What did you do to or on your Kubota today?

[NCL4701]

No rocks on your land? You are just living in the wrong state. Try the "Granite State", New Hampshire. You can have all my rocks. Do you like digging? Lol.

Yeah, it’s kind of weird. Of course we don’t have the glacial till and frost heaved rocks folks up north have. Still, it’s atypical for the area to the point it’s near certain the lack of surface rock is due to human effort. Most likely the whole place was cultivated at some point in the distant past and all rocks removed but with the topography of much of it, that’s kind of hard to imagine. We know it was clear cut about 80 years ago because all the oldest trees are about 80 years old and there are remnants of numerous saw dust piles from the portable saw mill(s) that were commonly used on site at the time. Historical records indicate it was part of a several hundred acre farm throughout the 1800’s and into the early 1900’s, with the homesite and associated outbuildings on our side of the ridge where the public road runs now. I would really like to know the story behind the removal of all rock, but anyone who ever knew is long dead.

 

[g_man]

Yesterday afternoon I started blocking up the wood I pulled out last week. It was 14 degrees in the morning morning and low 20's after lunch so the ground was solid. According to the weatherman it will be good all week - at least mornings. So I can do a little at a time. I use a geezer friendly method. Good footing, almost no bending, and I can zing them off pretty quick. Just takes time to take them off the pile one by one. But it is good practice and keeps things simple.

This was the last log/stick Idid.

gg

 

[nerwin]

No rocks on your land? You are just living in the wrong state. Try the "Granite State", New Hampshire. You can have all my rocks. Do you like digging? Lol.

Same here in Vermont. I get jealous of others I seen on YouTube digging holes so easily. I dig a foot down and there's nothing but gravel and medium sized rocks.

 

[Gaspasser]

Same here in Vermont. I get jealous of others I seen on YouTube digging holes so easily. I dig a foot down and there's nothing but gravel and medium sized rocks.

Yep. Digging post holes is always a PITA.

 

[BBFarmer]

Some pond road maintenance, then a little stroll through the berries.

Got a couple hundred bushes flowering right now. If we get a late freeze like last year we'll be in trouble

 

[g_man]

^^^^^^ Wow - flowered out already. Green grass too.

gg

 

[nerwin]

I been watching a lot of videos on box blade vs land planes and while so many on here seem to recommend the land plane, I just don't think it's going to be the right tool for me. I'll admit that. the land plane does a much better job at finishing and making it really perfect, but I don't need perfect. If I had a more loosely gravel driveway then sure a land plane would be slick...but mine gets PACKED...I mean enough to the point its smooth and you can squeal your tires on it.

If I had a longer driveway, then a land plane would be worth it. Yes there's a chance I could end up resurfacing other people's driveways but nobody around here has a driveway that long where it would be worth it. I feel like the smaller size of the box blade, at least the one I am looking at...the Land Price BB1566 with the the heavy weight around 500lbs would be beneficial for the scarifiers to break up the hardpack.

I've talked to others who have a land plane and they didn't like it for dirt work, like smoothing out topsoil. They told me the box blade did a better job of it.

I just can't justify the cost of a land plane that is really a specialized tool for someone like me where it's going to sit unused most of the time.

The box blade seems to be more versatile, yes it may be more harder to learn but its not that bad. I can grade my driveway, rip up hard pack, I can even rip up soil if need me, I can level top soil, backfill, I can weld on a receiver and move trailers with it, I can use it during winter to remove hardpack snow if I had to. Its good for ballast too. It has so many more uses for me and it will fit in the garage a lot easier because its not as long as the land plane.

I really feel like the box blade is the best choice for the money.

 

[OntheRidge]

I been watching a lot of videos on box blade vs land planes and while so many on here seem to recommend the land plane, I just don't think it's going to be the right tool for me. I'll admit that. the land plane does a much better job at finishing and making it really perfect, but I don't need perfect. If I had a more loosely gravel driveway then sure a land plane would be slick...but mine gets PACKED...I mean enough to the point its smooth and you can squeal your tires on it.

If I had a longer driveway, then a land plane would be worth it. Yes there's a chance I could end up resurfacing other people's driveways but nobody around here has a driveway that long where it would be worth it. I feel like the smaller size of the box blade, at least the one I am looking at...the Land Price BB1566 with the the heavy weight around 500lbs would be beneficial for the scarifiers to break up the hardpack.

