Box Blade Build

[Tomcat]

Over here a box blade is a new concept so I'm trying to design one. I've found a couple of fab shops that can do it "if" they have plans. I've found some plans and pics but I'm not sure what size my tractor will handle. Ideally it would be about 4ft in width as that's about the wheel-width of my tractor. HELP!

 

[Tooljunkie]

I think matching the width is the best thing you can do,the rippers may be where you run into issues. But they can be adjusted to keep from going too deep. As well,when the box is full it might be a little much for tractor. That being said, my l1501 2wd will pull a 6'back blade heaped with gravel. I also plan on buying or building a box scraper this summer. As well as a power rake (harley rake)may combine the two.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

50" to 52" would be as wide as I would go.
Keep the aprons (side boards) about 1/4" above the blade.
Good sharp curved blade is the key to making it work well.

 

[Tomcat]

Good sharp curved blade is the key to making it work well.

That's the main issue I'm having. I don't think I'll be able to come up with a curved blade. I really need to get this done before the monsoon season starts (April).

 

[Daren Todd]

My dad needed a piece with a slight curve for a repair. He threw a piece of flat stock out in the parking lot and ran over it with a vibrating roller Course he worked for a paving company at the time

Have you asked your local fab shop if they had a way to curve a piece of flat stock. I'm sure you wouldn't be the first person there with a need for it. Even if they supported one end on blocks and then run over it with a large fork lift, it would put a curve in it. Problem though is you would have to use a whole sheet and take what you need where ever the curve developed

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Daren,
What your talking about is the whole backing plate be curved like yours is, surprisingly you don't really need for that to be curved for it to work right, just the blade needs to be curved.

 

[Daren Todd]

Daren,
What your talking about is the whole backing plate be curved like yours is, surprisingly you don't really need for that to be curved for it to work right, just the blade needs to be curved.

I knew he was talking about the cutting edge's my point was if the fab shop didn't have a press that could put a slight bend to a piece for the edge. they could put a red neck bend in sheet of flat stock and take what they need out of the bend for it

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have sheets of 1/2 AR500 steel here that would do the job perfectly, but I don't think a D9 cat could bend that stuff!

I bought a curved cutting edge off EBay last year that I think only ran me $100, the issue being that to get it to Thailand would cost a mint.
How far are you from India?
That's where all that steel is being made now.

 

[Corney]

A curved cutting edge is enough to get the material rolling ahead in a blade box? I am used to the tilt on a Cat 140 G grader curved blade to keep material rolling to fill low spots and cut out high spots.

That is how I grade even with my three point hitch back blade.

 

[Diydave]

You could just put box ends on a back blade, too...

 

[Tomcat]

Maybe I could have the shop use an angled piece of flat stock instead of the curved black piece as shown in Wolfman's pic.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

A curved cutting edge is enough to get the material rolling ahead in a blade box? I am used to the tilt on a Cat 140 G grader curved blade to keep material rolling to fill low spots and cut out high spots.

That is how I grade even with my three point hitch back blade.

Yes that is how a back blade works, just like a grader blade.
A box blade works a little different, it just traps material then drops it in the lows.

 

[D2Cat]

TC, might go back to that salvage place you showed a few weeks back and see what they may have to start your fabrication with.

 

[Tomcat]

TC, might go back to that salvage place you showed a few weeks back and see what they may have to start your fabrication with.

I did that last Sunday. They had two blades in the yard - a new one and another that looked like it came off a D9!

 

[OldeEnglish]

Anyone ever use one of these? This may be something a little easier to build out of scrap metal TomCat.

They seem pretty handy to have for smoothing out dirt roads from the Tim and Peanut video! Looks like a mini snowmobile trail groomer to me

http://www.everythingattachments.co...and-Grader-p/kk-pro-dual-edge-land-grader.htm

 

[Tomcat]

Anyone ever use one of these? This may be something a little easier to build out of scrap metal TomCat.

They seem pretty handy to have for smoothing out dirt roads from the Tim and Peanut video! Looks like a mini snowmobile trail groomer to me

http://www.everythingattachments.co...and-Grader-p/kk-pro-dual-edge-land-grader.htm

That looks pretty slick but I'm thinking I need something with some capacity when I get more gravel delivered.

 

[MagKarl]

I don't think the cutting edge necessarily has to be curved, but it does need to be sharp in order to peel. I'd consider a replaceable piece of flat bar of ~1/2" or so thick that is back beveled to create the cutting edge, similar to an old fashioned hand plane.

 

[OldeEnglish]

Sounds like you could really use a FEL too!

A metal fab shop should be able to make you a blade for the box with a press beak or a roller.... I would think any fab shop has one or both that are at least 4' wide

 

[Tomcat]

I don't think the cutting edge necessarily has to be curved, but it does need to be sharp in order to peel. I'd consider a replaceable piece of flat bar of ~1/2" or so thick that is back beveled to create the cutting edge, similar to an old fashioned hand plane.

That's sort of what I had in mind.

 

[Tomcat]

Sounds like you could really use a FEL too!

I saw one at the junkyard on a scrapped B5000. Asking price was around $4K!