Box Scraper School me on box blades and rakes

[FrogLick]

Anyone have experience with the Woods medium duty rake with optional gauge wheels and flip down grader blade? I'm thinking of getting one instead of a box blade. I'd be using it to maintain a gravel driveway and general clean up. I like the ability to angle the rake both forward and rear facing as well as the flip down blade for more agressive scraping. I know a rake won't do the agressive ripping of a box blade, but it seems like a more useful implement for my purposes.

 

[DELInstallations]

Nice feature but pricy and not needed for basic BB activities.

Since I've never operated a hinged unit, are my assumptions as far as smoothing and helping the blade work better correct? Also heard it helps keep the dirt from getting too stuck.

I'm going to be pulling dirt from a hill by the house, basically almost a mountain, down and smoothing the area, once it ever stops raining here

 

[pitt_md]

If you already have the loader, at least learn to use that first.
Watch skid steer operators some time; they do a lot of basic dirt work, grading, smoothing, back-filling with just the bucket.

A tooth bar can be used to back rake, the heel of the bucket to back drag and level.
Can be done, is worth developing the skills to do.
By then you will probably know what you want to buy next.

I agree with developing the skills to get the most out of your FEL. Don't be fooled by watching a skidsteer work with dirt and don't even try to do what they can do. Tractors with loaders get ULTRA tippy when you have a full bucket of wet dirt. A small depression that you can run over without weight in the FEL with no problem can put you on your side if you try to go to quick.