# Upcycling a Slasher into a Land Plane



## Hoyks (May 9, 2021)

I've got a few acres and a gravel drive and like the idea of getting myself a land plane to maintain it, unfortunately I'm resistant to the price of a new one, considering the amount of use that it will get, and used seem to be nonexistent in my area.

There seems to be more than a few slashers (bush-hogs) though, these have been left in the paddock with grass and crap piled on them, only to have the deck rot out. These can be had for very little money and the side plates and sliders are still in pretty good condition.

Anyone see an issue with cutting all the gearbox and deck out of the middle, welding in a couple of lengths of heavy angle iron (grader blade if I get really fancy) and putting it back to work? The slider plates on the side of a land plane look pretty much the same, they just don't have the height adjustment option that a slasher has.

I have all the scrap steel from a house demolition, so it will only cost me MIG wire and gas....and some grinding disks, ... probably some paint.... and a tractor to pull it


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

why not if you can do it!!, a man of my own heart, make something from nothing.


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## BinVa (Sep 21, 2020)

Sounds like a good idea!! I don't see why it wouldn't work if all the ground contact points are hardened steel. You could maintain the 3pt hitch and add additional gauge wheels as needed. You could also utilize a tow mounted bushhog with Hydraulic lift rear wheels. But you're on the right track..
And Welcome to the forum. B.


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## Hoyks (May 9, 2021)

Well, a blow has been struck and we had an adventure. 

I was trawling FB Marketplace and a old 3' slasher came up for $150, unfortunately it was in the next state and leaving Queensland is easy, getting back in... not so much. We have been pretty much COVID free for the past 2 years and more than happy to keep it that way. But restrictions were easing and border communities have special dispensations, so I got my pass, stuck the dog in the back seat and headed off.

Turns out I had agreed to buy $150 of green and red painted rust, but it was still pretty heavy to try and lift into the ute. Old-mate that I bought it off had lined up a forklift, but his mate forgot and didn't show. But we got it loaded, strapped down and we headed back towards the border, hopefully they would let me back in.
The boarder checkpoint was a very bored looking Queensland policeman and a Transport inspector, both well and truly over the duty they had been given. I was the only vehicle in sight and we both though it was pretty pointless stopping travelers when there were 2000+ cases in Brisbane 150km up the road. Turns out I had the wrong pass, but he didn't really care, patted the dog and let us through.

I got back home around lunch time and as I had no hope of lifting the thing off the back of the ute I thought about tying it to a tree and driving off but figured that might bend stuff, so commenced disassembly.









WD40 is pretty good, but soon found the limits. It was easier to just twist the bolts off than undo them. Side plates were pretty easy to remove, the 3 point linkage and gearbox put up more of a fight.










The 3PL is in really good condition, 1/2" steel bar and hardly a spot of rust on it. That alone was worth the price of admission. The side plates... not so much. I attacked them with a stiff wire wheel and on one of them the bottom 1" is rusted out about half way along, I can cut it out and weld in a new bit easily enough. The other is pretty much shot, only usable as a template.

















The gearbox was a win, but also cursed.
Inside there was no wear at all... and no oil as the bottom seal had failed. But I suppose a 60hp rated gearbox on a 3ft slasher isn't working too hard. 
It had a slip clutch and a over-run clutch on it, the second was a pain to get off so I could replace the seals. I'm guessing it hasn't been off or serviced in 40 years and was pretty much welded onto the shaft. The workshop was moved outside so I didn't filth up my shed and it was too bloody hot inside. 
2 days of soaking in degreaser, WD40, acetone and oil did nothing, so it escalated to a big hammer, blow torch and finally a gear puller.
Success! 









Now to load up the pile of scrap I have stacked up behind the shed and go and cash it in so I can buy more steel and clear some room in the shed so I have room to work. 
The gearbox only needs around $20 of seals and I can sell that too.

My wife has withdrawn my FB marketplace privileges as I also came home with a TIG welder... It was only $150, you couldn't buy the materials for that.


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## BinVa (Sep 21, 2020)

You're already on the road to $$ recovery!! And a good 3pt. A frame to start with... some start with less. Good luck with the fabrication... B


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