Land Planes for road maintenance

[Bearskinner]

I took some measurements off a friends land plane, gathered some material and started welding.

 

[Flybynightwelder]

Looks great so far! I am gathering the materials for making one also. Could you post your dimensions / measurements?

 

[Bearskinner]

I actually made two, this red one is a bit larger and heavier, as my buddy has a larger tractor. There both set up cat 1 dimensions to use with a quick hitch.

 

[Edke6bnl]

That is one of my next projects for my skid steer. Is your cutting edge adjustable for cutting depth?

 

[Bearskinner]

That is one of my next projects for my skid steer. Is your cutting edge adjustable for cutting depth?

I welded them in place, but it would be simple to cut them loose and reposition them. The cutting blades are made of ( very expensive) AR500 Steel, and they don’t wear at all. That’s the key as iron would need to be replaced almost yearly

 

[phastmac]

I welded them in place, but it would be simple to cut them loose and reposition them. The cutting blades are made of ( very expensive) AR500 Steel, and they don’t wear at all. That’s the key as iron would need to be replaced almost yearly

That looks good. I was wondering what the cutting blades were. I'm wanting to build one of these.

 

[Buckshott]

Very nice work! I see another project coming ?

 

[Bearskinner]

That looks good. I was wondering what the cutting blades were. I'm wanting to build one of these.

If I remember correctly the blades are set at a 15 percent angle, and at 5/8” below the side rails. Side rails on both are sections of old trailer frame rails.

 

[PILOON]

We made a similar plane or drag grader years ago to maintain 3 Kilometers of gravel/dirt road that was much travelled.
Size was 8 ft wide by 8 long. Front and back blades were both same angle at about 15-20 degrees while the middle was at 0probably 30-35 degrees tha opposite way with the idea to try to have a straight pull. It worked!
Both front and middle blades were positioned so that the material that wanted to overflow would drop back to the next blade.
Our thought was that angled would slice highs and move material sideways to the next dip. Well that worked great!
We towed with an old Willis jeep using chains from the 2 corners of the drag and looped thru small tires that acted like shock absorbers.
In fact the original drag was 6 x 6 oak timbers bolted and notched and our blades were simple 3/8 mild steel flats that we lag bolted to the oak every 10 inches or so.
That dang ole drag did yoman service for 10-12 years without a complaint and the common steel cutting edges were just fine and actually really showed very little wear.
LOL, over time due to wood shrinkage the blades did rattle a bit but that did not inhibit the action.
Later when our city took over the road the simply duplicated our design but all in welded material until the afforded a road grader.
Of interest the big grader never was able to do a better job than our DIY drag.

I'll add that the 3 blade concept worked so well that we never contemplated more blades. I did think of possible teeth on the front blade to scratch hard packed areas but we decided that at worst a second pass would be just as good.

 

[10of12]

That looks good. I was wondering what the cutting blades were. I'm wanting to build one of these.

Brushhog blades seem hard enough for a dozer blade i made if you have used ones like i did.

 

[Bearskinner]

The local metal supply wearhouse sells AR400 and AR500 steel in various widths and thicknesses.once you figure out all your sizes they will cut you some pieces to your dimensions. After years of hard service, there’s no wear on my blades

 

[PILOON]

Brushhog blades seem hard enough for a dozer blade i made if you have used ones like i did.

In my prior post note that 3/8 X 3" regular mild steel flat lasted all of over 10 years and still had some to go.
In my opinion there is no need for anything else.

 

[PILOON]

I welded them in place, but it would be simple to cut them loose and reposition them. The cutting blades are made of ( very expensive) AR500 Steel, and they don’t wear at all. That’s the key as iron would need to be replaced almost yearly

I disagree. We made a drag grader that used normal mild steel and dragged/graded 3 miles of dirt road like 3-4 times a year and our drag was still very usable 10 years later and showed only minor wear.

 

[Bearskinner]

That’s good to know that standard mild steel will hold up to the abuse. I will freely admit I tend to overbuild things, but I would rather over build it with better and more expensive materials, than have it prematurely wear out and have to rebuild it or build a new one. If yours has lasted 10 years with no appreciable wear, I feel confident mine should last the test of time too. Thanks for the info. I tend to go by the motto “Overbuilt is Under Rated” lots of talking to folks, finding out what had worked for them really helps when I start plans to build something

 

[Bearskinner]

I don’t remember actual costs but I would estimate the two AR steel “blades” added a good $40-50 to the cost.( over mild steel) Guess I could have gotten away a little cheaper. That’s ok

 

[PILOON]

That’s good to know that standard mild steel will hold up to the abuse. I will freely admit I tend to overbuild things, but I would rather over build it with better and more expensive materials, than have it prematurely wear out and have to rebuild it or build a new one. If yours has lasted 10 years with no appreciable wear, I feel confident mine should last the test of time too. Thanks for the info. I tend to go by the motto “Overbuilt is Under Rated” lots of talking to folks, finding out what had worked for them really helps when I start plans to build something

Look at it this way, since you weld you could always tack on additional wear strips onto a worn blade should the need arise and that at a later date.

Actually on my present drag grader I am thinking of welding some teeth onto my front blade as where we use it the road bed is very well compacted.

 

[Bearskinner]

Look at it this way, since you weld you could always tack on additional wear strips onto a worn blade should the need arise and that at a later date.

you just gave me an idea as to making another one ( for someone else) or a similar item. Making replacement blades that bolt on, with a couple sets of holes for adjustment-able height / depth also a scarafier with teeth as well as a straight blade. Never thought if that one before.

 

[AP]

I've never figured out exactly what situation calls for a land plane vs. a box blade. Land planes are for dressing roads that are already in mostly good shape?

 

[PILOON]

I've never figured out exactly what situation calls for a land plane vs. a box blade. Land planes are for dressing roads that are already in mostly good shape?

My guess is a box blade would transport /move excess material while the drag simply levels things out.
A true land plane scallops the humps to move material somewhere else.
Also the drag does tend to leave a ridge on at least one side depending on design.
When we used our drag we'd make 3 passes, first making spillover in center of the road and the return also spilling to center thus a 'hump/pile' in center.
Last pass down the center leveled the hump and left a crown effect.
3 rd pass was always at a higher speed to better scatter.

The 3 pass method is very much the same way a professional graded operator will grade a gravel road.
You want a center crown to shed water!

 

[Bearskinner]

When I use a box blade you can move and cut large humps of material. The land plane, especially on a graded road, knocks down all the high spots, but where it really shines is smoothing and filling pot holes in the gravel road.