# Box Scraper to level out a plowed field?



## whitmerlegacyfarm (Aug 26, 2011)

Ok guys this could be a dumb question, but this past fall i had problems getting a small 2 ac field i plowed up to drill in some new O grass. Probably the biggest part of my problem was the fact i've never did much plowing before. I used a 2 bottom plow and kept making adjustments till i found what seem to work decent. I think ran a 7ft 2 gang disc over it multiple times w/ a 8ft steel plate dragging behind. This equipment was all my grandfathers, he used for years on this farm for farming when he grew vegetables for market. I'm just curious with only working a few acres at a time would i be ok to borrow a neighbors box scraper to help level things out a little better or is this just a matter of me finding someone to help me set up the 2 bottom plow properly? My stand of O grass did come up fairly well, little weak at spots but i'm hoping that fills in come spring.

Thanks guys


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## askinner (Nov 15, 2010)

I have dragged a long piece of heavy universal beam on a slight angle in the past with success. It actually packed it down quite hard too, and left a pool table smooth field. Quite cheap too, any old bit of scrap UB will do, and just weld a couple of bits of chain on either end, with one shorter than the other.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm (Aug 26, 2011)

It seemed while running the disc over it i was getting it heaved up in the middle. Duno if that was due to havin disc set up wrong, but i also went at a angle across the field per what a local farmer told me, he said it's just a bugger sometimes getting fields flat. Just so much nicer when i'm not bouncin out of the tractor seat while trying to make some hay lol.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

If the disc is a 3 point hitch you can adjust the top link so that is not leaving a ridge or a furrow in the middle. Lengthening the top link will cause the rear gang to move more soil than the front gang which will cause it to make a ridge of soil in the center that you were talking about while shortening the top link will cause the front gang to move more soil than the rear which will cause it to leave furrow in the middle. You want to shorten the top link but not so much much that it will leave a depression in the middle. I do not think a box blade will work. I pull a telephone pole behind my disc and it seems to really do a good job of smoothing out the soil.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Best thing to really level a rough field is a field cultivator. They have a way of smoothing things out that no other tillage tool does.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

A few years ago we hired a guy to plow about a 30 acre field. He was an idiot that refused to listen and would lift the plow up a little going uphill to maintain a constant speed compared to what he was going downhill. Which resulted in horrible humps up and down the field. We disked it and mulched it several times. Still didn't get it all out and was a pain to flood irrigate the part that we flood. It's been 8 years now and it's still a rough field. I'm going to rip it this spring.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

Last I used was 2 bridge timbers (about 10x12 or so) on opposing angles. Worked pretty good. I've also known of people using an old bedframe, angle iron, section of chain link fence, or anything that'll drag dirt. Hook it behind the disc the last 2 or 3 times you cut, then maybe without the disc a few times. Have enough weight to hold it down to drag dirt in front of it, and long enough it'll ride over the low places you are trying to fill up.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Keep in mind, different soils will act differently, but in my area, if the field has been sod for the last several years, it will be tough to get it completely smoothed out. Not impossible, just tough. Having the plow set right will help, but I'm not experienced enough with the mounted plows to help you there. If I had this situation on my field here in WNY, I would go at it with a culti-mulcher or drag. On my clay soil, a disc works good for breaking up clumps, but they aren't as good for leveling out the field. Also, a disc will end up compacting the soil more than a culti-mulcher or drag (not at the surface, but 6 or 8 inches down).

If there are some major humps or ridges, then a scraper will probably help, but I'm wouldn't want to cover the entire field with it.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm (Aug 26, 2011)

I do have an old drag harrow i think it is, never really used it, it looks like ones i've seen them use at small rodeo to drag and smoth the arena back off with would this work well? Or even what if i hooked that to back of disc and pulled it tandem?


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

whitmerlegacyfarm said:


> It seemed while running the disc over it i was getting it heaved up in the middle. Duno if that was due to havin disc set up wrong, but i also went at a angle across the field per what a local farmer told me, he said it's just a bugger sometimes getting fields flat. Just so much nicer when i'm not bouncin out of the tractor seat while trying to make some hay lol.


Middle ridge could be caused by rear gang spacing, front gangs and rear gangs not set properly or speed to fast. More that likely it is front to back adjustment.

Box Scraper - unless you have experience with one you can do more harm than good. A field cultivator or a drag harrow will probably do better. There are attachments to put on the back of you disc ... Is it a primary or finishing disc?


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## cwright (Oct 19, 2011)

gradyjohn said:


> Box Scraper - unless you have experience with one you can do more harm than good.


Ain't that the truth. Should have seen my gravel driveway about 10 years ago. I think I learned several new cuss words.

CW


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Chain harrow!
http://www.beavervalleysupply.com/sectione/fuerstf.htm
JMHO, HTH, Dave


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

A disc is not a good tool to level with, see if you can borrow a field cultivater, a wheel harrow or even an old spring tooth drag.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I've never had luck dragging anything flexible, it has to be stiff to cut off humps and move the dirt to the holes and span the hole to drop the dirt.

Neighbour has a great one, its two 20 ft long pieces to pipe v-ed into a hitch to pull it with a chain. about 6 ft before the tail end it has a piece of grader blade on edge between the pipes with a few bolt holes you can move it to but it works good set about 1/2" below the pipes. It carries a little pile about a foot high and drops it into humps that the pipes span over.


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## cmd (Oct 26, 2012)

Try to find a mentor in the neighborhood, this isn't for first or last problem I'm sure so you need to find someone to give you a little guidance. You do not want to mess with the box scraper, just see if you can find someone that can help you farm for real.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm (Aug 26, 2011)

Thanks for all the advice guys, now my wife and I are contiplating buying the neighboring farm that's 104 ac of my uncles on a Contract of Deed. Our issue is i'm self employeed so that's why are only route is Contract of Deed and the wife is currently in law school soon to be done and graduated this summer, but we can't find her a job. So if we work this out somehow i will defently be looking for lots of help from local farmers haha. Nor do i have the tractor for farming 80 ac. But dang would it be a Dream Come true to have a farm like this. I don't currently own any property because my wife and I live w/ my grandmother and take care of here and small 39ac plot. That i have 10 ac of hay and 3 ac of pasture for our horses.


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