Skids Worn on LandPlane

[Gordon Gould]

I built this LandPlane in 2010. The 3/8" skids were about half worn except the back ends which were paper thin. For finishing passes I often raise the front a little putting all the weight on the back. Not too pretty but I scabbed on another layer, a little thicker on the ends, to give it some more life.

gg

 

[sandman2234]

I probably don't use mine as much as you, but I started out with 2"x3/4" skids. They still have a little life left in them. Putting them on was a little bit of a challenge, to get them to roll up on both ends. The road I do is about half a mile long, but I don't do it to make it flat and pretty. I just do it enough to allow passage on it. I have found that making it smooth increases the speed on the road by about 3 times. They go from 10-15 mph to almost 50 when it is smooth. The dust that gets generated with the additional speed is huge!
I don't live on that road, I don't traverse it, except to occasionally go to one of the homes that a friend owns. He gets all the materials that get used on the road. The owner of this private road used to be my sister in law, but she sold her house to a young man who is just trying to get a business going. I used to do it to help her, but now it gets done less and less.
David from jax

 

[steve tym]

Replacing, or reversing the skid plates on my land plane was a pretty regular occurance.

 

[jwmorris]

I made mine with 1/4" and then bolted a 3/8 one to it.

Idea being I just bolt another piece of 3/8 X 2" to the 1/4" as needed.

 

[scootr]

I built this LandPlane in 2010. The 3/8" skids were about half worn except the back ends which were paper thin. For finishing passes I often raise the front a little putting all the weight on the back. Not too pretty but I scabbed on another layer, a little thicker on the ends, to give it some more life.


View attachment 3613751

gg

Nice work but now hard face that skid in a Z pattern full length and never replace it again

 

[sandman2234]

I made mine with 1/4" and then bolted a 3/8 one to it.

View attachment 3659054View attachment 3659055

Idea being I just bolt another piece of 3/8 X 2" to the 1/4" as needed.

So, could you bolt a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" to it instead? Seems like it would prolong intervals between having to work on it? It would also allow a significant time before the wear got to the bolt heads which I assume are countersinked into the 3/8? (or did you drill and tap the 3/8" flatbar to allow for a longer wear?)
Anyway, nice job in building it.
Is there a reason you didn't angle the blades? While it doesn't do much, angling the blades allows you to crown the roadway while making a pass.
David from jax

 

[nyone]

I would just weld something on right in the place of the most wear and possibly a few other spots. Once the welded area is worn down you just cut the rest of it off.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Nice work but now hard face that skid in a Z pattern full length and never replace it again

That's probably a good idea for the learning experience alone as I have never tried it.

gg

 

[scootr]

That's probably a good idea for the learning experience alone as I have never tried it.

gg

I hadn't either until recently. I bought some hardening wire and drew out a pattern with a soap stone. And Zig Zagged away and it came out pretty good if I don't say. GL with it

 

[jwmorris]

So, could you bolt a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" to it instead? Seems like it would prolong intervals between having to work on it?

Sure, if I ever have to replace that one it might be thicker but won't be a deal breaker as it has been years since I made the original there.

 

[CliffordK]

I haven't ever used one of those, but it sounds like it might help with a bumpy field... hopefully not completely tearing up the turf.

A few years ago I picked up some brand new grader blade edges at the county surplus auction. It sounds like a perfect application for them.

 

[sandman2234]

I haven't ever used one of those, but it sounds like it might help with a bumpy field... hopefully not completely tearing up the turf.

A few years ago I picked up some brand new grader blade edges at the county surplus auction. It sounds like a perfect application for them.

I think you need a roller! Building one of these is a great idea, but mine cuts asphalt, much less turf!
David from jax

 

[CliffordK]

I think you need a roller! Building one of these is a great idea, but mine cuts asphalt, much less turf!
David from jax

Maybe a bit of research. Mom has a hay field that is a little bumpy in areas. But, it also has winter boggy problems. I'd rather try to flatten it without destroying the upper turf layer.

Of course some of the issues are also critters. Primarily moles and gophers. I've offered a couple of cats to help with the critters.

In the back there are some unique ant hills. If I was to expand the hay pasture, I'd have to deal with those too. About a cubic foot each. The ants don't really hurt anything. They apparently choose to build up in the boggy areas. I don't think that pasture was ever replanted since we had pigs that had their own unique plan for pasture contouring.

 

[jwmorris]

Of course some of the issues are also critters. Primarily moles and gophers. I've offered a couple of cats to help with the critters.

A gopher plow would be much more effective and faster. I made this one that makes a tunnel below ground and drops a thimble sized amount of poison seeds very 3ft at a presst but adjustable depth.

The 1" shaft below the hopper has a blind hole in it that rotates when the depth stop wheel is on the ground.

The 2" bar stock on the bottom makes the tunnel, the seed drops out behind it.

 

[sandman2234]

JWMorris, nice gopher plow. I agree that would be faster than cats! I am thinking that what the O/P was looking for is a way to make the pasture as flat as possible, which the grader would do a good job of, as long as the angle was controlled to not dig into the turf, but to skim across and only hitting the high areas. I am not sure that the best way to get rid of gopher runs would be to use a grader, because as the blade comes across the pasture and hits the run, it would tend to cut the elevated soil and carry it across to the next low spot. That would leave an uncovered hole, which I am sure isn't what the O/P wanted. If he used a roller, it would flatten that soil back into the run. The anthills would be sort of the same way, as the chances of pushing the dirt directly into the hole rather than just in the line of travel is going to be a challenge.
I am thinking that this is going to be a multi facet task, that never ends!
David from jax