Box Blade

[Elliott in GA]

I've got a slope that gravel washes down regularly so I feel a box blade would be better but maybe I'm wrong. There are even fewer land planes than box blades for sell used, and of course they cost more, so I may have to wait until I find the deal or can afford new. I'm definitely open to a land plane though.

We have a very steep short (the steep part) gravel driveway at our property in north Georgia (where the tractor lives). During heavy thunderstorms, the driveway looks like a river with all of the water flowing from the top of the hill (where the flat land is). I use a box blade to repair the eventual rut-like washouts. As I have added more gravel over the years, the damage is slowing (down to less than 10 buckets a couple of times each year - last repair was 5-6 buckets). All of the gravel is crusher, and the fines are a very important part of the repair. I do not see how a landplane could replace/drag to the surface what has washed away. In addition to the slowing of the damage, the sharp angle at the base of the drive has significantly decreased (which is why I do not try to drag gravel back up the hill - plus it would not pack down well with fewer fines).

YMMV

 

[Shawn T. W]

My land plane can "move" quite a bit of gravel ... Say I start at the road ... It starts to gather gravel, and excess eventually rolls over the top of the first blade, then the second one, doesn't take long until both blades are "full and overflowing" ... Once I get to the house end, I have a load of gravel to either try to smooth out, or what I usually try to do, is stop and pickup the land plane, turn around and set the land plane back down, and grab the pile and head back up to distribute it back up by the road end which is now lower ...

My driveway is not steep enough to have washouts ... Here is a short video I shot doing "weed control" ... You can see how much gravel is being "carried along" as I go ...

https://rumble.com/v6utmg1-land-plane-in-action.html

 

[Blue2Orange]

I've got a slope that gravel washes down regularly so I feel a box blade would be better but maybe I'm wrong. There are even fewer land planes than box blades for sell used, and of course they cost more, so I may have to wait until I find the deal or can afford new. I'm definitely open to a land plane though.

My driveway only averages ~6% pitch, but the steeper sections are maybe over 9%. Regular grade (?#2) gravel always developed ruts sometimes down to the rubble rock, rocky base after a heavy rainfall. Back in '17 and '18 covered with maybe a total of 80 tons (bit short of 80 yards) of what we call Brule Blue Rock. Pack down to a hard firm surface, but the rain just perks through it fast. Haven't needed to use the back blade or now box blade for any repairs since. Put down another 80 tons this spring. Mostly to reduce the transitions from steep to flatter and just a inch or so top coating on the remaining ~800 ft of driveway.

My neighbor's driveway is shorter, but straight up the fall line to her garage area. The crushed limestone type of gravel didn't stand up to heavy rains. She invested in the blue rock. After see zero issues from heavy rain is when I decided to spend the $$s.

Land plane seems to be the better choice for just maintenance of a driveway. Box blade requires some seat time to develop the skills necessary to efficiently use it.

After this Spring blue rock dump the box blade worked fine for reducing the crown, moving large amounts of the blue rock. Found that by extending the top link the front blade was elevated ~1/4" above the surface and rear facing blade was dragging like a back blade rotated 180 it was easier to even and smooth the surface. But I still want a land plane. Life would be easier. I think.

 

[Branch Collector]

I ended up getting a used everything attachments box blade in great shape. It's very well built.
I'd like a land plane one day as well, maybe one will come my way at some point

 

[Blue2Orange]

Box blade owned was used. I can deal with a few chips and scratches on the "new" implement. Especially for the cost savings. Used LandPride grader scraper that are compatible with the QH05(quick hitch) are very rare up here. Not many sold.

Most just rent from the dealer. But, IIRC the weekend rate time twice a year added up to ownership in a few years. Add my ~50 mile round trip to pick up and return, road time.... So I wait and hope. Good thing. Might have ended up with the 05 series with the fixed scraper blades which seem to be set too low. Was unaware it was fixed position. 15 series has adjustable height blades.