Grader scraper, land plane, leveler

[eipo]

Picked this up today to aid in rebuilding my driveway. It's the best of both a blade and a box scraper even though I got a little excited and should have waited for the material to dry out a bit.

It's going to see a lot of use this summer as well as my yard needs some serious draining attention.

Sent from a field

 

[eipo]

This thing is the cats meow.

Still a little damp for fine grading but so far I am happy with the investment.

Sent from a field

 

[Burtonbr]

Looks great, it looks like it does a good job. I bet

 

[Corney]

What is that you are putting down, recycled asphalt?

It's pretty wet but wet material does not segregate as much.

That is the bomb I must say! It doesn't cut like a box and is fancier than my railway drag. We need one of those in our neighbourhood.

 

[armylifer]

Man, that is way cool. Is that the first time you tried using a grader like that? I had to practice for a week to get that good of a result with my box blade.

 

[Corney]

if that is recycled asphalt grading it wet would be best. That unit should pack as you go a bit as well. I taught my bride to take a different wheel path every time she comes and goes and it packed our driveway solid. Some heat from the sun in the summer will bake it hard.

 

[eipo]

I have to admit..... I am a heavy equipment operator turned Surveyor. And my favorite piece of iron is the Grader.

But yes, this is my first time using an attachment like this. I laid everything down with a 6' rear blade and then started hitting it with the box scraper. I wasn't happy with the outcome knowing that its always best to grade something with the cutting edge set at an angle rather than perpendicular to the surface being graded. That will still usually leave you with hills and valleys although not as bad. But I have a touch of OCD and want it smooth. Especially since I fully anticipate this setting up nice and hard. So I started doing some research and came across the "land plane".

I toyed with building something but I have enough projects going right now and NEED to get the driveway and turnaround completed. We are scheduled to bring home a 32' travel trailer on Monday and I need to be able to turn it around and park it.

 

[eipo]

if that is recycled asphalt grading it wet would be best. That unit should pack as you go a bit as well. I taught my bride to take a different wheel path every time she comes and goes and it packed our driveway solid. Some heat from the sun in the summer will bake it hard.

It is crushed asphalt, 3/4 minus. I was hoping for something along the lines of 1.5" minus but the price was right on this. I can always top dress with larger aggregate if I need to. If this doesn't lock up and starts tracking like the previous surface did then I will top dress with a couple inches of limestone.

 

[eipo]

Man, that is way cool. Is that the first time you tried using a grader like that? I had to practice for a week to get that good of a result with my box blade.

Ive got a few years and a couple thousands miles at the helm of a 7' box blade.

This leaves a MUCH better finished surface and in a fraction of the time.

 

[eipo]

I also was forced to put the asphalt down over a failing drive. I had to bridge over a few areas and laid a fair bit of it down over snow and ice. We had roofers here when it warmed up a spell and with all the traffic it turned the drive and turnaround to poop. Thats why its so wet, the moisture is bleeding up through the asphalt. I'm taking advantage of it and hitting it with the plate compactor as soon is it can handle it.

 

[Corney]

Sounds like I am sharing my experience with a guy with just as much or more experience. Being forced to use RAP is not a bad thing!

That is going to be a lot of plate packing? Can't beg, rent, borrow a small ride on roller? One of my neighbours has a 5' pull behind roller filled with concrete that actually worked quite well.

I have 1 1/2 " minus recycled concrete on my driveway that Ravels quite bad and I have big rocks on the top. Wish I could top it with 3/4" RAP and get it wet. Then pack it with a small vibratory roller and let it bake. Be like a paved road.

 

[eipo]

Yeah, following the plate compactor around is time consuming, but its not that bad. Ive been off work for the last 2 weeks after knee surgery so Ive got the time. It took me probably 45 minutes to hit the straight run, which is about 450 feet, last night.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

Ive got a few years and a couple thousands miles at the helm of a 7' box blade.

This leaves a MUCH better finished surface and in a fraction of the time.

Now I now why some of the box bladers are so adamant about how great there box blades are. They are just looking for excuses to spend more time on there tractors!

 

[eipo]

For me sitting on the tractor is work. It means I'm not doing something relaxing. Anyway I can increase productivity I will.

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