Box Scraper New guy w/ box blade questions.

[1FAST12R]

Hi all, first post here so please go easy on a newbie.

I'd like to fix my mess of a lawn which is a little under 1.5 acres. It's been graded but I still have a lumpy bumpy mess of soil that's littered with shale and pot holes that I'd like to get leveled out. I was wondering if a box blade would be the best attachment to use for this situation and if so, what size. Attached are pics of the property (not the greatest pic but all I have available at the moment).

My tractor is a Kubota B8200 HST 4x4. It's a 19 hp diesel w/ mid and rear PTO. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Pic of Kubota B8200 (not mine but nearly identical except I don't have a backhoe attachment....yet )

In this pic my property begins just past the taller ground growth...

 

[gordyy]

as afellow newbie here and a big fan of the box blade

just do a search and there are some great threads

look for rob 3RRR I think his handle is here
I have been around box blades for years and he does more with his than a lot of honest to god professional landscapers can do with theirs

 

[gordyy]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/122762-beginners-guide-using-box-blade.html
here try this thread an awesome guide to what a box blade can do

 

[1FAST12R]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/122762-beginners-guide-using-box-blade.html
here try this thread an awesome guide to what a box blade can do

Wow..what an insightful thread! Thanks!

 

[gordyy]

I find it makes me want to find a htl to put on my little unit
when I bought it Rob thru in the backblade then when he delivered it he realized he didnt have the 4' blade in stock so he gave me a 5' said if it wouldnt pull it let him know hed get me the 5'
so far the ground here hasnt been dry enough since it thawed to work it right although I did use it a bit on the slop in the driveway just to try and keep going across it and it seems to handle the 5' just fine I can scrape up a full load even with my turf tires and no ballast yet

 

[TORQUIN]

Hard to accurately tell from your pics, but from what I can see the yard looks pretty smooth. The grader box is used for rough grading, when you have several inches difference in the height of X ground verses the ground beside it, a hole, a hump, etc. If you just want to practice you can do your grading this way, moving less material. Note you want to do this when it is dry, and be aware you will be annoyed by the clumps of sod you'll be ripping out. I hate to rough grade a yard that has grass already growing on it because of that.
From the view of your yard, if you want to get the job done quickly, rent a Harley Rake, or other powered rake and go over your yard. You'll be done in less than an hour. You will need to rake up the rocks, sod, etc, that the rake drops in its path, but the area will be so smooth, and ready for seed.

Chris

 

[VABlue]

Looks like you have a nice lot!

A box blade would probably do the trick for you just fine, but you might have trouble keeping everything level. Even with draft control (which your little guy probably doesn't have?), when the machine dips down the blade goes up, and vice versa. You'll likely end up with a wavy yard unless you're very careful and make several passes. But even so, you'll probably be left with clumps of dirt/grass laying around everywhere.

I think the better thing to do for your yard is to rent a tiller, till the whole thing up, and then drag it smooth with a rake, harrow, or section of chain link fencing weighted down on the front side. That will leave you with a nice, smooth, seed bed for planting. You could fertilize/lime it before tilling to work everything in smoothly, also. You might want to be careful with the tiller because of the shale you mention, but should be okay. This is a cheaper option than purchasing a box blade and will be much better for your yard.

The blade would be fantastic for your driveway, though, as that looks to be pretty long!

 

[SouthernX]

You might try rolling it with as heavy a roller as you can pull. I would at least try that before you start moving dirt. If the roller doesn't get the job done then you having really haven't lost anything and can move on to something more "drastic".

 

[Ford850]

I agree with some of the other comments. I would either disk or till it shallow, then drag it smooth. Mine was similar and the disk and drag worked good for me.

 

[SouthernX]

A box blade would probably do the trick for you just fine, but you might have trouble keeping everything level. Even with draft control (which your little guy probably doesn't have?), when the machine dips down the blade goes up, and vice versa.

Is it possible for a tractor without draft control to be modified and add some type of draft control?

I think the better thing to do for your yard is to rent a tiller, till the whole thing up, and then drag it smooth with a rake, harrow, or section of chain link fencing weighted down on the front side. That will leave you with a nice, smooth, seed bed for planting.

Good suggestion. It's probably less work than trying to use the box-blade and will probably get better results. I'm no expert but trying to level out large(r) areas with a box-blade is probably no easy feat.

 

[1FAST12R]

The pics I posted really do a terrible job of illustrating just how bad my yard is. There are dips and pot holes up to a foot deep in some areas.I think I may give the tiller suggestion a try.Thanks to all for the suggestions.

 

[shakin]

here's how to make the bb work for you and then you will still have the unit to do other tasks. a fellow member here did a friends yard which by the way was in terrible shape much worse than you'rs and now it's flat. set the bb high to the point that it just hits the high spots, run around the yard resist the urge to drop the bb. then start again where you started only drop the bb to the next lowest setting with you're position control. run around the entire yard resisting the urge to adjust bb until you have covered entire yard. it will take longer but by the time you can let the bb all the way down and run around the yard will be flat and remember you will have an implement to add to you're collection not just a rental receipt. pm me if you have any other questions.

 

[VABlue]

Is it possible for a tractor without draft control to be modified and add some type of draft control?

Yes, but I don't think you want to essentially replace your machine's hydraulic system! Well, at least install a new valve...

 

[3RRL]

Here is another old thread with a lot of photos of using the boxblade.
It's basically "most" of the things you CAN do with a boxblade if you put your mind to to it. Check it out and perhaps it will be of some value in your decision...
Rob-
Various Boxblade Uses

 

[garagewizard]

Try to go as slow as your creeper gear will allow and get a BIG bottle of advil, your neck and shoulders will be killing you when your done. I tend to start of the high side and set my first pass as straight and to grade as i can, in your situation, then slowly take a half of a width pass and watch the side of your blade that is on the finished side adjusting the height almost constantly. I will agree that tilling or some times using a pulverizer is a much better way. The shale in your yard could make that almost impossible or dangerous in your case.

 

[3RRL]

Personally, I wouldn't send my tiller into that shale.
I would use the rippers on the box blade to pulverize the soil first and then level and smooth it out. In fact, I always use the rippers when attacking bumpy uneven ground first. Then I just move the loosened dirt and rubble around with the box or scrape it off to the side.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I have a littel KingKutterXB Boxblade that I pull behind a little JohnDeere 2210 and once behind a 3720. I just wish there was more land to play with it on.

 

[jmfox]

I operated a 6 way box scraper for many years and never once used the float control. The idea was to always be feathering the hydraulics to smooth out the highs and lows. I was simutaneously working the draft (up and down), scarifiers, angle and tilt. (Kind of like flying a helicopter.) Today they are putting wheels on them, especially on those adapted as front attachments on skid steers. I wonder if this has made leveling easier for the beginner.

jmf