Boxblade Usefulness Survey

[roysallis]

"Also from the different talk, it seems no one actually knows when you would use a hinged versus stationary back. "
The hinged back blade is used to assist in leveling. As the blade moves forward and material is collected the hinged rear blade allows some material to be deposited. Therefore, leveling the surface. This is useful for landscaping, leveling roping arenas, etc. As with all uses of a box blade, this takes some experience to use it to its full potential.

 

[MChalkley]

Harv - <font color=blue>Then what do I do?</font color=blue>

I'd say it depends on how much more useful you think it would be if you could lock it down. If the answer is "a lot", then I'm sure there's a way to modify it so it will. If the answer is "not much", then I'd just leave it alone. Certainly, don't modify it on my account. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Of course, another thing to keep in mind is that one of the main reasons to have stuff is so you can modify it, and this sure looks like a good excuse to me. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Tell you what: You bring it with you to VA when you come out to paint my EF-5 pink, and I'll take care of modifying it for you. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...We have to pin this down once and for all...</font color=blue>

Harv... my feelings exactly.... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

I mean... once you "pin" the hinged part to be stationary... you can go forward and be "normal" for your size tractor...

Guess what... then no more fiddling around trying to get it just right.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

{I'd raise the box blade off the ground... push the hinged gate all the way forward... use strong 'c clamps' to secure it... lower it to the ground and give it a test run... if all goes well, then back up in the air, drill a couple holes at bottom, insert some Grade 8 bolts to prevent it from swinging back...{you can pull the bolts later if you change your mind..} /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[RAllen]

<font color=red>On some backblades, Landpride being one, you can also mount an adjustable scarifier in front of the blade. You can also add a gaugewheel (even hydraulic) behind the better blades. This combo would give scarifying, blade scraping, and dirt pulling capability like a boxblade--all with angling, tilt, offset, and gaugewheel capability that boxblades do not have, plus superior snow removal ability. And for all that, you never have to adjust your top link! (Happy toplinking, all you boxbladers.)

Another approach is a good rake. You can add a flipdown blade with endcaps, dual gauge wheels and, with Landpride, the scarifier. You would lose the tilt and offset feature of the straight blade, however -- except for Landpride, again, which lets you mount the rake on the tiltable blade frame</font color=red>

In reading this old thread, I found the above from Glenmac. Although this is not "on topic" at least for the newest part of this thread I wanted to chime in on the above.

When I first got my tractor, I tried to bypass the need to purchase a boxblade. I bought a Landpride Rock Rake with a drop down blade, end ears and gauge wheels. Needed it for road maint., I purchased the rippers Glenmac mentioned. The rippers can be used alone or used with the rock-rake. I promptly returned the rippers.

First, with my Kubota 2910, the rippers made everything too long after you put the rippers infront of the rock rake and blade. I could not adjust the three-point to get good angles. Used alone, the ripper was not as heavy as a box blade- my boxblade does a much better job tearing up soil because of the added weight.

For my size tractor, the combo does not work at all. My dealer came out and ending up agreeing with me. They took the rippers back and I purchased a Landpride Boxblade. The boxblade was less than $25 more than the rippers and more useful. Perhaps a bigger tractor could use the setup.

Rick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

You have to have patience with the box blade, the top link and angling is the key, I maintain 2000 ft of driveway, and ditches on both sides. Also have a front blade, and regular angling backblade. They augment the backblade if I had to have only one the boxblade would be it.

Many times the job looks bad for the first first 3/4 with the boxblade as you loosen and start to shape the spoil, then it comes together in fine style. It could be called a finishing tool. I would compare it to sandpaper on a wood working project.

Used to level driveway, maintain the crown.
Repairs potholes.
Landscaping.
Cut small roads and paths through the woods. Pick up a hummok and drop it in a depression.
Maintain a horse paddock.
Great with snow and ice, tilted properly will peel off ice on pavment parking lot.
Drop hot ashfalt in and it will lay pavement.
Dig shape and landscape an inground swimming pool.
Level land for an aboveground swimming pool 20X40 ft. level within 1/4 inch.

Also have a mini excavator, use the boxblade to backfill faster and eaiser than the blade on the excavator.

 

[Harv]

Don't know if I'm getting any closer to pinning down the floppy rear blade issue, but ...

Less than 24 hours after I sent email to Howse, I actually got a reply, and not by email, but by telephone! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif All the way from Mississippi, too. So, now do I know the answer? Well, you be the judge --

Let me preface by saying that the connection was a little weak, and the fellow who was calling had a rather severe southern accent (sorry, but some of us Californians need a translator when communicating with the deep South). I was embarassed that I had to have the poor guy repeat almost everything he said. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Anyway, he told me that the hinged rear blade was designed to smooth over unintentional ruts caused by dragging debris (rock, root, beer can, etc.) with the front blade. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif I then asked about other models where the rear blade is fixed or lockable. All he said was that Howse makes 'em hinged or fixed, but not hinged and lockable. I got the distinct impression I was talking to a salesman, not a tractor operator.

I tried to ask more questions, but he told me that a manual was already in the mail, their compliments (pretty cool, since it's listed for $3.77 plus shipping on their website).

He assured me that the answers to all my questions were in the manual. Based on my Howse rotary cutter manual, I have my doubts about that.

