Laser Grading

I’m considering purchasing some type of laser controlled grading attachment. Would like to have some input about the good and bad of different boxes or graders. Also opinions of best type of set-up (automatic machine control, receiver on rod, dual or single slope, ect.. As long as were asking questions, Best all around machine to use. Would like to do primarily commercial flatwork preparation (Grading and compaction).

Thanks, Bud

What type of machine do you have now?

When you say commerical work, do you mean finish grade for concrete? Are you finish grading black dirt?

There are a number of 6' to 8' boxes that work on skid steers and 35 hp to 80 hp tractors.

If your looking at lasers for this type of work you need dual slope models. Prices start at $5,000 and run to $8000. higher the prices the more bells you get.

Boxes run $8000 to $13,000, cheapest being smaller and not having control box.

Some skid steers (Bobcat) let you hook up to the computer installed in the machine. Others make you install a controler in the machine, thus adding more $$.

Do not buy a non controler box model it's just not worth the price.

lets be honest a bob cat isnt a bad machine. but if your talking bout large amounts of finish work then it cant compare to a grader.a 12 is bout the perfect size for finishing. company i worked for last year bought a brand new 16 to finish and it was too heavy keep sinking leaving tire marks 14 isnt to bad.
anything smaller then a 12 is gonna spin tire and not be able to carry material. so a 12-14 size grader is gonna be the best route if your talking large large amounts of finish work!

I Agree. Spent 25 years with an asphalt paving contractor. We used Cat 140’s for our finish blades out in the open and Athey Maintainers in the smaller tighter areas. Would like to use something in the lines of a Bobcat T190, ASV 50 or 60, or a Cat 257. For the attachment, it would be either a Box Blade and, or Grader Blade. Would like to fit the niche of taking the sub-grade from +/- .1’ to +/- .25’ prior to pouring the concrete slab. Some of this work could be inside buildings.


Bud

I currently use a 7'- 3 point hitch laser box blade. It is hooked up to a 35hp New Holland tractor. We use this box blade for grading tees on golf courses and finish grading athletic fields. Its a great rig but you want your rough grade to be +/- 2" . Anymore than that will slow down your production. We will often put the modular controls onto a dozer to get things close. However with the dozer there are no automatic hydraulic functions, strictly operator contolled by watching the arrow go up or down.

This setup ran close to $14000 not including the Dual plane laser.
Its definately worth the money if you do a lot of fine grading. We can grade up to 50,000 sq.ft./ day

here's a few pictures

another pic

last one

Bobcat has a free information CD on their lazer grading equipment it looks pretty interesting. I think they said +/- 1/2 inch

Thanks for everyones input, Still don't know which way I'm going to go. Alot depends on the going price for laser grading. Those of you who are laser grading, what price structure do you use?

Did come accross an interesting machine in my searching.

11' l X 5' W X 7' H. 6' Blade

I have personally used Topcon's Automatic grading system on Cat 14's and Cat 16's. Nothing beats a grader for turning out flat work in a hurry. That said, I watched many other systems in use; some are good, some not. If all you are planning on doing is floors, you can get away without buying a dual-axis rotating laser. That leaves the biggest expense in a machine with laser controlled hydraulics. I worked on a job roughing in subgrade to +/- .1" for a Wal-Mart, a Sam's Club and a Home Depot. The concrete contractor used a laser-guided, computer controlled Gehl grader that was half the size of a Cat 12, but a bit bigger than the one shown by clicking the URL for the grader bitmap. That machine had larger, higher flotation tires and did a great job in little time. By the way, the contractor used a laser screed to level the concrete before bull-floating. the results were excellent.