Box Blade 8 Acres??

[El Wood]

I have about 8 acres that was farmed for many years and I'm planning on building a house on the property in the spring. Currently, the land is very flat from front to back but wavy ( tire compaction) from side to side from years of farming. The soil is almost all gravel. My plan is to make my property nice and smooth and eventually plant grass.

I know a dozer would be the best tool for this project but I was thinking about buying a box blade and putting it to use. I don't have any experience with a box blade but I'm thinking I could learn as I go and I would be some good seat time. Am I crazy? How long would this probably take me?

 

[Depmandog]

I would use a chisel plow and loosen up the compacted soil, then disc it several times.

At that point, you could use your box blade to level out the ground. Once you get the ground where you like it, you might need a short tine drag harrow to slick things up / prepare your seed bed.

Without working the ground first, using only a box blade will be extremely tough (assuming it currently has a vegetative cover).

You might check with a local farmer who would have bigger equipment. With the right sized equipment he could get it to a point where you could use the box blade in short order.

Post some pictures.

 

[TripleR]

I wouldn't want to do it.

 

[JD 4520]

I would agree with depmandog if you are planning on planting. It needs to be worked up first before its just leveled. There is more than one way to do it and choice of implements but needs to be worked then leveled. Probably not a job for a cat unless the operator is good as finish work. You probably need some kind of a landscape rake for finishing.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Get a tillage tool that you want anyway. if you want a tiller for your garden use that and then harrow it to smooth it out. Better than a box blade.

 

[RaydaKub]

That would be a lot a of time with either a tiller or box blade. I'm with depmandog. Get some good farm equipment in there and you'll have it ready in an hour or 2.

 

[gwdixon]

You would be surprised at what a disc is able to do to smooth out pastures. Go over the pasture several times in both directions.

Since it is gravelly, then go over it with a heavy drag of some sort. Something simple, like box springs with several pallets on top will do wonders. A piece of chain link fencing with weight will do also.

If you have access to a cultipacker through a neighbor or renting then it will put down the perfect finish. I'm guessing that you want it to look somewhat like this:

View attachment 289489

 

[JD 4520]

You would be surprised at what a disc is able to do to smooth out pastures. Go over the pasture several times in both directions.

Since it is gravelly, then go over it with a heavy drag of some sort. Something simple, like box springs with several pallets on top will do wonders. A piece of chain link fencing with weight will do also.

If you have access to a cultipacker through a neighbor or renting then it will put down the perfect finish. I'm guessing that you want it to look somewhat like this:

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=289489"/>

Now that is a nice looking field! A box blade would not be able to do that without lots and lots of hours and work.

 

[El Wood]

Thanks for the comments guys. Doesn't sound like the box blade alone is a good idea. I think I will consult with one of the local farmers as suggested. Also, here are some pics of the property.

 

[El Wood]

You would be surprised at what a disc is able to do to smooth out pastures. Go over the pasture several times in both directions.

Since it is gravelly, then go over it with a heavy drag of some sort. Something simple, like box springs with several pallets on top will do wonders. A piece of chain link fencing with weight will do also.

If you have access to a cultipacker through a neighbor or renting then it will put down the perfect finish. I'm guessing that you want it to look somewhat like this:

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=289489"/>

That's a nice looking field! That's exactly how I want it to look!

 

[JD 4520]

That's a nice looking field! That's exactly how I want it to look!

You also have a good field and better shape than I visioned. Take Dixons picture to a farmer friend and challenge him to help you get your field to look like the picture. You aren't that far away from the goal.

 

[KYDan]

A good heavy disc harrow first then a heavy chain harrow will work wonders for it. At least something of that order to start and then evaluate what that corrects. The chain harrow will collect a lot of the debris and level the soil somewhat.

 

[gwdixon]

Greatlakes37:

Your field looks pretty good to work with. A few swipes with a disc is all you need to get a fine start on leveling out the few high spots that are barely noticeable. There are guys here on TBN that would kill to have a field like yours is right now.

Anyway, the more you work it the better it will be. I foresee an excellent future for that piece of property. Check back with us when you get going and update the progress. A few more questions might be raised as you go along.

Good luck.

EDIT: Other guys on other threads have seen the couple of pieces of equipment that helps to get a field pretty darn level (like in the photo). Here they are just for reference. (The homemade drag is on the left in the first photo. A piece of drill pipe with an old harrow welded to it.)

View attachment 289599View attachment 289594View attachment 289597

 

[yelbike]

Look at a land plane, It may serve you better than a box blade.

 

[El Wood]

Greatlakes37:

Your field looks pretty good to work with. A few swipes with a disc is all you need to get a fine start on leveling out the few high spots that are barely noticeable. There are guys here on TBN that would kill to have a field like yours is right now.

Anyway, the more you work it the better it will be. I foresee an excellent future for that piece of property. Check back with us when you get going and update the progress. A few more questions might be raised as you go along.

Good luck.

EDIT: Other guys on other threads have seen the couple of pieces of equipment that helps to get a field pretty darn level (like in the photo). Here they are just for reference. (The homemade drag is on the left in the first photo. A piece of drill pipe with an old harrow welded to it.)

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=289599"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=289594"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=289597"/>

Thanks gwdixon. I'm going to keep those pictures you sent handy. Its nice to know what I'm looking for. I'll post some pictures as I go along. Hopefully, I can get my field looking as good as yours!

 

[crazyal]

I would second the use of a land plane. A grading scraper would work but they usually have shorter side rails for going around corners on a driveway. For land where you'll be going straight a land plane with 8' (or longer rails) would do the job nicely.

 

[sawduster98]

I'm doing exactly what you're looking to do. I have 7 acres of old cornfield and rocks and I'm reclaiming it an acre at a time. I dropped the scarifiers on the box blade all the way down and ripped everything up, loosening it and popping rocks to the top. A pass with the landscape rake to windrow the rocks and level it out. I'm not in any hurry to get it done so this way works best for me.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Looks like it was in row crop and what remains is the rows. Just needs a pass or two with a disc to level it and loosen up the soil, then a pass with a row conditioner or chain harrow or similar piece of farm equipment to smooth it out. If you could find a farmer with an old row conditioner (that is a piece of equipment that looks like a corn chopper in the front with a spiked tooth harrow in the middle and a drag board behind) it would leave that slick as a babies behind.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would second the use of a land plane. A grading scraper would work but they usually have shorter side rails for going around corners on a driveway. For land where you'll be going straight a land plane with 8' (or longer rails) would do the job nicely.

That is what I use my landplane for most of the time, smoothing up lawn areas prior to planting. Works pretty good.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

That is what I use my landplane for most of the time, smoothing up lawn areas prior to planting. Works pretty good.

Steve, GREAT to get your input and I agree with using the land plane grading scraper. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I think that I have said this before, but I will say it again, your lawn looks so good that it almost makes me sick.

I can only dream of having a place so nice. :drool: