv, what were you thinking, duct tape on your jeans...... I can tell you are not from Arkansas... We can not aford the tape. I was thinking maybe a uppity Arkansan... but they would not have tape on their jeans in summer.

 

[Knight9]

Harv,

Ok, you'll have to use a little imagination here /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif....but here is a sketch of what I was thinking.

Kevin

 

[Keoke]

Harv, consider using a hole saw to drill the holes. Goes a lot quicker then a drill bit. Using cast iron flat washers with 5/8 bolts should work out. You could spot weld the nuts on the box inside or outside to make R&R a little easier.
Great picture of you and mom.

take care,
george

 

[RobS]

I don't know why I didn't think of this before...

How 'bout some really strong magnets /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[woodstock]

If you go this route they should be electric magnets then you could turn them off and on.
You could also insert a rayostat to control how strong it was which would allow break away it if realy hooked on to something.
Now that would be sweet.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2001 BX2200 (20 hrs) All Kubota FEL,Tiller, box blade, blower w/elec shute, 60 mid mt deck, Ag tires.
Grey market B7000 w/Tiller (120 hrs)

 

[glennmac]

Harv, sounds like the fixed blade would help, but probably the best you can hope for is that the box would fill in the little holes and "squeeze" down the near-surface rocks without pulliing them up. I know here when landscapers prepare soil for lawns they use this powered tool that's like a vibrating conveyor belt that sifts out all the rocks and lets the soil fall thruough. Then they do a final smooth with backblade or rakes, usually rakes.