Go BottomWhat size box blade
 | brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin 
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2004-03-25 81154
Hi yall, Here is anouther one (I have so many) lol
I will have a tc40 manual mfd. What size box blade should I be looking at?
Thanks as usual.
Tom
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 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon 
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2004-03-25 81156
Something wide enough to completely cover your rear tracks, I'd guess a six footer. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2004-03-26 81182
I have a 6' one on a 24 pto hp 3,000 lbs tractor/loader with unloaded turfs. The rear tracks are just over 5' and I find the extra blade length useful. It is traction challenged for heavy cutting but the problems have been manageable by going slower taking lighter cuts carrying weight in the loader etc. I'd sure think about getting a hydraulic top-link as well.
One advantage of a longer blade is that it can be used to make shallow excavations. If the blade just covers the tracks, the tractor can't drive in the excavation. That's important to me twice a year when turning my pit compost pile and also when I made a raised gray water pit. I'm also able to do mild ditching just outside the tire tracks. ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-03-26 81200
I run an 84" Rhino on my 'Bota (4310) and like TomG find that a full box makes for a seriously tractionally-challenged tractor. I don't (and won't) have loaded tires on it for turf protection reasons.
I go by the theory that 90% of the time I want 7' of coverage, for the 10% of the time I need to move a lot of dirt, I'll put up with making a few extra passes. Besides, I find being able to work that much farther out from the edge of a rear tire makes doing road or driveway work a lot easier, you don't have to put the machine right on the edge of the ditch to work the shoulder.
FWIW, get a hydraulic toplink and scarifiers too if you can do it, it makes using a boxblade so much easier.
Best of luck. ....
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| burtalm
Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 46 central square, ny 
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2004-03-28 81422
Not to change the subject, but is there a "primer" somewhere on how to effective use a box blade? Never ran one, never watched one in use. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2004-03-28 81431
No primer that I've heard of, although the archives here would make a pretty good one.
Everyone develops their own style, and grading is something of an art so maybe scraper use can't be described very well. Takes a bit of experience to develop an eye for slopes and contours.
The basics of operation the way I do it can be summed up as: 'The blade attack angle is almost everything and that angle is controlled by a hydraulic top-link.' I seldom touch the 3ph except for transport and for picking up or dumping a load. For grading work I give the 3ph plenty of float so the box will follow the ground and ride the hydraulic top-link valve to control the rate of cut. Shortening it increases the cut. Lengthening it comes to a neutral point where it doesn't cut but material can be dragged in the box. Lengthening it further will spread material in the box. Top-link adjustment for the rear cutter is opposite.
Fine grading work can require almost constant adjustment of the top-link. For example, if I'm cutting down a grade I start with a fairly heavy cut at the top and progressively lengthen the link to reduce the rate of cut. When the box is full, I stop the cut, drag material down the slope and start spreading it towards the bottom.
The art of it is getting the rate of cut, length of drag and rate of spreading right for the length of the slope. Once the skills are developed a slope can be changed to most any particular grade and there won't be any bumps or dips left over to cut or fill. ....
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| burtalm
Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 46 central square, ny
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2004-03-28 81435
Thanks, Tom. ....
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