BOX SCRAPER VS BLADE

ukrkoz

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Hi all.
I have about 4 acre mowable lawn and 60 inch Hustler ZTR. Mowing I do enjoy actually but my property likely was never really graded well plus, it naturally developed all kinds of bumps in it. Much is contributed to moles, but it is what it is.
I am buying a 4WD tractor soon, as 1/4th of my 6 acre is wetland that I have to keep lay when it's wet, as normal mower will get stuck immediately. Then it grows waist high and so on.

I am debating between rear blade or box scraper as tractor attachment. I want to gently smooth the mowable land, so that I can actually run my ZTR at more or less full speed. Now it's back breaking bumps.

Before I make decision and commit, I am seeking advice on what will be better attachment for that purpose? Not real re-grading, that's dozer job, I know that. Just smoothing dem damn bumps and maybe leveling some minor hillocks. I can't touch wetland but, at least those 4 acres where I can run my mower.

Thank you.

This:

http://www.tractorco.com/default.as...s=Year&d=D&filter=Implements&fr=xAllInventory

VS

http://www.tractorco.com/default.as...s=Year&d=D&filter=Implements&fr=xAllInventory
 

cpurvis

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I've got both. They're completely different animals.

To be completely effective, a box blade needs wheel weights and hydraulic cylinders on both the top link and adjustable 3-pt arm. I have neither and have to get off and adjust one or both to get the pitch and roll when needed. A box blade is essentially worthless for moving snow. Loose gravel and dirt are fine but the amount of actual grading you can do on virgin dirt is dependent upon the weight and power of your tractor. You'll be surprised how little digging it takes to make a small 4wd tractor lose traction. Don't buy a box blade any wider than your tire tracks.

Rear blades are good for snow, 'OK' for moving loose dirt and gravel short distances, but not very good for digging sod with a small tractor. They don't stockpile much material and it tends to run out the ends if you have to move it any distance at all. Like the box blade, the addition of hydraulics on top link and 3-pt arm are a very useful but expensive addition.

Have you considered using a roller for smoothing? Rollers are easier to pull than a blade and don't tear up the grass.
 

ukrkoz

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You mean a box scraper, not a box blade?
I don't care if it were to scrape grass. It'll grow back faster than needed. I just want to mow and not feel like I am inside a tumbler for 3 hours. Scraping or balding imperfections is all I need.
We do not have snow much, and tractor will have loader, so that can be used to clear driveway for the 3-5 days we have snow.
Yeah, I see the point to 3 point attachment not being ideal fro scraping....
I simply want a better evil out of the two. I am NOT spending 20 grand on a fancy tractor. Really, I need tractor to take care of wetland with field mower, THAT is must have. If I can use it to smooth bumps some - amen.
 

jekjr

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I have a box blade. It has extruder teeth on the front that you can retract and pin up if you do not need them.

If you were to lightly disc the ground and then take the box blade and pull it over the ground it will level the ground significantly.

The box blade normally is heavier and will fill holes better while the scraper blade is capable of being angled normally.

If you are serious about leveling the property take a disc and disc it good and then get either a piece of 6' chainlink fence or a set of old bed springs and attach them to a lawn mower or an ATV and drag the over the ground several times. That will make it as smooth as it will get.
 

10ecfarmer

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If you want a really smooth lawn, Get a 3 point tiller. They make the Best & smoothest seed bed period.
FYI, I've got rear blade, box scraper, drag scraper, chain drag, disc, offset disc, & 3 point tiller and its the smoothest by far.
 

mowerman05

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Spread a little top soil around the bumpy areas and drag a old bed spring around, works wonders to smooth out a rough lawn.
 

jenkinsph

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Spread a little top soil around the bumpy areas and drag a old bed spring around, works wonders to smooth out a rough lawn.


I like this method the best for existing lawns. The only exception is where would you find these old bed springs in 2017? :laughing:I use a land plane grader scraper for this work with the blade set flush with the skids.
 

cpurvis

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Chain link fence works, too.
 

7394

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Box blades usually have "Ripper" teeth attachments to loosen the soil (as jekjr posted) But around here I see many use discs to do the same.
 
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