#456 

Love the videos! I’ll only be critical in one area about just filling in the wash (which is fine, but not ideal). To correctly repair that wash you should be cutting below the bottom of the damage and bringing it up to grade followed by compacting. I understand it’s the quick way most everyone does. Most don’t have time to invest resurfacing their roads for every wash that happens in a year. Following your grader vs dozer model, I’ll bring to the table some insight. Road graders you see in town never just top dress a gravel road when they work on potholes, wash outs or wash boarding. They cut through the damage then resurface. They lack compaction resources so they rely on traffic to complete that task. But you’ll always see them furrow the material from the ditch or side to the center in a large windrow, then turn and do it again the opposite direction then run the center down and out evenly for crown. I build airfields and roadways for the army so figured sharing some method insight may help some others in understand the process. Nothing you’ve done is wrong, just not he complete process. I completely enjoy listening to your explanation and your step by steps. I figure the more tractor videos I watch the more techniques I can learn as well! Cheers!

I could watch box blading videos every day. So much joy in seeing the finished product.

You have the right idea with the crown in the driveway....but now you need ditches on each side so that water doesn't run down the driveway but on the sides or you will continue having to doing what you had to just do

Great description of the difference btwn box blade & land plane. Your comment about dozer or grader finally stuck in my pea brain. Other videos have described the difference, but it just didn’t stick. Yours did. I can only afford one of the two attachments. Your description made the difference in helping me finally decide. Box blade it is, since I’m less concerned about how pretty the final finish is, and since we have a long sloped section that’s a similar grade as your driveway. Thank you for the education that finally helped!

Hey Mike, great job on the driveway. I like the way you make it look so easy with the box blade. And get a great looking driveway with just the box blade. Thanks for sharing and glad you're getting things done this week. Have fun and be safe. Thanks for sharing.

This is just based on my experience, I don’t own a land plane, never have. I just think it’s pointless. The box blade is really useful to sculpt a road and build a crown which will keep roads from washing out. Most people who maintain their roads on a regular basis won’t need a box. A box with rippers is really nice when you need to aggressively rip, like leveling land i.e. pastures, future hay field, etc. A box is great for ripping soil for road building also. Though if you’re leveling land, nothing beats a hitch mount box blade over a 3-point mounted. For roads like in the video, a 8-10’ York Rake does all you need and does a beautiful finish. It looked like when the road was done in the video,there wasn’t a crown which without a spillway ditch on either side and a crown to direct water out of the road, it will always washout.

Great that you recovered your stone before Penndot stole it! Thanks

Box blade seems great! I would pave that driveway anyway.

Mike, you make it look so easy! Always amazes me how you get so much done in a short period and video at the same time.

Just flip your ripper upside down, that way they are always with the implement, and not lost to a barn/garage.

Hey Mike!!! I use the box scraper but finish with my rake for the pitch...works great. Take care.

Great new logo... "split happens". Way to go MIKE!

Mike, have you ever thought of using a hydraulic top link? I'm sure Rural King sells one. I just bought one and its a game changer when using a box blade.

Hey Mike. Great camera work . Thanks for takin time to video this for us . Craig. Pa. Guy

Not bad Mike, now when are they gonna come up with something to keep us from twisting our neck so much looking back at the implement?

Great video! Thanks!

I have a long gravel driveway that I grade with a box blade. How do you keep from getting the woop de doos? Seems like once they start the tractor/box blade continues to follow surface making it very hard to get a level ground.

Really enjoy your videos! Originally from Indiana, Pa and now living in eastern NC (hurricane alley) so I can relate to the recent storms you have had. Be careful about buying Melissa gifts that are work related! You don't want a curling iron for father's day do you?

Hey Mike, do you use auto throttle while using the box blade or a constant RPM with the throttle lever? Would full throttle be easier on the hydrostatic drive because the engine driven hydraulic pump would not have as much strain? Or easier on the relief valves? Or am I just over thinking this...? Thanks for the great videos! Wish they were longer!

We have a king cutter tiller we use for are food plots great implement !!!!

Nice repair job! Tell Hunter hello from Illinois. BKCS day!!

Good information Mike thank you. We are having a tick explosion here in Maine, that combined with the black flies and mosquitoes make it hard to work outside most days. How do you handle the insect problem where you live? The weather is nice today in Maine sixties with cool evenings Norm

I just turn my rippers upside down. It helps by leaving the weight on. Not that you seemed to need more weight, its just what I do.

Can you use the blade for snow removal and if so how do you adjust it?

That's what'cha call "Getting-R-Done!".... "Split Happens!"... I Like it! Hey, it's Saturday; what flavor of Chicken Sammich did Hunter go for today? Playing it safe with the usual or living life fast and loose trying new ones? Hunter Fans want to know.😎

Liking the "new" logo. Split happens!

Great job enjoyed that!!

Nice work Mike. Hope Hunter has a great chicken sandwich today, wonder if it will be another Parmesan?

