Grading help

[MLB]

New to this Is the only REAL purpose of a box blade to shave off the high spots and fill the low? Or do you use it to adjust the grade or dig a swale??

On a multi acre property with slight slopes. the different "islands" of turf to be; the back yard, the side, the front, etc all seperated by driveways, garages, the house, patios, etc
Do you need to worry about maintaining a slope on each individual "island" or do you just smooth it because the rough grading sets the grade??

I guess what I need is a definition of finish grading

 

[John_Mc]

<font color=blue>Is the only REAL purpose of a box blade to shave off the high spots and fill the low? Or do you use it to adjust the grade or dig a swale??</font color=blue>

Box blade works well for all of those things, though if you have a MAJOR regrading job, you're probably better off hiring a 'dozer.

John Mc

 

[karmakanic]

You can certaintly adjust grade or contour with a box blade. The size of the job would determine if it's feasable or not.

I'm using both a dozer and a box blade to shape the ground around our place and much prefer to use the tractor/box if I can get away with it. In fact, I use the box for all finish grading, since I'm still an amateur with the dozer blade, and the dozer tracks need cleaning up anyway. With the box adjusted correctly, you can cut a much finer grade with it then with almost any other type of implement.

Here in NE Texas with our expansive clay soils, I slope the land away from all "islands" with pernament foundations. I've also spent a lot of time contouring the land so the water does not collect but flows all the way down to the ponds or to the creeks. I do this to lessen the danger of cracking the foundations from uneven movement of the clay, which comes from uneven moisture content.

HTH,
Dave