Grading Box Blade and Rock Rake (a.k.a. york rake?) not really doing the job. Operator lacking skills?

[Egon]

From the pictures it looks like bigger equipment may be required to move rocks and level.

 

[joea99]

You also move the attachment forward which also reduces your lift capacity.

How much weight do you add with the SSQA? Won't that reduce your already limited loader lift capability?

Both to be considered of course. It is not a big machine after all. The ATI tach-all claims 76 pounds, which seems quite low for that amount of steel.

 

[joea99]

From the pictures it looks like bigger equipment may be required to move rocks and level.

I've managed to move the bigger rocks. Getting them out of the ground has proven a real struggle for the bigger ones.

 

[duffer]

Since you're in a freeze/thaw zone, your rock problem will continue longer than you will. The freezing and thawing of the soil will push rocks to the surface forever.

So my thought is this...

Why not use the rocks to your advantage? Sounds like you've harvested enough rocks that you could use them as a significant "base" for your 30x60 "pad". Use your FEL to spread them out "evenly" (that's a stretch I know) and supplement "leveling" with box blade if needed. Then have either Crusher/run or unwashed fines brought in to fill in the cracks on the surface of the rock base below. Water it in, and you'll have the equivalent of a concrete pad (almost). Leveling out your top coat of rock with your box blade or back dragging with your FEL will put a really nice finish on it.

And it will drain well after a rain event, leaving your feet dry if you want to use your sawmill when the rest of the area is mud.

FWIW, I used this method on my ¼ mile driveway, and it works pretty well, even with all the heavy traffic on it.

(a different 2¢)

 

[joea99]

Since you're in a freeze/thaw zone, your rock problem will continue longer than you will. The freezing and thawing of the soil will push rocks to the surface forever.

Very true. The old(er) farmers liked to complain about that. Always finding new ones when they plow in the spring.

So my thought is this...

Why not use the rocks to your advantage? Sounds like you've harvested enough rocks that you could use them as a significant "base" for your 30x60 "pad". Use your FEL to spread them out "evenly" (that's a stretch I know) and supplement "leveling" with box blade if needed. Then have either Crusher/run or unwashed fines brought in to fill in the cracks on the surface of the rock base below. Water it in, and you'll have the equivalent of a concrete pad (almost). Leveling out your top coat of rock with your box blade or back dragging with your FEL will put a really nice finish on it.

And it will drain well after a rain event, leaving your feet dry if you want to use your sawmill when the rest of the area is mud.

FWIW, I used this method on my ¼ mile driveway, and it works pretty well, even with all the heavy traffic on it.

(a different 2¢)

Similar thoughts have crossed my mind. There is a low spot in my drive/road that needs exactly that, but seem wasteful to haul in stone. Not found any one that sells just fines though, best I may be able to do is smaller aggregate. They do sell 3/8 and smaller.

 

[duffer]

Very true. The old(er) farmers liked to complain about that. Always finding new ones when they plow in the spring.



Similar thoughts have crossed my mind. There is a low spot in my drive/road that needs exactly that, but seem wasteful to haul in stone. Not found any one that sells just fines though, best I may be able to do is smaller aggregate. They do sell 3/8 and smaller.

What you want is to make sure that the top layer has "dust or fines" in it. Crusher/run is ok, but unwashed screenings is the best. You want something that will compact.

 

[MattB4]

Around my area the materiel from the crusher/wash plant that they do not sell as graded rock is sold as "Dirty base". You want to avoid having it hauled when raining because it sets up like concrete and is hard to dump smoothly. It is quite a bit cheaper by the ton.

 

[joea99]

Around my area the materiel from the crusher/wash plant that they do not sell as graded rock is sold as "Dirty base". You want to avoid having it hauled when raining because it sets up like concrete and is hard to dump smoothly. It is quite a bit cheaper by the ton.

The rare times I bring in material, I try to do it during dry(er) times. Always irked me that they sell "by the ton" (mostly) but make no allowance for water weight. Never can get a good answer to "how many yards is that?"

After all, I need a "Volume" not a "weight".

Maybe I'm making too much of that, though.

 

[Skypuppy]

Know it sounds odd, but there are locations where rocks to actually "grow" year after year. My and and uncle had a farm with fields that did just that. My cousins and I, for several years in a row, cleared that field of rocks but they kept coming back! Now, I understand that is normal for very cold climates but this was in central Alabama! The closest fields to theirs were about a mile away and a farm (but only one!) on one side of them had the same problem, while on the other sides had normal dirt! Their land was extremely rocky all over it. They finally just gave up on it. In the fields area, the rocks were many sizes, some as many as 3 feet around, while the big rocks next to the road were tons and more.

 

[JBacon52]

The rare times I bring in material, I try to do it during dry(er) times. Always irked me that they sell "by the ton" (mostly) but make no allowance for water weight. Never can get a good answer to "how many yards is that?"

After all, I need a "Volume" not a "weight".

Maybe I'm making too much of that, though.

This may be close to what you're looking for? https://www.trorc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Cubic_Yardage_Chart-D.pdf