Amateur gets a Box Blade

[Buck]

Two weeks ago, having read most of the discussions about box blades, I was very unsure that it was a tool that I could use effectively. As several threads have detailed, box blade popularity appears to be a function of geography and geology. I spoke to several dealers (upstate NY, near Lake Ontario) who told me that they sell very few box blades and that they questioned their usefulness. My local John Deere dealer told me that he never sold a box blade. Therefore, I was unsure whether this thing would do what I wanted in my location.

I went ahead and bought one anyway. I am very happy.

It works beyond my expectations. I had been clearing an area of thick brush, using a chain saw for small saplings and smoothing the underbrush with my FEL. I can now literally clear these areas with a couple of passes with the box blade. The soil becomes very loose and I can easily pick it up if needed with my FEL. Better than this, the roots of the saplings are effortlessly pulled out yielding a superb finish. And yes, the soil has stones, glacial till, but they do not cause any problems.

When I bought by tractor, about six weeks ago, I was somewhat disappointed in the effort needed to get soil up with my FEL. Now I am very happy. Within a couple of hours, I was able to amass a huge pile of topsoil from a hard, but topsoil rich area of my property. I was also able to contour the area in very esthetically pleasing way.

I am writing this because I know there are others around here that must be debating the wisdom of this purchase. It is easy to understand when the locals tell you one thing and forums such as this tell you something different. My recommendation: Go ahead and do it! My box blade has dramatically increased the utility of my tractor.

Downsides:

1) Be careful if you have a mid-mount mower.
2) Make sure you have time to use it. You won’t want to stop. I don’t want you to miss work!

Buck

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...I was somewhat disappointed in the effort needed to get soil up with my FEL....</font color=blue>

Buck,

The only thing you need now on that bucket is a toothbar... get aggressive and down and dirty... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Wal]

Buck,

It was enlightening to read your post. I have not gotten my tractor yet, but I am trying to assimilate all the first hand knowledge about the pros and cons of different attachments I read about on this wonderful board. I was thinking a box blade would be a good one to have. I have five acres of woodland I am gradually clearing for our future "dream house". Cutting down the underbrush with a walk-behind brush cutter is no big deal, but smoothing out the resulting stubble is my next concern, i.e. how to do it. A box blade sounds like the trick.

Wal

 

[mlmartin]

<font color=blue>It works beyond my expectations. I had been clearing an area of thick brush, using a chain saw for small saplings and smoothing the underbrush with my FEL. I can now literally clear these areas with a couple of passes with the box blade. The soil becomes very loose and I can easily pick it up if needed with my FEL. Better than this, the roots of the saplings are effortlessly pulled out yielding a superb finish. And yes, the soil has stones, glacial till, but they do not cause any problems.</font color=blue>

I have that box blade task ahead of me. This fall I'll cut down the cherry trees that are standing in what will be my garden. I've already taken out most of the brush with the rotary cutter. I'll pull out the stumps and and boulders and bury them with the backhoe. Then I'll go to town with the box blade to pull out the sapling stumps and roots. If I have time this fall, I'll spread rotted horse manure over the area to help loosen up the soil.

If you really want to have fun with you box blade, start planning your drainage systems. Swales are _easy_ with a box blade _and_ you get to use it in reverse.

Matthew

 

[ShantyBranch]

I am curious about the toothbar. I can imagine its many uses: clear and grubbing and whatnot. But what would you say are the drawbacks to having the toothbar on ? Can you still effectively "scoop" gravel or fill dirt ?
I have been using my loader effectively for "back blading" to level areas after I have dumped fill, is this still do-able with the toothbar?
Is the toothbar an implement that you take on and off ?
And about what should it cost for 460 loader?
thanks

 

[MarkV]

ShantyBranch,

A tooth bar gives your loader a much better bite in dirt and should not effect scooping gravel or fill. I think it helps by letting the loader get a better bite. If there is a draw back it is in using the front edge of the loader for back blade work. On my Kubota, I use the rear edge of the bucket to back blade when the tooth bar is in place. The bar comes off with two bolts and does not take anytime at all. I don't know the 460 loader, but most tooth bars run in the $350 range. I would recommend one, I never take mine off.

MarkV

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Custom Made Toothbars for Your Bucket & other Posts

Approx. price $260-280. plus shipping {less than $35. anyplace USA} No sales tax outside of NY State. and about 7 - 10 day turnaround time to your front door.

 

[StanInCalif]

Wal-
IMHO, the box scraper is second only to the FEL in overall usefulness. -Stan

 

[HR_Mutt]

StanInCalif
Absolutely correct/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.My next one will have hydraulic rippers.
regards
Mutt

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hardee AS84 84" box blades new for $485.00. Email agwholesaler@hotmail.com with zip code for a freight quote.

 

[DVerbarg]

ShantyBranch,

Like MarkV said the backblading issue is the only change you will need to make. Use the back of the bucket instead of the front for smoothing. The toothbar has saved so much time for me.

In addition to more aggressive digging you also gain the advantage of now having a very large rake for spreading material. I use the toothbar as a rake after dumping enough soil on a particular location. I tilt the bucket forward enough that the teeth will protrude a few inches lower then the solid bucket edge. I then backdrag the bucket with the FEL virtually lifting the front wheels off the ground. This distributes any large pieces/lumps of material "raking" them out. Next I tilt the bucket up so the teeth are only protruding a couple inches and backdrag again, many times in a different direction. Tilt the bucket almost level and drag again. The next pass I can usually tilt the bucket up and use the back edge on a couple passes to smooth out the material to a nice finish.

Learning this technique took much less work and practice to become proficient then learning "box blading". Maybe everyone else already knew this but I had never heard it discussed here before.

You also asked <font color=blue>Can you still effectively "scoop" gravel or fill dirt ?</font color=blue> Yes, as a matter of fact you will need more rear ballast because you can scoop and hold more in your bucket.

The teeth on the toothbar can also be hooked through the handles on trash cans when hauling them to the street (have a quarter mile driveway).

Biggest drawback to the toothbar is it makes the FEL that much more of a possible weapon. Afraid that someday I may accidentally ram the teeth through the side of a car or ...

Toothbar for my NH 17LA loader with 72" HD bucket was around $350.

Implement usefulness in order: FEL, toothbar, box blade.

DaveV