Good job Mike, hi Hunter.

Excellent analogy

It's according to what you're doing both are great attachments...filling the inside of foundations land plane is not worth a damn Big area's land plane is a great tool

Do you think you could use a box blade with a drag Harrow behind it?

Brilliant (ly) done.

Good job Mike. Way to reclaim your drive.

Good job mike

Are those weeds in your grass Mike?

just flip the rippers.

good informative video. driveway looks much better, say hey to hunter and HAVE A DAY👍👍👍👍👍👍

DOT standard crown for dirt roads is 2 Degree slope on each side. Adding a ditch on each side of the drive would minimize erosion of the drive.

A video withOUT Melissa? I'm heartbroken, HEARTBROKEN, I tell ya'

Another great video about proper use of equipment. The bulldozer vs grader analog was spot on. Really like the new logo.

Good morning Mike. Thanks for the explanations as you went along. Always appreciated. Just two questions (as I am still trying to learn how to use it). You kept it level from side to side at first, but what did you do with the level from front to back? Did you shorten or lengthen the top link at all or did you also leave the box level from front to back? Also, when you were dragging the gravel up the driveway, did you leave the 3 pt hitch position all the way down (float) or did you have it lifted at all to a certain height off the ground? Thanks again. I appreciate your help. Cheers!

first year i had bought a boxblade i was removing the tines... but after a while I decide to just put them upside down, the ripping part pointing up, that way they dont use space elsewhere and It happens that you removed them but while into the job... you need them for a small part. that way I always have them with me.

I don't have a land plane, but I still think I'd choose the box blade if I had to choose just one. I've done a heck of a lot of work with the blade and view it as one of the most practical and valuable implements for property owners.

Another great video! Totally agree about land plane. I’m a big fan of the grader/planer I use to maintain our 1/2mile gravel driveway!

I like your dozer-grader comparison but I think the user plays a big factor , I love the box blade, simple and affordable. Hey Hunter :)

Mike I watch your videos on a regular basis but I came across this 1 in hopes it will help me make a decision on buying a box blade or landplane. Great video by the way.

for ripping and moving material:box blade. For smoothing and "planing": land plane.Tools have their ideal purpose as does equipment and implements.Something that makes me cringe is people mis-using tractor loaders and other heavy equipment, Loaders load and dozers doze: will a tractor front end loader push over a small tree? Yup. Will it do it day in and day out without major damage to the loader frame or tractor? Nope.

Nice explanation of the differences between the two implements Mike. Great weekend here in Ohio

Great instructive video, Mike. It's difficult waiting for your next video. Well worth the wait. Thanks for the variety, fun and activity. Have a great weekend. ☝🌄👍

Larry here! Love your videos, started at #1! Haven't watched them all, but will in time. I'm retired(76) and have a small acreage in east Texas, got a Kubota L3200, loader, box blade, homemade brush forks, etc. Love the box blade and use it often ... I have a hydraulic cylinder for my third link and it makes the box blade an even better tool. Having the hydraulic third links allows you to dump your load easily and you can control your blade angle from the seat of your tractor. It also makes hooking up the box blade easier. I've even considered putting a smaller hydraulic cylinder on one of the side links which would really be slick. The other implement that I have that I couldn't get along without is a PJ hydraulic dump trailer. Take care/again love your videos!

why don't you just flip the teath up on top and put them back on but just on top of there holders

Great work Mike! Thanks for the video and glad your recovering from the storm.

This was another great video. What I find helpful is to remove the rippers turn them upside down, and put them in from the top on the first or second hole, with the rippers pointing upside down and backwards. Doing it this way you can leave the repairs out while you do yours and or your mom and sisters driveway and if you find a spot where you do need the repairs, you will have them with you at all times. Keep doing great videos. I really enjoy them all.

Great video Mike. The grapple is still my fav. Make sure Hunter gets BK today. Also Melissa downstairs

I know you have mentioned using lots of 2B limestone on driveways. I’ve purchased many tons of 3/4” TB, travel bond, from my local Wisconsin quarries for top dressing gravel driveways, parking areas, and access roads during my time as a volunteer on the East Troy Electric Railroad. The average load delivered to the site was usually between 20 and 22 tons in a quad axle dump truck or 18 to 19 tons in a tri-axle dump truck.

Dropping another LIKE on your video, Watching and Supporting! Trying to re-level out the fields on our former horse ranch, and trying to figure out the best way to go about it... this video was probably the most value in my research so far. Almost all videos for leveling tend to lean on driveways... my goal is on an entire field (the grass and dirt driveway is perfectly fine!).

Mike if you ever have the landscape on use it like a scrape blade. Use angle on old gravel driveway. It will bring rock and gravel back to top. What you are doing now is perfect for what you are doing. But just try landscape rake sometime.

We was thinking is he going to choose. Because both have there own jobs. Good video

Great job fixing your driveway like I mentioned in the past you are a great operator and I enjoy watching your videos 👍

Thank you for the great education. Videos like this help me a lot.

