This is just brilliant, I’ve always wanted a mini motor grader just that size, great job on this, I don’t think I have the skills it takes to build one nor would I be able to find those tractors 😂
They make teeth for a blade that look like horse shoes. Sifts out the bigger rock to smaller and cuts into the road better. Neat little machine you built.
Very impressive! Just a tip from an old grader operator....try blading your potholes and compacted areas ( if they need it ) shortly after a good soaking rain. By the way you operate that, one would assume you had ran one before! Well done for self taught sir!!
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 you could build a scarifier attachment for the grader either blade mounted or as a front mounted attachment just to break up the gravel surface packing prior to grading. something similar to a dr power grader scarifier (which work very well for breaking up hard packed gravel) that could be quick attached via 2 pins to the blade or via a front of the machine 3 link sleeve hitch (option for electric raise and lower is possible with modern linear actuators or you could plumb an extra spool valve and cylinder) this would also leave options for front preblading attachments (for knocking down dirt/gravel piles to a more manageable height) or v blades for winter snow clearing (idea for those who live in the snowbelt)
From a heavy equipment operator and a metal fabricator, I have to say I'm very impressed. Some of the best craftmanship I've ever seen Frank. Pretty good operating also..I have to ask if you considered using an electric clutch on the drive system? Might be the fastest and easiest solution. With your skills and talents ,it would be interesting to see a cab on the CubCadader. I love it, thanks for the awesome video.
I considered an electric clutch, as some of the Cub Cadets (starting in the late 70s) use them. That limits the drive to a single belt, however. I suppose a double pulley could be adapted? Maybe? Certainly that would solve the starting problem. I felt a single belt limited power transfer and became a single point of failure. Are you aware of any commercial/industrial units that could be adapted/used? I looked but everything I found was very expensive.
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 I'll check around and I've got a brother who's a master diesel mechanic that does a lot of repowering and builds rat rods. I'll show him your video and see what he says. He's very good at finding off the wall part's and very knowledgeable, my go to guy when I'm stumped. Plus he's retired. I'll let you know.
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 After watching your video again, when you started the unit I thought the starter sounded sluggish and the more I thought about it, it should turn over faster even with the drive engaged. So I'm wondering if the starter needs to be rebuilt??? Maybe a bigger battery if there's room???
I run a Cat 140g, it has a foot button you push down to disengage the hydraulic system when starting it, helps a lot in the winter. Same principle as your untensioned belt.
I agree now that you made the prototype. You should patent it. Just a suggestion for the driveway. Maybe get a truck load on fine stone and get the guy to tailgate it and you can do a video with motor grader.
gate spreading isn't always an option with dump trucks as you have to watch out for anything overhead (power lines (OSHA/MSHA require to stay at least 10 feet from the nearest powerline at all times), tree branches, etc.) as well as soft ground (here is a good rule o thumb... if you can't jump up and down with another full grown adult on your back on 1 foot without sinking in or the ground feeling mushy under you the ground isn't hard enough to tip (I've had to tell customers that they needed an alternative offloading point for this very reason), another problem is uneven ground (dump trucks must be as close to level as physically possible or they can tip over when the box gets all the way up to the max tip angle and rough ground poses this same problem as the truck sinking into any pothole with the box nearly completely up can cause it to start to sway side to side while spread gating possible enough to tip the truck over) a final concern is load freezing/sticking during tipping as you want the material dry and warm (material temp above 35F) in order to spread gate if either factor is missing it is even more dangerous to spread gate and some companies are actually banning their drivers from spread gating unless specifically authorized by their main office. Also unfortunately there isn't at least 3 significant design changes from an already existing motor grader design therefore it is impossible to patent or copywrite.
You must have the smoothest flattest damn driveway anyone has ever seen... lol So I’m guessing you use to drive a larger one and decided you loved it so much you needed to build yourself one.
