Snow Attachments Does anyone use a box blade for snow removal?

[bakerg]

Started making a box blade to smooth out my drive way in the fall. I have a regular blade to move snow but was wondering if a box blade would be better to move snow. Has anyone used a box blade for moving snow and what are the pros and cons?

 

[Mousefield]

I use my FEL to clear our road. I have used the boxblade to scrape it level. When it gets full I lift it and the snow, sometimes with my help, falls out. I then use the FEL to move this snow off the road. Gets the road a lot smoother.

 

[jake98]

I use mine for snow because that's what I have. It's surprising how much snow packs in there while going foward, it must compress quite a bit. I pull till I'm in a good spot to push it sideways then use it in reverse for that.

 

[roger 4400]

Hi. I live in Quebec north of Montreal, usually a lot of snow but this year not so much. Driveway is +- 400 feet long, and on the first wet snow of the year, I use my box blade (Bush hog 6 ft with a Massey 1643) , take it down and set it 1/2 in. higher so it will not get all the gravel with the snow, works like a dream, makes a nice uniform bottom when it freezes. To get it empty, I make half round ways on the lawn, on he first pass, I drop the snow in the BB, when comming back with a load, I take the same way but when I get to the previous drop, i push the first load with the bucket while I unload the box blade and on and on...Box blade will put your driveway just flat and uniform and makes a good counterweight for the bucket. When the bottom is hard, I plow the snow with the bucket but uses the box blade to get it uniform. Have a nice day everyone.

 

[greg_g]

I like that I can back right up to the garage door and pull the snow away. And yes, it definitely does a good job of compressing snow, both in the box - and into where ever you eventually push it into a pile. Hardpack and ice can be loosened/broken by tilting enough to extend the scarifiers slightly. Only drawback is you can't index a boxblade. It's either push or pull, no in-between. So there'll be no snow rolling off to the side like with a conventional rear (scraper) blade.

//greg//

 

[studor]

I have used the box blade, a regular rear blade, a landscape rake and a blower to move the snow on my 1/4 mile drive. The box blade is useful for the first snow or very light snows as others have said and when it was all I had it was ok. The rake does a surprisingly good job and is probably equal to the rear blade depending on snow conditions. JMHO but I think the regular blade with a pipe on the bottom works better than a box blade by far on a long gravel drive.
These days for the first few snows I put the FEL on float and push the snow out of the way when it fills the bucket. Once I have a level frozen surface I switch to the blower and it pretty much stays on until spring

 

[JB4310]

I use a 6 ft rear blade as a compliment to front loader or front snow plow, which is my primary weapon. As mentioned the box blade (or rear blade) is great for getting into spots and pulling snow out and away, like in front of doors etc.

There are some here on TBN who swear by the box blade for snow removal,
I wouldn't want to rely on the box for my first line of defense but if that's all you have....
Lately I've been using a front mounted plow with rear blade, which seems to be the quickest for me, but we have a big storm coming tonight so I think I'll try that box instead of the blade to give a good comparison. It may work better for what I need a rear implement for except in my case the box is a foot smaller (5 ft) so that may take some of the benefit away.

With the box there's no spill out the sides until it's full, Just look at any commercial lot now, all they use are those pusher boxes so the old box style design is not such an old
fashioned way of getting the job done.

JB.

 

[KB9UDE]

JB4310: Have not seen your posts for awhile... Good to see you around.

I used to push with a boxblade back in the day when that is all I had but prefer a rear blade to direct the snow where I want it.


.

 

[rankrank1]

Yep, turn scarfiers upside down with cutter points in the air and in highest position. I use FEL going forward and box blade in reverse as pusher - very seldom use the box blade going forward due to the already mentioned tendancy to pack with snow.

I actually prefer the box blade to my angle blade due to the angle blade wanting to push my lightweight tractor around when the blade is angled especially since I do not run tire chains. Since most tractors do not have down pressure on the 3 point hitch arms, I find the box bade has enough weight to not ride up in the air, unlike a light weight regular blade has a tency to do even in the straight position, when pushing with the tractor in reverse.

I am seriously considering selling may angle blade as I simly do not use it very much. If I could was limited to only 1 blade it would be a box blade.

 

[jake98]

...very seldom use the box blade going forward due to the already mentioned tendancy to pack with snow.

When I mentioned 'it compresses snow', or whatever I said, I meant it holds alot more than you would think. It comes out real easy when you back up and lift it.. pulling foward with it works great. I think that's what Greg meant too.