Don't remove the scarifiers and have to find and install them again, install them upside down. Keeps them handy.

Good video, that box blade is fine. Hi Hunter 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

The benefit of any grader or plane is length. To that end, Utilising the front bucket in conjunction with your rear attachment would increase your grading length over 10x.

Heard over on Stoneys Ridge's channel you might be heading down to help him with his fencing. Just wanted to let you know I heard that and thought that was really awesome of you to be trying to work in--reminds me of my own neighbors. Schedules don't always lineup, but it's the willingness that's meaningful. Likeminded people stick together. Keep on keepin' on.

Hi Mike planning to be there Friday. Hope to meet you. Thanks for the videos and have a great weekend.

I always wondered what those little things were that I have seen behind tractors. It must be a regional thing. It is similar to what we call a drag. Around here a land plane is at least 10' wide and at least 20' long and used to level land.

Like to rip with the box & finish with the land plane. My land plane doesn't have rippers.

Thank you for showing proper technique for developing a crown on a gravel drive. So many people eradicate the crown and even make a ridge along the shoulder. This retains water on the surface and will soften the subgrade or make water run down the wheel tracks on a grade. The three most important things to consider for road maintenance is drainage, drainage and of course drainage. Mike, you are pretty good with the box blade. I personally hate them. They give me a sore neck. I use a backhoe/loader or dozer with way blade.

Awesome! But hey, I thought you were taking of all week? 👍👍👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

why not just flip the rippers

Great job Mike. I got lucky and have a hydraulic cylinder on one side of my three point hitch so I just tap the joystick to tilt my box blade up or down. It also saves my back when I change implements by myself. Sometimes aligning them can be a real pain unless you have a nice level pad to keep all of your implements on. You may have quick attach on your tractors though ? Mine is an older Yanmar 4x4

My teeth are ground down enough for today. It's frustrating to see you not grade all the way out to the grass. Put one wheel just in the grass & pull out that last 6 inches of gravel into the crown. Then during a rain the water will run off the drive into the grass instead of cutting a rut in the gravel.

In my experience, I can move material with the loader bucket as well or better than a box blade and rough finish back dragging with the bucket. The land plane fixes everything I cannot do with a bucket

I think if i had to choose between them i would go with a box blade. But if i were doing some driveway work as a business i would want both.

Up here in Davenport NY it’s hasn’t stop raining since last July, mud city. I hope everything works out for you and your Neighbors. Always a fan 👍 keep it up . You have a great Family, and it’s raining again here.And a BIG 👋 to Hunter🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍

Hey Mike, bout time for some asphalt for that drive.

What about a landscape rake, aka rock rake? I've been told they do a good job on gravel and on the trails. See if RK will give you one to try out before I buy one please 😃

The first sign of trouble would have been when all the animals were pairing up and Hunter was starting to build a very big boat.

Great Stuff!!!, I bought a Land Plane recently for the exact example you shared...I have watched you use both...We will have to swap shirts....at some point...I like the Split Happens....

Found a box blade in my scrap pile. In the end my dad's right again, damn it, I will stick with my hydraulic blade. Thanks for the video though.

Mike, any specific reason you used the RK55, maybe just weight for tamping down stone? Thanks!

Hey mike, could you do an In depth detailed video on how to use the box blade? Similar to the one that daveknowshow (angle of the dangle ) does.

Great video. Just in time for the weekend here and the same task to perform! Really looking forward to sporting one of your stickers on my Jeep and can’t wait for the opportunity to order a crop of long sleeve Morgan tees for my work this summer! Were do you go to have such great stickers made up!

Keep up the GOOD WORK !!!

I like the sign on the right side of the gate, "Never mind the dogs, beware the wife." @11:00

Looks almost like New Again after the Big Wash Out!!👍👊

I will be in Butler next Friday and hope to meet you and the family at the Jeep festival.

I have both a box and plane and have top and tilt on my three point, does a great job on drive ways.

You’re getting very skillful with that box blade.

I thought this was going to be a comparison video....

Nice job thanks for sharing the info and the video Mike👍

Great advice! Thank you.

Loved it. Good job on the driveway. 👍👍👍❤️

Not a big deal, but why not just turn the scarifier shanks (rippers) upside down instead of removing them? Then they are at the ready if you do need them on a job.

Now that's how you do it. Good job Mike.

I had the captions turned on and they identified the sounds of the tractor as [Music]. Lol Happy weekend everyone. Hey Hunter! It’s gonna be lunchtime in a couple of hours. Enjoy.

if you can only have one: boxblade everyday ALL day!

Up here in Davenport NY it’s hasn’t stop raining since last July, mud city. I hope everything works out for you and your Neighbors. Always a fan 👍 keep it up . You have a great Family, and it’s raining again here.And a BIG 👋 to Hunter🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍

thank u, finally someone who shows how to grade, and then crown. so many stop after flat. u have a new follower