Land plane scraper

[Tomtint]

So I have had my land plane for a number of years now and it's been a great tool. Its now at the point where I need to flip my scraper blades due to wear.. My question is how low to drop them below the skids ?

 

[oosik]

It's been a great tool for you. Reverse and install the blades to the same depth as the implement when new.

However - are the blade carriers adjustable also. If so - then consider reversing and installing blades to max depth. You can back off on cutting depth by raising the blade carriers. Get a little more life out of the blades this way. Done this way - as the blades wear, you can get the same cutting depth by lowering the blade carriers.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If they are like most cutting edges they were symetrical when new. So, if you flip them you will be back where you started if you havent made adjustments. In most cases, but not all, adjustment isn't critical. Think back over time looking for a period when it worked best, if there was one. Then estimate what that blade depth was then from the wear you have now. Or just flip them without concern.

gg

 

[oosik]

When my blade wears out - I have a new blade from a road grader to replace it with. It's about five times heavier than the Land Pride OEM blade. My only concern - drilling new holes in the blade carrier. The road grader blade is so thick - it would take forever to drill new holes in it. The grader blade has plenty of existing holes - none line up with the blade carrier on the Land Pride.

 

[Smokeydog]

When my blade wears out - I have a new blade from a road grader to replace it with. It's about five times heavier than the Land Pride OEM blade. My only concern - drilling new holes in the blade carrier. The road grader blade is so thick - it would take forever to drill new holes in it. The grader blade has plenty of existing holes - none line up with the blade carrier on the Land Pride.

Probably easier to drill blade carrier. A magnetic drill helps.

 

[oosik]

Right - Smokeydog. But I don't have access to a mag drill. What I will do as an alternate. Remove the OEM blade. Tightly clamp the road grader blade to the carrier. Drill thru the existing hole in the grader blade and make new holes in the carrier.

In other words - use the grader blade as a guide for new holes in the carrier. Exactly as you have indicated.

 

[Yander]

I have a new BEFCO I'll try to remember and measure it and take a pic where the blade is on the carrier. I haven't changed the adjustment and it does an amazing job. Did this job about 4 weeks ago. This was the smaller of the potholes and it was much worse than the pic reveals. This was a 900ft. drive I did for some folks, they were happy.

Before

After

 

[D&D]

I have a new BEFCO I'll try to remember and measure it and take a pic where the blade is on the carrier. I haven't changed the adjustment and it does an amazing job. Did this job about 4 weeks ago. This was the smaller of the potholes and it was much worse than the pic reveals. This was a 900ft. drive I did for some folks, they were happy.

Very nice

 

[Smokeydog]

Great idea! Tough to drill larger holes free hand. Good drill bits are expensive. Don’t use the mag drill often but very handy for drilling and tapping.

Have used steel plate as guide with holes to drill holes for fasteners with holesaws. 9/16” and up. Can drill beside an existing hole or worn hole no problem. No need for center drill. Socket on the holesaw mandrel, extensions, universal joint and impact wrench to drill thru thick frames where you couldn’t get a drill. Lots of oil, steady pressure, sometimes air to clear cuttings and cool. Amazing how quick and easy a holesaw cuts thru thick steel.

 

[bigtiller]

Right - Smokeydog. But I don't have access to a mag drill. What I will do as an alternate. Remove the OEM blade. Tightly clamp the road grader blade to the carrier. Drill thru the existing hole in the grader blade and make new holes in the carrier.

In other words - use the grader blade as a guide for new holes in the carrier. Exactly as you have indicated.

That's the way I did it once, a few years ago. I tried squaring up the new holes so the carriage bolts would set but soon decided cutting the corners off of the carriage bolts was easier. Then decided using a regular bolt would be good enough.

 

[Smokeydog]

Plow bolts were a common item at local hardware or co-op. Harder to find now but worth it. Available on Amazon.

 

[oosik]

I can find what I call - thin head plow bolts. Very much like carriage bolts. Regular or thick head plow bolts - not so easy to find.