FEL for sand spreading

[iis]

An earlier thread ("alt/sand box for the driveway")describes a system where the FEL is partially blocked off to control sand distribution. It is not discussed if it is a good idea to use the FEL as a giant salt shaker. I like this idea but I have about 150ft that needs to be sanded and I don't want to abuse my equipment (Kubota L3200).

 

[k0ua]

I have spread salt and sand with a FEL. It requires skill and lots of practice. It also depends on how "flowable" the material is.

I isn't easy, BUT you can do it. Think of getting the dump angle of the bucket to just the point where materiel starts to flow as you creep forward (HST transmission much preferred) as the material starts to flow, you must curl up slightly or you will get a "wad" of material on the roadway. Then continue shaking the joystick like a man with severe palsy. You will continue as you start to lower the dump angle again to keep the flow rate even as you match the creep rate forward. I told you this wasn't easy didn't I? Anyway this is an advanced bucket manipulation technique, and it might take some practice to get it down. Keep adjusting/shaking/creeping until you get the desired results. It would be much easier to show you than tell you.

 

[Wolfy]

A little different than how my dad did it. He drove the pickup while I was in the back and "flung" the sand with a shovel.

 

[RDrancher]

I have spread salt and sand with a FEL. It requires skill and lots of practice. It also depends on how "flowable" the material is.

I isn't easy, BUT you can do it. Think of getting the dump angle of the bucket to just the point where materiel starts to flow as you creep forward (HST transmission much preferred) as the material starts to flow, you must curl up slightly or you will get a "wad" of material on the roadway. Then continue shaking the joystick like a man with severe palsy. You will continue as you start to lower the dump angle again to keep the flow rate even as you match the creep rate forward. I told you this wasn't easy didn't I? Anyway this is an advanced bucket manipulation technique, and it might take some practice to get it down. Keep adjusting/shaking/creeping until you get the desired results. It would be much easier to show you than tell you.

James has it. Slow or fast, this is an excellent bucket skill to master. I have no need to spread salt (Thank God), but this is the method I use to place gravel toppings on driveways. Here's a pretty good video showing the shake and bake method. Skid Steer Spreading Driveway Gravel - YouTube

 

[k0ua]

James has it. Slow or fast, this is an excellent bucket skill to master. I have no need to spread salt (Thank God), but this is the method I use to place gravel toppings on driveways. Here's a pretty good video showing the shake and bake method. Skid Steer Spreading Driveway Gravel - YouTube

Yep, that's it. He made it look pretty easy.. I suspect he does it nearly every day. I don't do it that often, and I have to get into the groove again each time.

 

[dave1949]

I sprinkle bone dry sand from the FEL bucket sometimes too. If it comes out too quick you can always back drag later and spread it around. It doesn't take much sand to get traction so I would err on the side of too little rather than pile it on. You can always add more but extra doesn't scoop up very easy.

 

[skyhook]

It all depends on "who's" payin for it....that will determine the amount that's spread.
I usually fill the bucket and spread with a shovel.

 

[dave1949]

It all depends on "who's" payin for it....that will determine the amount that's spread.
I usually fill the bucket and spread with a shovel.

I never have enough sand to be generous with it. That's something I want to fix.

Anyone have a guess or know if I stored sand in an enclosed, unheated shed, would it freeze up? I could pick summer days when it's fairly dry to put sand in the shed.

I know salted road sand the town spreads doesn't usually freeze very hard in an open pile. This would be plain sand unless I added salt to it. I would prefer to not have salt in it though.

 

[skyhook]

I don't use sand because it does freeze, instead I use what is called "stone dust",
I do mix a couple of bags of salt in with it, just to draw the moisture out.
I'll even throw some wood stove ashes in the mix, works great on ice,
right now it's in a 4X8 box with lid but this summer I'll be making some type of shelter just for this.
Can also use it to fill in the ruts on our gravel road, it's about $200 for a 5 ton load.

 

[Ford850]

The OP didn't ask how to do it, but asked if it was a good idea to do it (they don't want to abuse the their equipment). I think going through the shake process could be abusive with a full bucket, but with a partial bucket, and for only 150' of drive, it would be fine.

 

[k0ua]

It is not going to hurt the L3200.

 

[dave1949]

I don't use sand because it does freeze, instead I use what is called "stone dust",
I do mix a couple of bags of salt in with it, just to draw the moisture out.
I'll even throw some wood stove ashes in the mix, works great on ice,
right now it's in a 4X8 box with lid but this summer I'll be making some type of shelter just for this.
Can also use it to fill in the ruts on our gravel road, it's about $200 for a 5 ton load.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Two years ago we bought a piece of property that abuts ours and it has a sand esker on it that has easy access. They tell me that years ago the town sand trucks used to load there, and there was some salt mixed in with the sand. The saltiness is about all gone now, there is just one small area remaining where not much grows.

