what should I know about using a box blade?

[jimgerken]

Well, you have some very good advice to learn from above, indeed. I will add a couple points I learned. 1. First, the heavier the blade the better. Weight to push it into the ground, and weight for inertia for tough spots. So if you have any choice, more weight is better. I added 350 pounds to mine before I ever used it. 2. Using the boxblade backwards can be hazardous to you lower 3-point arms. They are really not designed for pushing, as you can see since they are flat metal. Back up when necessary, but do so at reduced speed to reduce the bending possibility if you hit something solid. 3. In addition to filling in low spots, you can choose to keep the box on the ground and drag the dirt to a spot, lift the box all at once, spin around with the tractor and pick up the dirt pile with the loader, to pile it up off to the side. 4. If you do have a hydraulic top link, another use for it is to overcome roots and rocks which you may encounter. Assuming you have the scarifiers down, and hit a root which stops the tractor, try this: "plane" off the top one-third of the root by raising the BB, backing up, lowering part way, going forward again, trial and error till you hit just the right level to slice off 1/3 to 1/2 of the root. Then take the rest on the next pass. If there's one that you can't cut this way cause of the depth or angle, use the hyd top to angle the box forward, drop down and pull the scarifiers up under the root. Then run the tilt all the way up. This "prys" the root out of the ground in effect. IT works great, and gives you unbelievable force. Same technique can be used on rocks, within reason.

 

[JATO_RaT]

Jim, thats a great point about the result of using a boxblade in reverse. My lower links and the connection point to the tractor are more then stout enough to ram the box blade into a solid object backwards. On the other hand, I was using a NH 2120 and bent the bars like wet noodles and that was on a considerably smaller box blade then what I use on my current tractor. Some compaines just don't put enough meat in these lower hitch points and lower links, thats to bad because they really should be tough and impossible to bend with reasonable use.

Not only is having a heavy box blade advantageous for the ability to get into the material, but makes a great counter ballast for the loader. I mentioned mine is about 1000lbs for a 40 HP pto tractor.

 

[theboman]

Bill, I'd take the MMM off to use a box blade. You'd have to pin up the MMM. The the risks of hanging up the MMM is huge.
A box blade costs $500 or so, a MMM $1,500.
A little grease on your hands and 10 minutes work for saving beating up a $1,500 MMM is a no brainer in my book.

 

[blurrybill]

Thanks, Bo. You're probably right (and it cost more than $1500!). My problem is that until I get the house built, I don't have a hard surface on which to detach the mower. Any ideas?

Bill

 

[powershop]

Drop the MMM on a sheet of plywood, drill holes in the corners
of the plywood and pull everything out with the truck.

 

[kch]

thanks for the advise!!! and thanks to everyone else for their advise it was all very helpful. i feel more comfortable now then before.

While observing some local landscapers, I noticed they are running fairly fast when using the box blade, some go just as fast in reverse, bushing the dirt as they do going forward. On a hydro tractor with three ranges I would assume you would be in 4 wheel drive and in low gear? I know alot will depend on the soil and the tractor HP but in general is there anything I need to know in this area?

 

[ScottAR]

Go as fast as you feel comfortable. Somthing to keep in mind is only go as fast as you and the hydraulics can react. 4wd definately wouldn't hurt anything, especially while ripping and rough cutting. On the JD, (1050) I usually run in about 3-4 gear low range (about brisk walking speed). slower for close in fine work, faster for open areas and rough shaping.

 

[MLB]

Any pros out there? Wondering what the going rate for grading is?

 

[Kodiak]

I charge $30 per hour for finish mowing. $50 per hour for any other tractor work. Except backhoe and for that I charge $60 per hour. These are all based upon a one hour minimum. I usually try to give the customer a determination of time needed, not a dollar quote. That way if unforseen problems occurr, both the customer or myself has a way out without getting hurt to badly. If the job is less than 10 miles from my place there is no trip charge over 10 its $50. And if its over 25 miles its a trip charge each way. I hope that gives you a good idea.

 

[Turfman]

Any tractor work is $50 per hour with minimum of three hours.

Turfman