The blades are essential accessories for any tractor or compact utility tractor. Regardless of the brand, your tractor will need efficient blades.
With many types and brands of blades out there, you might feel like you need clarification, particularly when choosing between a box blade and a land plane.
Both tools are efficient and highly functional, but they address different groups of consumers and different business purposes.
If you need clarification about choosing either, we can help you make the right decision. This comparison will give you a proper insight into the differences between each item and its significant characteristics.
What is a Land plane?
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A landplane differs from the traditional box blades you add to your tractor. Still, they are efficient at graveling or leveling different types of surfaces. The landplane blades consist of two blades facing each other.
The first blade is supposed to cut, whereas the second is meant to make the surface evenly level. Both blades work simultaneously to make the driveway or road you are working on smoother.
This type of blade set is meant to perform heavy-duty tasks. They are also meant to be used in reverse. Using a land plane usually pays off when used on a gravel driveway.
A landplane operates simply by lifting the soil and making it flow over the top edges of both blades. This way, the back part of the land plane gets fed out.
So, as the process keeps going, the gravel accumulates between the end plates. This makes the material spread widely across them. This process is repeated until the land surface is completely covered with soil material. Then the blades leave behind an even and smooth ground surface.
The efficient operation of a landplane requires slow action. Going aggressively and fast won’t help you level the ground properly, especially if you are new to using them. As you become more trained in controlling them, you can adjust the speed according to the nature of your project.
What is a Box Blade?
As the name suggests, this tractor blade looks like a metal box. The box has three covered sides, which also consist of two blades. They are called the rear and the front blades.
Many models of box blades come with ripper shanks or scarifiers. These accessories help you bring the blades up and down as you wish. They are also highly effective at crushing and digging up the soil.
The top link plays a vital role in operating the box blade. The levels of aggressiveness of the blades are controlled by adjusting the top link. Box blades work best when used on yards. They are also instrumental in carrying heavy materials. This is why you should invest in a heavy-duty box blade.
What are the Differences between a Land Plane and a Box Blade?
Land planes and Box blades are both used as accessories for tractors. They both attach to the back of the tractor, but they are completely different items.
For instance, they are different in shape, use, and price.
1. Shape
The shapes of a box blade and a land plane are different. The landplane consists of two blades in front of each other; the box blade, on the other hand, has one in the rear and one in the front.
Additionally, a box blade looks like a box with three closed sides.
2. Uses
A landplane has minimal options in terms of uses and purposes. It is only efficient for leveling gravel grounds. Other than this, it won’t be beneficial.
The box blade, on the other hand, can also help level soil. However, it can be used for carrying various materials over long distances.
A box in the box blade makes collecting and moving any material easier, while the land plane lacks such a box.
3. Efficiency of performance
Both implements are exceptionally good at doing what they are meant for. A landplane is excellent at leveling surfaces that do not require much digging. They do a great job with one type of soil, which is gravel.
On the other hand, a box blade can handle different types of surfaces. It can easily handle rocky terrain or soil with gravel and clay. These areas are tough for a land plane to deal with.
4. Speed of performance
If you want to do the same task using both machines, the box blade will finish things much faster. For instance, leveling a standard driveway of 200 feet using a land plane can take about three times as long as using a box blade.
5. Crowning
Crowning is an important part of leveling many (but not all) driveways and roads. Creating a “crown” in a driveway means having a high point in the road’s center and the lowest one on the edges of one of the sides.
The landplane cannot efficiently crown a road, even if you use a wider model. Also, trying to tilt the blades will be of no use. On the other hand, the box blade is very efficient and fast at crowning driveways.
6. Ease of use
A long-time user of a tractor can easily handle both implements. However, a beginner can find a land plane easier to control and operate than a box blade. The design and mechanism of a box blade are more complicated.
7. Cost efficiency
The cost element is a very determining factor in the land plane vs. box blade comparison. You should not think about a land plane if you want a cheaper implement. Despite being less complex and not a multi-purpose accessory, it is more expensive than a box blade.
Additionally, you can only take some things at a time when you try to move some material using a land plane. You will have to make more trips, which means more gas consumption.
Land Plane vs Box Blade: Are they the same?
No, a land plane and a box blade are not the same implements. They are, in fact, totally different on countless levels. They only have two things in common: they are both used for ground-leveling projects.
Also, both of them are attached to the back of a tractor. Other than these two similarities, you will choose between them depending on the nature of your projects and finances.
If you want a speedy, more efficient, and multi-purpose tractor implement, then a box blade will be the one. In terms of cost efficiency, the box blade is a winner too. However, the land plane is easier to use and operate, especially for a beginner.
You can make the most of a land plane when you shave and level a gravel road. It is slower but just as efficient as the box blade. If you have surfaces of a rougher nature or you are planning on using the implement in a more complex project, a box blade is the better choice.
Marvin is an expert in farming equipment with a strong background in agricultural engineering. He graduated from Kansas State College of Agriculture, where he received a degree in Agricultural Engineering and specialized in farm equipment design and maintenance.