I've talked to others who have a land plane and they didn't like it for dirt work, like smoothing out topsoil. They told me the box blade did a better job of it.

I just can't justify the cost of a land plane that is really a specialized tool for someone like me where it's going to sit unused most of the time.

The box blade seems to be more versatile, yes it may be more harder to learn but its not that bad. I can grade my driveway, rip up hard pack, I can even rip up soil if need me, I can level top soil, backfill, I can weld on a receiver and move trailers with it, I can use it during winter to remove hardpack snow if I had to. Its good for ballast too. It has so many more uses for me and it will fit in the garage a lot easier because its not as long as the land plane.

I really feel like the box blade is the best choice for the money.

I found this video very helpful when I got my box blade. Best of Luck!

 

[nerwin]

I found this video very helpful when I got my box blade. Best of Luck!

Ha, I watched the same one!

 

[RCW]

To each their own. I’m a fan of the box blade. Mine is older and bought used. Not heavy duty.

These are driveway pictures but have done a lot of other work as well.

I often back onto the stone pile and pull a box full onto the driveway to spread.

 

[BBFarmer]

I been watching a lot of videos on box blade vs land planes and while so many on here seem to recommend the land plane, I just don't think it's going to be the right tool for me. I'll admit that. the land plane does a much better job at finishing and making it really perfect, but I don't need perfect. If I had a more loosely gravel driveway then sure a land plane would be slick...but mine gets PACKED...I mean enough to the point its smooth and you can squeal your tires on it.

If I had a longer driveway, then a land plane would be worth it. Yes there's a chance I could end up resurfacing other people's driveways but nobody around here has a driveway that long where it would be worth it. I feel like the smaller size of the box blade, at least the one I am looking at...the Land Price BB1566 with the the heavy weight around 500lbs would be beneficial for the scarifiers to break up the hardpack.

I've talked to others who have a land plane and they didn't like it for dirt work, like smoothing out topsoil. They told me the box blade did a better job of it.

I just can't justify the cost of a land plane that is really a specialized tool for someone like me where it's going to sit unused most of the time.

The box blade seems to be more versatile, yes it may be more harder to learn but its not that bad. I can grade my driveway, rip up hard pack, I can even rip up soil if need me, I can level top soil, backfill, I can weld on a receiver and move trailers with it, I can use it during winter to remove hardpack snow if I had to. Its good for ballast too. It has so many more uses for me and it will fit in the garage a lot easier because its not as long as the land plane.

I really feel like the box blade is the best choice for the money.

They sure are handy either way.

If the 2501 happens to be the same width of a 3301, I wonder if the 1672 wouldn't be a better fit for you. Our 3301 handled it no problem and covered the tracks too.

 

[NCL4701]

I been watching a lot of videos on box blade vs land planes and while so many on here seem to recommend the land plane, I just don't think it's going to be the right tool for me. I'll admit that. the land plane does a much better job at finishing and making it really perfect, but I don't need perfect. If I had a more loosely gravel driveway then sure a land plane would be slick...but mine gets PACKED...I mean enough to the point its smooth and you can squeal your tires on it.

If I had a longer driveway, then a land plane would be worth it. Yes there's a chance I could end up resurfacing other people's driveways but nobody around here has a driveway that long where it would be worth it. I feel like the smaller size of the box blade, at least the one I am looking at...the Land Price BB1566 with the the heavy weight around 500lbs would be beneficial for the scarifiers to break up the hardpack.

I've talked to others who have a land plane and they didn't like it for dirt work, like smoothing out topsoil. They told me the box blade did a better job of it.

I just can't justify the cost of a land plane that is really a specialized tool for someone like me where it's going to sit unused most of the time.

The box blade seems to be more versatile, yes it may be more harder to learn but its not that bad. I can grade my driveway, rip up hard pack, I can even rip up soil if need me, I can level top soil, backfill, I can weld on a receiver and move trailers with it, I can use it during winter to remove hardpack snow if I had to. Its good for ballast too. It has so many more uses for me and it will fit in the garage a lot easier because its not as long as the land plane.

I really feel like the box blade is the best choice for the money.