You need a ripper in front of the blade to go back and forth a couple times and loosen the compacted driveway so then you can come back and work it with the blade. You could make it hydraulic up and down with two smaller cylinders hanging the frame the rippers are mounted to from them. Then add bracing on each side and middle running back to the grader frame behind the ripper to hold it in place and keep from messing up the cylinders. A large one inch bolt welded to the frame of the grade and another welded to the ripper frame with a thick wall, square piece of tubing with a hole and round tube through the hole to slide over the bolts putting washers on both sides of the square tube where it goes over the bolts at each end so it will move freely and brace the ripper too. Maybe that would work? Just an idea that might help loosen the rock in the driveway or ground if you get into any dirt work with it. I'm brainstorming I guess. I'm very jealous and I think you did an absolutely amazing job reverse engineering and building this piece of equipment. Great video. 👍
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 Yeah a ripper mounted on the back might work better but you would still need to make it hydraulically controled wouldn't you?
Hi I know I'm probably not the first but and your reasoning probably is sound but your front tires will get better traction and make it easier to steer with the tread back wards
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 You would not have to make much of a cut in depth and only 4 or 5 teeth wide you have the hp but weight might be more of a problem.
rippers on the back would do it that is one of the coolest builds on youtube great job thanks for sharing
This is just brilliant, I’ve always wanted a mini motor grader just that size, great job on this, I don’t think I have the skills it takes to build one nor would I be able to find those tractors 😂
I could definitely use one of these for chasing the gravel around my driveway after a big rain!
They make teeth for a blade that look like horse shoes. Sifts out the bigger rock to smaller and cuts into the road better. Neat little machine you built.
Very impressive! Just a tip from an old grader operator....try blading your potholes and compacted areas ( if they need it ) shortly after a good soaking rain.
By the way you operate that, one would assume you had ran one before! Well done for self taught sir!!
Absolutely right that it's best after a good rain. Thanks.
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 you could build a scarifier attachment for the grader either blade mounted or as a front mounted attachment just to break up the gravel surface packing prior to grading. something similar to a dr power grader scarifier (which work very well for breaking up hard packed gravel) that could be quick attached via 2 pins to the blade or via a front of the machine 3 link sleeve hitch (option for electric raise and lower is possible with modern linear actuators or you could plumb an extra spool valve and cylinder) this would also leave options for front preblading attachments (for knocking down dirt/gravel piles to a more manageable height) or v blades for winter snow clearing (idea for those who live in the snowbelt)
From a heavy equipment operator and a metal fabricator, I have to say I'm very impressed. Some of the best craftmanship I've ever seen Frank. Pretty good operating also..I have to ask if you considered using an electric clutch on the drive system? Might be the fastest and easiest solution. With your skills and talents ,it would be interesting to see a cab on the CubCadader. I love it, thanks for the awesome video.
I considered an electric clutch, as some of the Cub Cadets (starting in the late 70s) use them. That limits the drive to a single belt, however. I suppose a double pulley could be adapted? Maybe? Certainly that would solve the starting problem. I felt a single belt limited power transfer and became a single point of failure. Are you aware of any commercial/industrial units that could be adapted/used? I looked but everything I found was very expensive.
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 I'll check
around and I've got a brother who's a master diesel mechanic that does a lot of repowering and builds rat rods. I'll show him your video and see what he says. He's very good at finding off the wall part's and very knowledgeable, my go to guy when I'm stumped. Plus he's retired. I'll let you know.
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 After watching your video again, when you started the unit I thought the starter sounded sluggish and the more I thought about it, it should turn over faster even with the drive engaged. So I'm wondering if the starter needs to be rebuilt??? Maybe a bigger battery if there's room???
I wonder if there's a compact three-speed powershift that could be adapted as an option. Something suited to 20hp
It's a pretty awesome grader that you made there
I run a Cat 140g, it has a foot button you push down to disengage the hydraulic system when starting it, helps a lot in the winter. Same principle as your untensioned belt.
I agree now that you made the prototype. You should patent it. Just a suggestion for the driveway. Maybe get a truck load on fine stone and get the guy to tailgate it and you can do a video with motor grader.
gate spreading isn't always an option with dump trucks as you have to watch out for anything overhead (power lines (OSHA/MSHA require to stay at least 10 feet from the nearest powerline at all times), tree branches, etc.) as well as soft ground (here is a good rule o thumb... if you can't jump up and down with another full grown adult on your back on 1 foot without sinking in or the ground feeling mushy under you the ground isn't hard enough to tip (I've had to tell customers that they needed an alternative offloading point for this very reason), another problem is uneven ground (dump trucks must be as close to level as physically possible or they can tip over when the box gets all the way up to the max tip angle and rough ground poses this same problem as the truck sinking into any pothole with the box nearly completely up can cause it to start to sway side to side while spread gating possible enough to tip the truck over) a final concern is load freezing/sticking during tipping as you want the material dry and warm (material temp above 35F) in order to spread gate if either factor is missing it is even more dangerous to spread gate and some companies are actually banning their drivers from spread gating unless specifically authorized by their main office. Also unfortunately there isn't at least 3 significant design changes from an already existing motor grader design therefore it is impossible to patent or copywrite.
Absolutely amazing sir! Very creative.
Very nice build. Looks good scraping a little off the surface but how well does it perform when you dig the blade in and make the machine work hard?
Very nicely done
Perfect for what your wanting it for keeping the gravel you got down in the road
You must have the smoothest flattest damn driveway anyone has ever seen... lol
So I’m guessing you use to drive a larger one and decided you loved it so much you needed to build yourself one.
Never operated a motor grader before.
A good way to learn or just observe is to watch letsdig18 when he operates his grader. Can't remember the brand it is, but it is orange in color.
@@OnlyTheEd if chris ever has kids, he will get them one of these to learn on
You need a ripper in front of the blade to go back and forth a couple times and loosen the compacted driveway so then you can come back and work it with the blade. You could make it hydraulic up and down with two smaller cylinders hanging the frame the rippers are mounted to from them. Then add bracing on each side and middle running back to the grader frame behind the ripper to hold it in place and keep from messing up the cylinders. A large one inch bolt welded to the frame of the grade and another welded to the ripper frame with a thick wall, square piece of tubing with a hole and round tube through the hole to slide over the bolts putting washers on both sides of the square tube where it goes over the bolts at each end so it will move freely and brace the ripper too. Maybe that would work? Just an idea that might help loosen the rock in the driveway or ground if you get into any dirt work with it. I'm brainstorming I guess. I'm very jealous and I think you did an absolutely amazing job reverse engineering and building this piece of equipment. Great video. 👍
I've been thinking about putting a ripper on the back. You are correct that the gravel needs to be loosened to really smooth it out well.
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 Yeah a ripper mounted on the back might work better but you would still need to make it hydraulically controled wouldn't you?
Imagine if this had a 27hp diesel out of a 1 series John Deere. Holy cow
Very good I bet with some tire chains it will plow some snow !!
did you consider a centrifugal clutch rather than constant belt tensioning efforts?
Couldn't find one that would work. But that would be so much simpler, wouldn't it? If you find one, let me know.
Next V-plow and a wing ?
Brilliant. Thanks Frank.
Nice job man. love it .
Hi I know I'm probably not the first but and your reasoning probably is sound but your front tires will get better traction and make it easier to steer with the tread back wards
Thanks for the suggestion. It would be easy enough to swap wheels to accomplish that.
Need to put a tooth bar on the back to loosen rock
wow! very nice job!
Can't up the sound system enough.
It would be nice to see it operate from a spectator's point of view.
There is another video on the channel, the one with 500k views, that does just that!
With your skills and tools make a scarifier for the front or back.
Thinking about that, for sure. But may not have the HP to really do much with one.
@@woodandmetalshoptime8048 You would not have to make much of a cut in depth and only 4 or 5 teeth wide you have the hp but weight might be more of a problem.
Super !
U want to sell it
Sell that idea to cub cadet company so the rest of us people can get one
Or *we* could ask cub. to sponsor him
👍👍
A micro patrol grader!