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Ending a pass?

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coastlogger

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Sep 26, 2013
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148
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vancouver island canada
Wonder what the best way to end a pass is .ie leaving a reasonable road while turning grader around for next pass. I usually lift the leading edge a bit then spin the turntable so windrow kind of peters out between the wheels.im sure there's a more scientific way to do this and would love to hear about it.
 
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dallou

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Jan 4, 2013
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57
Location
falher, alberta
you can also end the pass abruptly then lift up and drive ahead until the mouldboard is past the pile then lower the blade and back blade it back smooth. i do it often when finishing a pass coming up to a highway.
 
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cuttin edge

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Nov 9, 2014
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NB Canada
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Finish grader operator
Basically whatever works for you. I always have the mb laying ahead to wherever that cutting sweet spot is. As I come to the end, I take some pressure off the leading edge, then slowly curl the mb back until it empties out. I reposition my mb while I turn around and engage the ground while moving instead of stopping. I do back drag some in lose material. I find back dragging with a grader is always a source of constant debate.
 
Queenslander

Queenslander

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Apr 5, 2009
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Australia
Those are all great methods for feathering out material across the width of the pass.
I thought the OP may have been referring to shifting a blade full of material to the side ready to pick up again next pass... when mixing gravel for example.
Not rocket science, but kinda neat that with a tweak of the circle and a flick of the steering wheel you can deposit a blade full of material neatly to the side.

BTW DIYDAVE, perhaps you need to try a little flair and finesse rather than tweaking and flicking.
 
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cuttin edge

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Finish grader operator
He mentioned turning around, so that's why I figured he meant ending a pass, not finishing up his last pass, but maybe ..... My 940 is burried about half way up the windshield in the snow these days, so not many thoughts about grading.
 
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DBDLS

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Mar 11, 2010
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225
Location
Campbell River, BC
Occupation
Heavy Equipment Operator
coastlogger said:
Wonder what the best way to end a pass is .ie leaving a reasonable road while turning grader around for next pass. I usually lift the leading edge a bit then spin the turntable so windrow kind of peters out between the wheels.im sure there's a more scientific way to do this and would love to hear about it.
Click to expand...

Not sure how much road width you have. I work in mining with a 24M with lots of road width (10-11 passes to do the road width) so what I do when I’m coming to the end of the windrow is crank the front end hard towards the next pass, articulate to get a tighter turn and spin the blade so it almost touches the rear tires. The heel of the blade should get pretty close to the windrow not on the blade and the toe should line up the blade load with the windrow. When the blade load and the windrow line up, stop, pick up the blade and turn around. This method stops the windrows from getting longer and longer as you work across the road.

Graders are great fun and, as you have already read, there are many ways to get something done. Your best bet is yo keep trying different ideas out and see what works for you and your application. Best wishes.
 
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pedrocar

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Jan 25, 2016
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110
Location
australia
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grader operator
I always turn towards the next pass slow down to a near stop lift the blade leaving the material in front of the next pass ,
Turn around pick it up and carry on
 
DMiller

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Wish someone would teach that to the local MODOT graders on our county roads!! Gawd Awful humps, piles and residual mounds all over!!
 
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cuttin edge

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NB Canada
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Finish grader operator
old-iron-habit said:
Many are grader drivers that are in the grader based on sonority and are not grader operators.
Click to expand...
Nail on the head. The public works division of Miramichi city hires people into a pool. You are assured of getting enough hours for employment insurance every year. If they like you, you get more. When a full time post comes up, they hire from the pool. I considered doing it because their grader man was getting close to retirement. I was told by someone that while I do have experience, chances are that I would never see a grader, I could end up planting flowers.
 
20/80

20/80

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Jul 29, 2013
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nova scotia canada
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operator
cuttin edge said:
Nail on the head. The public works division of Miramichi city hires people into a pool. You are assured of getting enough hours for employment insurance every year. If they like you, you get more. When a full time post comes up, they hire from the pool. I considered doing it because their grader man was getting close to retirement. I was told by someone that while I do have experience, chances are that I would never see a grader, I could end up planting flowers.
Click to expand...
We are trying to get away from that pool of operators that have zero experience operating graders and other equipment but have gained sonority through the union in a totally different field in the department, ex... a surveyor are popular for getting trained to operate a grader but yet has never sat or had made any effort get in a seat of any piece of heavy equipment the department has though his 20 year career, it would cost $7000 to give that person basic training and would pass but is not grader operator but is now on the list for a position, but remains in the surveyor group because it pays better, also a lot of times when we need a spare these guys that we spent the time and money training them won't come for a day or two for fear of losing overtime, so the guy that does have experience and would have been a good grader operator did not get picked for training because the training class was filled up with these surveyors crossing over for grader training, we now are looking at stricter interviews and changing the way employee's are picked for training not being based on sonority through the union.
 
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rondig

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Jul 24, 2013
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517
Location
fort macleod alberta
Occupation
excavation
cuttin edge said:
Basically whatever works for you. I always have the mb laying ahead to wherever that cutting sweet spot is. As I come to the end, I take some pressure off the leading edge, then slowly curl the mb back until it empties out. I reposition my mb while I turn around and engage the ground while moving instead of stopping. I do back drag some in lose material. I find back dragging with a grader is always a source of constant debate.
Click to expand...
Not for the parts supplier....there is no debate when u call him
 
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R.D.G013

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Apr 6, 2013
Messages
257
Location
sunshine coast qld australia
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Heavy equipment operator/foreman for about 48yrs o
20/80 said:
We are trying to get away from that pool of operators that have zero experience operating graders and other equipment but have gained sonority through the union in a totally different field in the department, ex... a surveyor are popular for getting trained to operate a grader but yet has never sat or had made any effort get in a seat of any piece of heavy equipment the department has though his 20 year career, it would cost $7000 to give that person basic training and would pass but is not grader operator but is now on the list for a position, but remains in the surveyor group because it pays better, also a lot of times when we need a spare these guys that we spent the time and money training them won't come for a day or two for fear of losing overtime, so the guy that does have experience and would have been a good grader operator did not get picked for training because the training class was filled up with these surveyors crossing over for grader training, we now are looking at stricter interviews and changing the way employee's are picked for training not being based on sonority through the union.
Click to expand...
What a crazy way of employing operators, they must think operating a grader is as simple as opening a tin of sardines, because its not, its heaps more complicated than that plus a few yrs of experience goes a long way.
 
20/80

20/80

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nova scotia canada
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operator
I Agree 100%, they do that so if their surveying job gets cut they could bump a under dog that has experience off a grader, like I said we are trying to get away from this scenario, its not working out for the department.
 
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