So, I have sand but need to figure out the best and easiest way to use it. If I could handle it with the FEL--haul it home (it's about 1/4 mile from our driveway) and pile it up in the summer and sprinkle it out in winter--that would be the easiest. I just wondered how hard it would freeze if in an enclosed shed with a door. I know sand likes to stay damp. Sounds like adding salt is what I have to do to avoid it turning into a frozen lump.

I have used stone dust for patio paver projects, that's good stuff too but I would have to buy it.

 

[GolfAddict]

I store sand in 5 gallon buckets in an enclosed and unheated shed for winter spreading. It does not freeze up in lumps or anything. It is very dry to start with though...

 

[dave1949]

I store sand in 5 gallon buckets in an enclosed and unheated shed for winter spreading. It does not freeze up in lumps or anything. It is very dry to start with though...

I've been using sand bags--like are used for floods--for the past 5-6 years. I had a load of "reject sand" and regular sand leftover from building that I worked off of. Reject sand has some dirt dust in it, enough to get a little muddy when wet. Like you I store the bags inside, but that building stays above freezing.

That works and I could order another bunch of bags and fill them with the sand. The filled bags do eat up some floor space, plus they get heavier every year somehow. :laughing: I would like to get the sand out of that building. I never know how bags many a winter will use. I've had a couple winters where I used none. Last winter it was around 50 bags and I was hoping I would not run out.

 

[skyhook]

I hear ya Dave, I don't know what it is about sand, but it just seems to soak up the humidity.
I suppose if you got it "dry" and kept it dry, "sheltered", you could be alright, I don't know.
I know, stone, as in stone dust will not retain water.
Try it out and if you find the secret to it, let us know, sand is much cheaper.

 

[RDrancher]

It is not going to hurt the L3200.

Once again, I agree. 3000 hrs of commercial work on my tractor. I've hurt it doing a lot of things it was never designed for, but this isn't one of them.

 

[dave1949]

I hear ya Dave, I don't know what it is about sand, but it just seems to soak up the humidity.
I suppose if you got it "dry" and kept it dry, "sheltered", you could be alright, I don't know.
I know, stone, as in stone dust will not retain water.
Try it out and if you find the secret to it, let us know, sand is much cheaper.

I've been working on shed designs for a next summer project. I'm thinking of a combined wood and sand shed, those two things ought to co-exist okay. The sand area is going to need a 10' ceiling to get any depth in the sand pile dumping from the FEL bucket, and the interior walls will need to built like a horse stall for stiffness and retaining the sand.

I don't think salt bothers PT lumber. I know it would eat concrete so I think a vapor barrier like 6 mil plastic on the ground would be the floor for the sand pile.

 

[skyhook]

I've been working on shed designs for a next summer project. I'm thinking of a combined wood and sand shed, those two things ought to co-exist okay. The sand area is going to need a 10' ceiling to get any depth in the sand pile dumping from the FEL bucket, and the interior walls will need to built like a horse stall for stiffness and retaining the sand.

I don't think salt bothers PT lumber. I know it would eat concrete so I think a vapor barrier like 6 mil plastic on the ground would be the floor for the sand pile.

You know, that sounds like a great idea, I just may use it.....
I also have a wood shed, it's not really high enough but having them "both" together sounds good.
I'll have to think on modifying the existing one to get that 10 feet and widening it for gravel.
I don't know about the plastic flooring, going in and out with the loader, I'm thinking it may not last too long. I know in my tempo "garage" I have a crushed stone floor, on top of that, I made a floor out of 2X4's, cross piece's set evenly embedded in the stone and then the other 2X4"s screwed in on those.

 

[dave1949]

You know, that sounds like a great idea, I just may use it.....
I also have a wood shed, it's not really high enough but having them "both" together sounds good.
I'll have to think on modifying the existing one to get that 10 feet and widening it for gravel.
I don't know about the plastic flooring, going in and out with the loader, I'm thinking it may not last too long. I know in my tempo "garage" I have a crushed stone floor, on top of that, I made a floor out of 2X4's, cross piece's set evenly embedded in the stone and then the other 2X4"s screwed in on those.

The idea of the vapor barrier was to prevent the sand from drawing moisture up out of the ground. I'm not real certain how much of that would happen. But, moisture constantly evaporating off the top of the pile could have a decent amount of wick effect. I think if the plastic was under 4-5 inches of stone or sand, and I don't crank or spin the front wheels too much, it will probably stay put. If not, well I haven't lost much.

I've wanted a wood shed for years and it seems like every summer it gets pushed down the priority list. A 20x20x10H shed with the gable peak running east-west, 8x20 "room" on the south side for wood, 12x20 room on the north side with a door at each end for a pile of sand and room to store a log splitter. That's what I'm thinking at this point.

I have a collection of flat rocks to make a floor for the wood shed side. I shouldn't need to pour concrete if I use pole barn construction.

The only weak spot I have thought of is mice might like to build nests in the splitter engine housing.

 

[ksluy]

When making my sons drive way we had a load of base brought in and the driver dumped it all in one spot instead of spreading it. I just used the bucket to drag it back a little at a time when it was done it looked great, and the driving back and forth set it in nicely.