homade box blade

[Zeus1]

Hi all. After reading lots of threads on this sight on this very topic, I desided a couple of weeks a go to build my own box blade. I went to a couple of web sites, and to my local TSC and looked at a few models, which look ok, but built a little bit on the light side. I built everything even the rippers from scratch. The only thing I didn't have was the pins and paint and fasteners. If anyone needs plans or specs I will try to help anyway I can. I didn't use any hardened grader blades, I used a piece of algoma 500 for the blade that makes contact with the ground, and its bolted on both sides so I can change it if I need to. I do have a mig welder, but I opted to use 7018 welding rods for all of my welding. I used the ole victor hand torch to cut out all my plate and start fabing from there. I probably have 25 hrs total in fab/weld/paint time, but it was time well waisted! I love to work and fabrication besides being my profession, is also my passion! The painting part is a little less enjoyable, but I sure had a good time today skinning up that new paint job. Take a look at the photo's and let me know what you all think?

 

[davgreg]

Looks like its gonna be hefty! Are the sides gonna be 1" thick. How are you gonna do the blade or the curve to the blade? Good luck, I will check back later

 

[Zeus1]

A few more photo's. The sides are 5/16" thick regular Mild steel. The back is 1/4" mild steel also. The "curved" plates are actually straight, and are bolted in at about a 70 degree angle. Seems to work great for me. I used Algoma 500, which is some really hard plate. Its applications range from ware plate, to armor in humvee's. In the picture above I was cutting out the rippers. That was 5/8" plate. I welded a piece of algoma to the tip instead of using store bought tips. They are replaceable, just have to cut them off and weld new ones on.

 

[Zeus1]

The finished product. I actually finished it yesterday evening, and skint the paint job all up today. I had fun. That little ford 1700 was working hard pulling dirt around my yard. I had some trees cut down last year and I am still working on smoothing out the dirt. I think next I am going to build a hydraulic wood splitter. I love home projects!

 

[Scooby074]

Nice BB!

Any pics of it in action?

 

[Zeus1]

My wife has been taking photo's so far. I was out late this afternoon moving some dirt around, and pushing up the rest of the limbs into a pile, I asked my wife to film a video of it in action with her phone, but a pop up thunderstorm sent us back to the house. I will try to make a video tomorrow. After all the abuse today, that bright yellow paint job finally has some battle scars! My only complaint is the BB wiill pick up so much dirt that the tractor won't pull it, just starts spinning the wheels. I am going to try to preload the back tires, mabe that will help get some traction.

 

[davgreg]

Looks real nice!

 

[davgreg]

My wife has been taking photo's so far. I was out late this afternoon moving some dirt around, and pushing up the rest of the limbs into a pile, I asked my wife to film a video of it in action with her phone, but a pop up thunderstorm sent us back to the house. I will try to make a video tomorrow. After all the abuse today, that bright yellow paint job finally has some battle scars! My only complaint is the BB wiill pick up so much dirt that the tractor won't pull it, just starts spinning the wheels. I am going to try to preload the back tires, mabe that will help get some traction.

I first started tractor'n on a ford 8n, thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. Loading tires helps a great deal and assuming you dont have a differential lock you can feather the brake on the wheel spinning.
If you have not tried this yet you will be amazed at how your brakes can help you move foward. :thumbsup:

 

[mjncad]

Welcome Zeus. You sure know how to use a torch, and your BB turned out quite nice.

 

[Zeus1]

Yes, I do have diff lock. That helps to a point. When the bb gets full we start spinning our wheels. How do you preload tractor tires anyway and what do you put in them? My dads ole international harvestor has preloaded tires. They were loaded years ago, and the liquid that comes out is clear.