rear scraper blade or Box scraper, which is the better option?

[Rob]

I'm looking for a rear scraper or box blade etc but a little unsure which is the better tool to get.
Having not had the need until now to use one on a compact tractor, i am looking for some advise on which is the best tool to use on my B7100 and B8200 for grading around my pond.
I would liketo be able to do some grading of large uneven flat areas but also countour around other areas, so the there is a good chance a fair bit of loose soil will be generated in the those processes.

what are the pros and cons of both setups.

any advise from those in the know would be great.
rob

 

[cerlawson]

Basically the box is for moving soil. It will "grade", but due to the inability to angle it, the grading is somewhat limited. I'd have both a box and a blade on the job.

The blade is generally more versatile for many different jobs, such as snow plowing, driveway shaping, etc.

For leveling out some bumpy areas, I'd rough the work first with a box and finish up with a blade.

 

[chim]

Finally used the box blade yesterday. As cerlawson said, they have two different applications. I've used scraper blades for snow removal for over 20 years and they worked very well. I also used them for spreading crushed stone and LOOSE soil with some success, but a rear blade won't cut into the dirt.

Here are a couple pics of what I did yesterday to transform a field into more yard. The land was fairly level, but there were humps and valleys near the driveway and road. There was a ridge along the road that a finish mower would scalp in places with a dropoff where the farmer worked the ground. We had about 12' of grass on the far side of the driveway since we built about 24 years ago. It always had a drop between the driveway and the field that had to go.

With the box blade it was fairly simple to relocate the dirt from higher places to where it needed to be. The piece I worked on yesterday is on the road side of the creek and is about 1/3 of the land we bought. In the first picture you can see most of the level land, and out of the photo to the right it gets farther away from the creek it slopes up to be about 10 or 12 feet higher at the top end. The part I worked on yesterday is on the road side of the creek. The part left to do now has a couple piles of topsoil that were scraped off for use on another project, so the work on that side of the creek is still a way off. Now to pick off some stones and toss seed on the nearly finished part.

 

[lsmurphy]

I wouldn't discount a rake either. Also good for a final grade and collection of debris at the same time.

 

[chim]

I wouldn't discount a rake either. Also good for a final grade and collection of debris at the same time.

Absolutely. I used one to rake the plant remains together and for the final smoothing. Also used the FEL to scoop up and haul the junk.

 

[Bluegill]

I have both. Use the box blade all the time, but haven't used the regular blade in years.

 

[olthumpa]

I have both. Use the box blade all the time summer and winter. I use the regular blade a couple times a year. If the regular blade wasn't given to me I would not have bought one.

That is just my experience.

 

[Burt]

I'm looking for a rear scraper or box blade etc but a little unsure which is the better tool to get.
Having not had the need until now to use one on a compact tractor, i am looking for some advise on which is the best tool to use on my B7100 and B8200 for grading around my pond.
I would liketo be able to do some grading of large uneven flat areas but also countour around other areas, so the there is a good chance a fair bit of loose soil will be generated in the those processes.

what are the pros and cons of both setups.

any advise from those in the know would be great.
rob

Rob:

Good job defining your purpose. Our experience is that the box blade is super for doing several things, Scarifiers down, plow a bit, put them up, scoop into a pile (if needed), or level into a depression. It is also useful for cleaning out a ditch if you can tilt your 3 point. We have done that many times. It levels out gravel perfectly when adjusted correctly.

Does your tractor float the bucket? If so, you can spread either gravel or dirt go past it, then float your bucket and drag it across going backward to smooth it out.

For snow, the blade is the cat's meow. We have a rhino blade which you can set at straight angle with a bolt, pull it , go 45 degrees either way. With 2 passes, I can clear 100 yards of driveway quickly.

So, if you need to choose between the two only, I'd choose the box blade. Summer time sees a lot of use for the box blade. Wintertime, it's the rhino blade. Both together will do 90% or better of you road and pond leveling, snow and gravel.

Good luck.

Burt

 

[Rob]

Many thanks for the reply all you guys, really a great help.
from your replies i think i could ideally use both, but will probably get more use from the box blade .
I think that a box blade on my B8200 hooked upto the 3pt with the hydrualic top link and a adjustable hydraulic lift rod on one side of the linkage will give me a reasonable degree adjustable angle control other than just level across the width of the grader if you get my drift.

i'll need to have a look on the web to see whats avail at a reasonable price now.

thanks all
rob

 

[Bulldog]

I have both. Use the box blade all the time, but haven't used the regular blade in years.

I'm the same way. It has been over 15 yrs since my scrape blade has been used and have no plans of ever using it again. Box scrape is the only way to go IMHO.