When it comes to grading and leveling land, there are two primary attachments for tractors: the box blade and the land plane. While both are useful for these purposes, they have different designs and functions that make them better suited for certain tasks.
A box blade is a three-sided metal box that attaches to the back of a tractor. It has a series of metal teeth or “rippers” at the front that dig into the ground to loosen compacted soil. This is coupled with both a forward and rear facing scraper edge allowing you to pull or push material. The box blade is primarily used for rough grading, filling in potholes, and spreading material like gravel or dirt.
The box blade is a versatile tool that can be used for a variety of tasks. Its ripping teeth are great for breaking up compacted soil and removing rocks and debris. The box blade can also be used to spread materials like gravel or dirt evenly, making it a popular choice for driveway and road maintenance. With minimal moving parts, there’s very little that can go wrong. It’s long been a primary attachment sought out by tractor owners. Watch a video of one in action by clicking here.
However, the box blade is not the best choice for fine grading and leveling. Given it’s high sided walls designed to trap and hold material, it takes a high level of operator skill and control to constantly feather out material at an even rate. Additionally, its design can make it difficult to see the blade, which can lead to over or undergrading. This can become frustrating and time consuming until you’ve mastered the skillset.
The land plane, on the other hand, has two angled metal blades with much lower side walls. It may also have a series of teeth or “scarifiers” at the front that loosen the soil. The land plane is primarily used for fine grading and leveling of surfaces. It can be used to remove small hills and dips in the ground and to smooth out rough terrain. The lower side walls and dual angled blades allow material to gently and consistently spill over them providing a consisten and even finish. Watch a land plane in action by clicking here.
The land plane is ideal for achieving a smooth surface. Its flat blade and scarifiers work together to level the ground and remove any bumps or dips. The land plane is also designed with a long, flat blade that makes it easy to see the surface being graded. This helps to ensure an even grade and prevents over or undergrading.
While the land plane is great for fine grading and leveling, it may not be the best choice for rough grading or material spreading. This doesn’t mean you can’t use a land plane to move material around, it just might take a more passes to do so as it’s not designed to trap and hold as large of a volume.
In conclusion, both the box blade and the land plane are useful attachments for tractors when it comes to grading and leveling land. The box blade is great for rough grading and material spreading, while the land plane is ideal for fine grading and leveling. The choice between the two will depend on the specific task at hand and the desired outcome. However, don’t lose sleep over the decision as both will allow you to complete a variety of grading tasks.
Not only do we sell and ship tractor attachments nationwide, but we make videos showing you the products in action. If you head to our website, you’ll see videos in just about every listing showing a product overview so you can gain a better understanding of what you’re buying and how to use it. Get more information at Good Works Tractors.
