Go Bottomshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
 | BX23Fan
Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 25 Snohomish, WA 
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2005-07-12 113367
I have a BX-23 and 4' Rankin box scraper. I need to shave down compacted fill dirt approximately 6" in preparation for a patio (4" concrete + 2" 5/8 crushed).
I only have 10 hours on the BX23 and haven't taken off the backhoe yet to experiment with the box scraper to see what it can do. I've played with the FEL to do some scraping (just for fun), but am not sure if this is recommended (the tractor seems overstressed if I dig in too deep too quickly).
Anyway, here are my questions:
1) will the box scraper scrape below the current level of the dirt or will the PTO only allow it to go as low as the current surface?
2) Is it OK to use the FEL to shave the compacted soil down, or am I doing harm to the tractor? The manual shows how to remove turf with the FEL, so I assume this an acceptable task for the given equipment.
Advice is greatly appreciated!
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
| 12251hd
Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 37 VA & OH
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2005-07-12 113372
Depending on the type of soil and size of the patio, you probably could make either work. However, I've always try follow the rule of "dig with the hoe; move and smooth with the box; and handle loose with the bucket." Believe your equipment will hold up longer. Regards./ ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
 | ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 762 Kingston, NY 
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2005-07-12 113377
I have often used my bucket on JD4310 to scrape earth down 6 inches to a foot to prepare ground for crushed stone for patio, driveway, hot tub base with no harm. I am not a commercial user but generally the bucket has taken whatever I can throw at it. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
| tractorbuyer
Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 30 Oxford, MS
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2005-07-12 113382
Set the box shanks as deep as your tractor's HP and traction can support.
Make a pass with the box blade, loosening all the dirt.
Now use the bucket to remove and discard (or reuse elsewhere) the loosely compacted dirt.
If you're up close to the house, try tilting the loader bucket down right at the foundation and dragging it back to do the fine details.
Repeat as necessary.
With some practice, you can compact the dirt nicely when you're done by dragging the bucket tilt-down.
Good luck. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
 | jarndt
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 351 Northern Virginia
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2005-07-13 113389
If the top surface of the compacted fill is aready level, using the box blade rippers to loosen the soil is a great way to maintain an even excavation depth. After ripping, pull the soil back to one end of the pit with the FEL or push it with the back side of the box blade, then turn around and scoop it out. This way, with each pass of the box blade you'll remove an even layer of soil. BTW, the BX lower links are set so low to the ground to begin with you should have no problem excavating down 6" below grade. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
 | JOHN THOMAS
Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 61 SOMERSET, KY
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2005-07-13 113394
Me being the type person that does not take great pleasure in switching out implements just to be doing it: I would use what's already installed on the tractor. Your front bucket should scoop 6" of top soil with no problem. If it seems to be difficult you could dig strips with back hoe then scoop out remainder with bucket. I actually do alot of what you are doing by back dragging my bucket at full or almost full tip back then scoop it up. Depends on how hard your ground is. I do have a box blade but do most everything with fel, I do not have back hoe. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
| BX23Fan
Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 25 Snohomish, WA
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2005-07-13 113437
Thanks for the input, everyone. Good info I can use. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
 | DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998 Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ 
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2005-07-14 113444
The loader bucket on a Kubota Subcompact is much lighter duty than the large JD 4310 that crunch has. If it feels like you are beating your loader up, you are beating it up. A box scraper with scarifers will loosen the soil and then you can use the BX loader to remove / scrape the loosened soil. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
| dieselpusher
Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 31 Arizona Pinal Mountains
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2005-07-14 113459
Yuo can dig below the surface with your BB. My BB will dig 10"-12" deeper than the bottom of the rear tires. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
| BX23Fan
Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 25 Snohomish, WA
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2005-07-14 113461
Great! This will be the first thing I try.. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
 | bvance
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 280 The Great Pacific NorthWet, Olympia, WA
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2005-07-16 113532
Fan,
I assume you know that by shortening and lengthening the top link dictates the aggressiveness of the dig by the box blade. With my BX23with a Woods scraper, I operate the top length almost fully tightened. If I let it out 4 or 5 turns it will dig 4-5 inches in it's first pass which is sometimes too deep for the difficult, dense clay I have here. Also with that deep of a first pass, your box will quickly fill to the point that you SUB may strain to pull it...again depending on the denseness of your soil. Otherwise your box blade will create a wonderful, clean and level pad for you.
Hope that helps. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
| botamac
Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 71 MI
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2005-07-16 113542
You can use the hoe to break up the soil with the teeth on the bucket will loosen the soil, and you can use the teeth for a gauge then use the FEL to remove the dirt, just keep the FEL level. You’ll be surprised what your BX can do around the house. ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
| BX23Fan
Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 25 Snohomish, WA
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2005-08-04 114369
Well, I finally got around to excavating my patio area with the box scraper and FEL. The job was very easy, taking me about 5 hours to excavate a 15' x 70' area down 6-10".
I found the best approach to be to use the scarifiers on the box blade set at max depth to loosen the soil, then retract the scarifiers and use the smooth blade to gather the loosened dirty. If the scarifiers are down while gathering, then the box will bounce more often and slow the process. Each pass (loosen + gather) took off about 2" of soil. When completed, I smoothed the area with the scraper (scarifiers retracted). As far as I can tell, the end result could not have been any better had a pro done the work.
The BX23 is proving to be a very practical tool for residential use. Next job: 1/2 acre front yard. Can't wait! ....
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Add Photoshaving soil 6 with FEL box scraper
| jarndt
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 351 Northern Virginia
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2005-08-05 114384
Thanks for the follow up report. I always like to read about a technique someone has used or about various successes and failures. The people on this board have certainly saved me lots of time and headache!
I might be doing a similar patio project of my own at some point in the near future so I've been following this thread closely to see how other people have done similar work. ....
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