Grader build

[kpinnc 12,004]

I've been toying with the idea for some type of grader setup for a while. I have about 1000 feet of gravel driveway to maintain. 

 

I was building a towed system, but I've decided to make the towed setup more like a spike harrow or scarifer design. Gravel gets compacted in the tire path, and a harrow breaks up the studder bumps nicely. But sometimes you have to move high spots around to the low spots. That's where this tool will come into play. 

 

I've finished the hitch and mounted it. My blade is 1/2 steel and 57 inches long. It's well over 50lbs as well. 

 

I'll be starting on the grader frame today. Nothing overly fancy. Just a rugged way to move some rocks. We will see how it goes. 

[Pullstart 62,834]

What is that blade from?  Massive!

[87 416-8 horse 420]

Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

[kpinnc 12,004]

6 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

What is that blade from?  Massive!

 

Got it from Don @Lee1977 Not sure what it's from. 

 

I actually cut about 8 inches from both ends. It is hopefully heavy enough that it won't need any down pressure. 

[squonk 41,067]

21 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

What is that blade from?  Massive!

Looks like an Allis-Chalmers Simplicity blade. They are HEAVY!!!! 

 

Edited April 29 by squonk

[Lee1977 6,656]

24 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

 

Got it from Don @Lee1977 Not sure what it's from. 

 

I actually cut about 8 inches from both ends. It is hopefully heavy enough that it won't need any down pressure. 

I believe it's a cutting edge off the blade of an old motor grader. They were over at the farm since the 50's. I used one on my grader blade.

Edited April 29 by Lee1977

[Lee1977 6,656]

There was a horse drawn grader way back that I saw my dad using, don't know who owned it. Had two large hand wheels at the rear ( some where between 24 and 30" ) where the operator stood to control the blade.

Edited April 29 by Lee1977

[ebinmaine 67,420]

 

 

This'll be interesting. 

[Handy Don 12,212]

2 hours ago, kpinnc said:

The profile of the eight-inch tall Allis-Chalmers/Simplicity blade is similar but reversible with cutting shape on both edges

[Lee1977 6,656]

7 hours ago, Handy Don said:

The profile of the eight-inch tall Allis-Chalmers/Simplicity blade is similar but reversible with cutting shape on both edges

These were 6" tall, the one I gave Kelvin was used on pavement some time,

Edited April 30 by Lee1977

[kpinnc 12,004]

1 hour ago, Lee1977 said:

Kelvin

 

Kevin

 

It's one heckuva chunk of steel, and hard as can be. It took a 10-inch saw and cut off wheel to get thru it, and even that was difficult. I don't think anything would drill it. 

 

 

Edited April 30 by kpinnc

[Handy Don 12,212]

40 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

It's one heckuva chunk of steel, and hard as can be. It took a 10-inch saw and cut off wheel to get thru it, and even that was difficult. I don't think anything would drill it. 

Mine is 45+ pounds. One edge has about ⅛” worn off so I’m assuming it got a LOT of use by POs.

[kpinnc 12,004]

11 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Mine is 45+ pounds. One edge has about ⅛” worn off so I’m assuming it got a LOT of use by POs.

 

Both ends of this one were pretty well rounded off. I would've had to cut it anyway, because it was it was more than 6 feet long. 

[kpinnc 12,004]

Made the basic frame up today. Still got a bunch of gussets and such to add, but this will be the backbone. 

 

The pivot uses a 3/4 hardened bolt, and is made from 3/8 mild steel. I haven't attached it yet until I get the drop angle right. Probably going to shorten it by an inch or so as well. 

 

The back of the blade itself will have removable side plates for grading "box style" when needed. 

 

Edited May 1 by kpinnc

[kpinnc 12,004]

Got a little more done today. Finished the frame up, and mounted up all the pivot parts. Still got to make the adjustment stuff for the pivot. 

 

I really went overboard on this thing. It's much beefier than it needs to be, but I was going for mass so it won't need any down pressure. The blade and attachment bar alone have got to be 75+ lbs already. 

 

[kpinnc 12,004]

Well I got it finished. Time to test it out. 

 

I made a handle from a shifter off a walk behind mower. Just grab the handle, pull the small lever and the pin raises allowing blade angle change on the fly. It has 5 positions. I borrowed the quadrant from an old mower deck. I used heim joints so it won't bind through the full travel, and stays clear of the lift point as well. 

 

Only complaint so far is it weighs at least 100lbs. Hopefully that means it'll grade well. 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,420]

Man. That looks great!

[kpinnc 12,004]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Man. That looks great!

 

Thank you! 

[peter lena 8,608]

@kpinnc  awesome detailing on that , thats what you want ,  use these in all my ,  lift related  connection points ,https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/hillman-hitch-pin-clips-1-8-in-loop-diameter-x-1-15-16-in-length-3289043?st  , another thing I do is to push them the last stage , that way , they will not fall off , shop around for pricing , how dare you use a HEIM JOINT !  only kidding . regularly use them in solid / smooth movement areas . personally see you , using the "  what if  " idea on function  / detailing . still amazed at how easily , levers / linkage moves with simple detailing / lubricant . nice set up , pete  

[CCW 1,293]

Wish I had one of these a few years ago.

 

[OutdoorEnvy 1,522]

Well done!     Next pic it better be on the tractor   

 

I am curious too how it will work out.  Seems like it should do pretty well and is heavier than the WH graders.  Have you used one of the WH graders before?  Curious what the comparison thoughts would be if you have. 

[kpinnc 12,004]

Forgot to mention the removable side plates for straight grading. Still need to add the shoes underneath them. Another repurposed part from a walk behind mower. 

 

 

Edited May 8 by kpinnc

[ranger 1,750]

Lovely job! I’ve always been of the opinion that, if I’m building something to do work of this nature, why build it lightweight, and then add weights to work as you want? I prefer to have the mass in the structure, rather than in ‘Add on’s’! The only advantage in lightweight I can see is, it makes it easier for us ‘older citizens’ to move these things about. But then again, I suppose heavier items can result in more believable reasons to acquire more horses, essentially to protect our ‘aging’ backs, etc!

[87 416-8 horse 420]

That thing looks like it just came off the wheel horse assembly line! Amazing job @kpinnc

[kpinnc 12,004]

Got in a quick test today. I'm not changing anything! It works great, though there will be a bit of a learning curve. Hardest thing so far was making my brain work out the foot control on the hydro vs "feathering" the hydraulic lift. Practice should fix all of that.

 

Two things I've figured out so far: big difference in moving gravel vs smoothing it. How anyone could use one of these on a manual lift is beyond me. I guess the extra weight of my blade has its drawbacks. 

 

I fixed two places today in my driveway. The entrance at the road was the worst, but after basically transferring one side of the driveway to the other, it's good now. The other was the stutter bumps in the curve behind the tractor below. All good now!

 

Only complaint I have is the gravel accumulates on top of the pivot, so you have to knock it off to keep rocks out of the garage! 

 

And the 523-H is now officially a worker! 

 

 

Edited May 9 by kpinnc