Anybody got a half-inch power drill I can use for poking some bolt holes in my box blade?

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>Anybody got a half-inch power drill I can use</font color=blue>

Sure, stop by and pick it up anytime./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif And I don't think I've ever even heard of a manual for a box blade.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...I actually got a reply, and not by email, but by telephone! All the way from Mississippi, too...</font color=blue>

I give them a Big A for effort... maybe just redo their quality control dept. a tinge... and perhaps... more success...?

I also had emailed them earlier this spring about pricing on PTO shield "plastic clips"... same thing, a return phone call and they shipped via mail... gratis...

I really felt bad, I had expressed my negative feelings toward their quality control problem... nevertheless... their quality was very inconsistent... /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Anyhow...back to where we're not...

I have this great feeling Harv... you are actually closer to resolving this perplexing hinged swinging blade... whether it's in the manual or not... I think you already know, you'll end up "pinning/bolting" it secure, to more or less suit your needs and get the most out of that implement...

Good luck...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...I don't think I've ever even heard of a manual for a box blade...</font color=blue>

Here's a couple... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Box Blade Operator Manuals…(PDF format)
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.landpride.com/cgi-bin/byteserver/manuals/lp/pdf/303-082m.pdf>Model BB15/25 Manual</A>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.landpride.com/cgi-bin/byteserver/manuals/lp/pdf/304-041m.pdf>Rollover Box Scraper Manual</A>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.landpride.com/cgi-bin/byteserver/manuals/lp/pdf/305-054m.pdf>Retractable Box Scraper Manual</A>

 

[Bird]

OK, I wouldn't have thought anyone could write 14 pages worth about a box blade./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Ya know Bird... I was thinking....{dangerous.../w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif}

With you closing up your Air Tool Repair Business... you now have a new computer and new word processor....ummmmm...

How about you writing a Box Blade Implement Operators Manual - 101 Ways To Get The Most Out Of It... /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Well....? /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

John, I wrote, or supervised the writing of, lots of manuals before I retired; don't intend to write any more of them./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Harv]

<font color=blue>wouldn't have thought anyone could write 14 pages worth about a box blade.</font color=blue>

And most of that, if it's like my rotary cutter operator's manual, is warranty information, safety disclaimers, details on where to find all the stickers, maintenance instructions, replacement parts and specifications.

If you want to know how to actually use the thing, well, that's something you're already supposed to know. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[fractal]

Well, sign me up for a copy. I would buy one.

I have dumped 7 yards of dirt into the yard and dragged, scrapped, pulled and cursed with that box blade and I am not convinced it is any better now that it was when I started. I have tried it tilted forward, tilted back, tilted left, tilted right. The only thing I haven't done is take the pins out of the movable back flap to let them move.

I guess the good part is it gets me on the tractor more

 

[Harv]

<font color=blue>stop by and pick it up anytime</font color=blue> (half-inch power drill)

Thanks, Bird. I'll swing by on my way to Virginia. Keep your eye out for an S-10 pickup with a full load of pink paint. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[WVBill]

Someone here, I think, pointed us to this link once before.

You want to see manuals?! The US Army has MANUALS!

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.adtdl.army.mil/atdls.htm>http://www.adtdl.army.mil/atdls.htm</A>

The ones in the library under "Field Manuals" "Engineering" are most appropriate for TBN topics.

 

[Timd]

Thanks for that link...the manual on Hydraulics is a good read
for TBNers.

Timd

 

[gordon]

There is quite a bit of good reads on that site. But remember to look under field manuals. One manual that fits this thread is EARTH MOVING</font color=blue>[/b]

Here is a link right to the field manual page alot to wade through but well worth it. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.adtdl.army.mil/atdls.htm>http://www.adtdl.army.mil/atdls.htm</A>

Some great stuff and you can't beat the price
Gordon

 

[glennmac]

Rick, Interesting point about the length issue on a smaller tractor. Since I wrote those comments, I realize that rippers aren't going to work well, if at all, in hard soil unless they are weighted. I would think that even a cheap boxblade weighs more than a landscape rake with rippers. Nothing in the past year has convinced me to get a boxblade, however. Even if they work, I don't think I would have any use for one. I don't see how you could "cut trails" in the woods with one. My woods have trees and bushes that only a shredder can get rid of. I am convinced that boxblades should be as heavy as possible, from what I read here. At least 800 lbs on a B Kubota. More on a bigger tractor.

 

[RAllen]

Glen

My hilly terrain has many rocks on the surface so I use the following method to clear a trail. Using the boxblade with rippers down I make my trail by going around bigger trees and over smaller saplings. Once in awhile, I must use my chainsaw. In this case, I saw the stump at ground level or slightly below. After I move the rocks with the ripper and the downed timber logs by hand or FEL, I use my brush hog to take care of the small trees and misc. brush. I then go back to the box blade and rip up the soil a little more then do a little grading the high spots. This is adequate for my tractor trails which work very well for snow tracs and ATVs. Montana mountain brush is not as thick as Georgia underbrush so techniques will differ depending on where you live.

Weight is the most important factor for any ripping and is the reason to buy the biggest (heaviest) boxblade you can buy. I did not get the most out of my box until I added hydro. tilt.

Rick