Box Scraper Beginners guide to using a box blade

[MtnViewRanch]

Jeff,
Since you are sure he made the right selection in buying a tractor maybe you can suggest what he can do to address his problem. I am not a fan of skid steers myself and prefer the tractor as a platform. But it does depend on an individuals handicaps what might be more appropriate as a platform.

I was wondering that same thing. You have a guy that can't physically watch what's going on behind the machine which is really a requirement to be able to use 3pt grading implements. So how is that the right machine for him to be using?

 

[Ford850]

Steve, maybe a landplane is better for you. Once you have the areas filled, the landplane will level ruts and ridges by redistributing small amounts while it's dragged. The best part of the LP is that you could drop it all the way so it floats the contours and drive slowly, while focusing ahead instead of behind.

 

[jenkinsph]

Steve, maybe a landplane is better for you. Once you have the areas filled, the landplane will level ruts and ridges by redistributing small amounts while it's dragged. The best part of the LP is that you could drop it all the way so it floats the contours and drive slowly, while focusing ahead instead of behind.

I would agree that it would be easier to use if he has enough room.

 

[edkemper]

Get the largest mirror you can mount. I have a nice large mirror mounted on the front of the cover over my head. It's nice to be able to turn around at times but the mirror does the lions share of the observing of my work.

I admit a skid steer would be nice to have also however I think the tractor will do more work with more widely available used attachments at better prices.

Just my take on it.

 

[jeff9366]

I was wondering that same thing. You have a guy that can't physically watch what's going on behind the machine which is really a requirement to be able to use 3pt grading implements.

A skid steer would be nice to have, however, I think the tractor will do more work with more widely available used attachments at better prices.

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[Fallon]

$50 backup camera...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/316927-backup-camera-50-a.html

Better if you have a cab, but you could set it up to remove the monitor when not in use.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

$50 backup camera...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/316927-backup-camera-50-a.html

Better if you have a cab, but you could set it up to remove the monitor when not in use.

While a back up camera sounds good, would you really want to cut grade depending on it? I know for a fact that I would not and I am a pretty good operator.

 

[jenkinsph]

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Jeff,
Don't follow your response as Brian and myself were questioning your prior response.

 

[steve a]

Jenkins, I messed around with seating positions today and found that I could use my left foot on the pedal, but my right leg has to go over the fender so I can sit side saddle. It is very uncomfortable, but I can at least see around to about the middle of, the hitch that way, but not through my trifocals, because they don't cover my peripheral vision. it is blurry. I think I can make a foot peg to mount on the fender for my right foot, to help with the comfort problem. BTW, today I was leveling under my olive trees and I backed over one of my Squirrel traps. I am running out of things to squash, so should be doing better soon.
So I'm getting the idea a Skid-steer is a Bull Dozer type tractor. Love to have one for cutting off the tops of hills and other major earth moving; My front loader gets stuck if I take more than a 1" cut with the bucket, or even less if I hit a big rock. Somebody used the property for a dump site at one time and there is broken concrete from highway demolition, stacked up & buried all over the east side of my property.
So I think I will continue looking for a 65" box and see if I need the extra hydraulics later. Thanks again for all the great advice here.

 

[Fallon]

Skid-steer loader - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[jenkinsph]

Steve a,
Just be careful and good luck with it. Sounds pretty tough to me.

 

[steve a]

Ok, I always called those Bobcats. I really don't see any advantage over a std tractor for my needs. Rear vision is still a problem, maybe more so, and I don't see any 3-point gannon mounting applications in the list.

 

[jeff9366]

Have you discussed your neck disability with your doctor?

It is possible four to five sessions with an Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)
Acupuncture, and/or Chiropractic treatment could provide relief, most of which would be covered under Medicare.

I would seek relief in that order.

Really long term relief would come through Yoga practice.

 

[steve a]

Yeaaah......I pretty much stay as far away from doctors as possible, for at least 4 reasons that come to mind; make that 5. I have a few friends that are Chiropracters....some even admit it is mostly smoke & mirrors. I put Acupuncture in the same category as water witching and astrology. Yoga...Ha Ha Ha; You have to be a human pretzel for that, and if you are, you don't need Yoga. A motorized wheel chair makes a lot more sense to me. I am actually in better health than most guys my age; I just don't bend. Keep in mind that when you get old things naturally start packing up, so I will make do.

 

[Ford850]

Yeaaah......I pretty much stay as far away from doctors as possible, for at least 4 reasons that come to mind; make that 5. I have a few friends that are Chiropracters....some even admit it is mostly smoke & mirrors. I put Acupuncture in the same category as water witching and astrology. Yoga...Ha Ha Ha; You have to be a human pretzel for that, and if you are, you don't need Yoga. A motorized wheel chair makes a lot more sense to me. I am actually in better health than most guys my age; I just don't bend. Keep in mind that when you get old things naturally start packing up, so I will make do.

You don't believe in chiropractors, acupuncture, astrology, or yoga? I'm surprised they let you reside in southern California.

 

[lostcreekranch]

You don't believe in chiropractors, acupuncture, astrology, or yoga? I'm surprised they let you reside in southern California.

Yeah! Steve A, you've been outed and you might as well just give up and move to Texas. Your governor wants to replace you with illegal aliens anyway.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[jenkinsph]

Steve a,
If it were me I would skip the box blade altogether because if you can't see both side of it in real time you won't be able to get much benefit from it. You would be better off to save your money.

I have put about 300 hours in on my tractor and Gannon this year alone. Most of this was grading for irrigated fields to plus or minus 3/4 inch so I feel that I have a good idea of the needs to operate a box blade successfully. Turned around for the better part of a day can be very uncomfortable, an hour or so at a time is easier to deal with. At any rate you have to physically be able to see the entire box blade and make constant adjustments as you move along.

The suggestion to consider a skid steer or Bobcat (brand name) was because it would be easier for you to use looking forward most of the time. I prefer a tractor and Gannon box blade too, but at least I know what attachments are available for skid steers. You really need to be better informed to make the right choices that will work for you.

 

[pwright]

You mentioned trying to level out things with your front loader. Did you try using the float function of the loader and dragging it backwards to level? I find it very handy.

 

[jenkinsph]

You mentioned trying to level out things with your front loader. Did you try using the float function of the loader and dragging it backwards to level? I find it very handy.

I agree, using the front bucket on his tractor instead of buying a box blade seems appropriate to me too.

Man Las Cruces is really growing, I am headed there this afternoon from Ruidoso, seems like it is bigger every time I go.

 

[jenkinsph]

Thought I would post a few pics of a job done this month, small pasture with flood irrigation that I graded with a .250 % slope. First two pics of the field after grading three and four of the box blade, did not use the land plane on this field. The fifth picture is the adjacent field where I used the land plane after the box blade, you can see it makes the field a wee bit smoother. The last two pics are of the land plane used for this, I built this in 2009 to smooth out my rear lawn. While I do use a Topcon laser and receiver this work was all done without machine control, manual operation only. Will be adding the machine control and hydraulic wheels when this project is completed and collected. Point is that there is no way I could get these results if I did not have a good view of the entire box blade when working it.

Edit to add location is the Hondo valley in New Mexico, lots of old western movies used this area as their setting.