Adding removable skids to a box blade (?)

icehorse

Member

Equipment
L3901, FEL, box blade, tedder rake, mini round baler, rotary cutter
Aug 10, 2022
111
21
18
98261
I need to do some shallow tilling / ground breaking on uneven terrain.

My idea is to add skids (like short, wide skis), to each side of the box blade so that it won't dig too deep as I go thru small crests and dips. I want the box blade to more or less follow the contours of the ground as I go. And I expect the shanks to be maybe 3-4 inches below the skids, I'm hoping to do what I'll call shallow tilling.

I'm thinking of drilling a couple of holes near the top of the side panels of the box blade so that I can secure the skids to the box blade.

It seems like drilling a few holes on each side panel (maybe 3/8 inch each), should have almost no impact on the strength of the blade, does that sound right?

I'm open to other approaches / ideas as well!

Thanks.
 
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Old Machinist

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota LX3310 cab, JD 4310, NH 575E cab backhoe, JD F725, Swisher 60", etc.
May 27, 2024
254
264
63
NE FL
Should work okay.

Here is a thread about this on the green tractor talk forum.

I made a simple drag using 2x6 PT boards and angled and flat tie plates on both sides to put them together. I probably could have just screwed the boards together but what I built worked great on tilled soil once all the grass was raked up.

IMG_20220430_131008907.jpg


IMG_20220429_155027187_HDR.jpg
 
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icehorse

Member

Equipment
L3901, FEL, box blade, tedder rake, mini round baler, rotary cutter
Aug 10, 2022
111
21
18
98261
Should work okay.

Here is a thread about this on the green tractor talk forum.

I made a simple drag using 2x6 PT boards and angled and flat tie plates on both sides to put them together. I probably could have just screwed the boards together but what I built worked great on tilled soil once all the grass was raked up.

View attachment 152435

View attachment 152436
That's a great thread, thanks for the link. I hadn't considered that the skids ought to have "tips up" on both the front And the back!