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.

 

[jmanatee2]

Excellent Job! Looks professional.

 

[kebo]

I think he just bought a used one and repainted it. :laughing: Man, that looks better than factory! Awesome job on it, workmanship looks very professional. Congrats!

The only comment I have is on most BB's I've seen (including the one I have now) the blade is set at about 50 or 60 deg angle (haven't actually measured it). Why did you go with that 70deg angle? Seems like it will have less tendency to "dig deeper", but I am sure it will still move a lot of dirt around.

 

[hizoot]

who needs a plasma cutter anyways....you sure dont! great job!!!

 

[davgreg]

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.

It was possibly chloride, I think they used to use anti freeze too. I have sugar beet juice in mine, just the rear tires. I dont know what other folks are using. The local tire shop filled them for me, was gonna do it myself but the price was right and if you dont get enough in there, you will here it sloshing around. :ashamed: It definetly made a noticable difference. Let me know what you fill yours with?

 

[Zeus1]

Thanks to all for the comments on my home project. I am glad to have a web site to share my projects with all of you. Someone asked about the angle of the cutter blade, I looked at several and looked at a friend of mines box blade and his was set at 65 degrees. I set it at 70 degrees hopeing to not have so much an aggresive cutter. From using it for several hours it does me a fine job, mabe a little bit too good, a full load of dirt and I have to start rasing it up a little bit cause our wheels start to spin. I hope preloading the tires will help out with that. Thanks to you all again.

 

[JB4310]

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

who needs a plasma cutter anyways....you sure dont! great job!!!

That's the first thing I noticed, how straight a line cutting free hand with an OA torch and that thick plate looks 1"

I use my torch less now that I have all kinds of saws, but at one time I used the torch for everything, but I never got such nice cuts.

Heaver is better than lighter with the box blade, I was using mine today to clean up a drain swale. I have a HTL and even trying all kinds of angles I could not get it to dig in under some grass/turf with out putting some weight on it. I didn't have the rippers on as I did not want to go to deep.

JB

 

[easygo]

Holy cow man. Is that a regular oxi-ac torch setup? If it is then you must be a machine. That is the best looking cutting with that apparatus that I have ever seen. Is there some sort of a ... something that you can share about that?
Oh yes it is a nice box blade too.

 

[Zeus1]

Easygo, bout the only thing I can tell you about torch cutting is practice, practice and practice again. I am not very old, 33, (atleast by my standards) I work in the industrial fabrication business, and have spent many many hours behind one of thoes victor torches. I can try to make a video and post it on utube.

 

[JB4310]

I was thinking maybe a straight edge but even then....

I know the torch is capable I have had moments that surprised me how fast you can move, but then a little hiccup and you loose it.

I've got a tip that allows you to rest it right on the surface and drag it along so that helps a little, but it's still hard to hold it steady.

JB

 

[NormL]

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.

Looks like you corrected that failing big time! Looking at the tractor you're powering it with, I wonder if it bucks like a stallion if you let the clutch out too quick with the BB up!:laughing::laughing: I have to add my compliments to the many already posted! Your steady hand with the torch is simply awesome! I have not done torch work for years but will be soon on my own project. I have to assume that getting the flame just right is key. :thumbsup: