Very close to a working machine. Quit late today just short of bleeding all the hydraulics. Will do that tomorrow or Monday.

Work on a real gear driven blade circle is underway in parallel. This version has a manual angle blade--pull the pin, rotate the blade, put pin back in. I have a ring gear from a Cummins 8.3 that I plan to mount to the perimeter of a metal disk and drive it with a hydraulic motor to rotate the blade. I have an additional spool valve for that purpose. I might even be able to use the Cub Cadet's original spool valve to tilt the blade (to dig more or scrape more). Building that will take some time but will retrofit on to the existing traction frame and use the same blade.

Here are some pics from today. Blade is skewed all the way to the right in these pictures.

Testing out the mini motor grader. Work on the blade circle retrofit begins next, albeit at a slower pace now with the nicer weather upon us.

Looks great! :IH Trusted Hand:

Really looks great! How was your traction?

video at: https://youtu.be/3uTpi-_MEkE

Simply Awesome build!

1 question, 1 comment

Question is. What did your wife say when you told her she has to park outside since this will now be in the garage :biggrin2:

1 comment... I see you went with the boat floaty key chain. Your not looking to convert this into a dredge next are you?? lol

Again.. very cool build. Hope you get this to a couple shows to show it off

The word envious comes to mine. Awesome job.

It's limited by the solid mounted axles, of course. If the ground is flat and solid, traction is excellent. The looser and more the gravel approaches marbles (as in pea gravel, for example) it gets dicey. Pea gravel is like quick sand if you don't maintain momentum. I've only got about 2-3 psi in the rear tires, that helps a lot. working on adding fluid and rear wheel weights.

I'm noodling on a walking beam arrangement but will need to convert to hydraulic drive to do that I think. Which will require an oil cooler, fan, etc., probably. I need another bare axle assembly to prototype the suspension on before I build it all. Might be a project for next winter. I'm working on the gear driven blade circle now.

Great job Frank!

I am at awe!! nice work!
Now for my comment... I notice the old style graders front wheels were able to camber left and right for better turning/ traction up front, is that next on your to do list?