I’ve been quite pleased with the efficacy and durability of my BB1572. I’m sort of assuming it and the BB1566 are pretty much the same aside from the width. It doesn’t have a hinged rear gate or hydraulic scarifiers but it has been quite capable for the tasks I’ve used it for. It seems basic, but well made. Tasks so far: loosening a highly compacted 30 year neglected gravel road, recrowning same, cleaning out/cutting ditches and turnouts (some infested with tree roots), cutting a near level step into a hillside for a UTV/tractor trail, finish grading of creek crossings (numerous times), cutting out ruts and filling holes in dirt trails, maintaining proper shape of gravel road and driveways, general purpose counterweight (makes a good bumper in tight spaces in the woods).

I hadn’t used a box blade at all prior to the BB1572 and L4701. Didn’t have hydraulic toplink or side link starting out. Not sure if that helped by slowing me down and making me think about the what I was doing and the resulting effect on the road or if it just slowed me down. Either way, I made kind of a mess for a bit and slowly figured it out over about 4 hours. If I figured it out in 4 hours, most folks could probably be competent in about half that time.

Land plane might be better for all those tasks. Don’t know. Don’t have one. Never used one.

 

[RCW]

Yes, either way you definitely want to cover your track width.

If I had a long driveway I would definitely consider a land plane. One with scarifiers would be ideal.

For my purposes this has worked well. Takes some practice. The 3PH on a BX doesn’t have position control, but a quarter-inching valve. Disadvantage, but I’ve learned to work with it.

I even got a pretty close grade on a paver patio with it.

 

[OntheRidge]

They sure are handy either way.

If the 2501 happens to be the same width of a 3301, I wonder if the 1672 wouldn't be a better fit for you. Our 3301 handled it no problem and covered the tracks too.

I ran a 72" on my 2501 with no problem, unless I wasn't paying attention.

 

[RCW]

Sometimes, a wider width can be an advantage or a hinderance.

I wished my BB was 6-12" wider when grading the patio - - would have been easier to get close to the house.

Often, I use it for a counterweight like @NCL4701 mentions. Then wider is not necessarily a good thing, especially in tight quarters if the BB is wider than your loader bucket....

 

[nerwin]

Sometimes, a wider width can be an advantage or a hinderance.

I wished my BB was 6-12" wider when grading the patio - - would have been easier to get close to the house.

Often, I use it for a counterweight like @NCL4701 mentions. Then wider is not necessarily a good thing, especially in tight quarters if the BB is wider than your loader bucket....

Yeah that's why I was thinking about getting the BB1566...it's the same width as the bucket so it covers the track width....umm barely. My tractor is like 63" and some some change wide. I mean the 72 inch would be nice because it would get to edges more without having the rear tires on the edge. I mean the 3901 has benefit of more horsepower so it can probably pull the 72 inch box a lot better than my 2501.

 

[RCW]

Yeah that's why I was thinking about getting the BB1566...it's the same width as the bucket so it covers the track width....umm barely. My tractor is like 63" and some some change wide. I mean the 72 inch would be nice because it would get to edges more without having the rear tires on the edge. I mean the 3901 has benefit of more horsepower so it can probably pull the 72 inch box a lot better than my 2501.

My 48" BB just covers my 44"(?) track. I wished my BB was wider once. Your experience may not be the same.

Ultimately, it's what you deem prudent.

You've learned a lot about tractors and their operation in a few months.

There are folks here on OTT with decades of experience. They all have their preferences as they're ingrained/innate.

What works for them works for them. I respect that and highly respect their experience.

You need to figure out what works for you.

 

[Sidekick]

I just found out my old box blade is 60 inches and my new tractor is 65 inches outside of rear threads. Guess I'll try offsetting it to one side to be able to use it and eventually buy a 6 ft land plane. Too narrow makes it tough to keep level.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Yeah that's why I was thinking about getting the BB1566...it's the same width as the bucket so it covers the track width....umm barely. My tractor is like 63" and some some change wide. I mean the 72 inch would be nice because it would get to edges more without having the rear tires on the edge. I mean the 3901 has benefit of more horsepower so it can probably pull the 72 inch box a lot better than my 2501.

Is there an option to rent or borrow one of each near you before shelling out the cash?

Or, why not buy both, do a write up on pros / cons, sell the one you like least.

Easy peasy.

 

[nerwin]

Y'all get to enjoy warmer weather and green grass already. Must be nice..

This is what it looks like here.