Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?)

   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #42  

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   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #43  
I guess retaining walls may not be that unusual but not a primary use for a TLB. In my case a segmented wall, and a few other projects, added up to a scut bought with zero interest financing. Like some folks I'd rather do it myself and use the labor savings to by what I need to do the job as long as I feel comfortable with the task at hand.
Anyway, pics are of a 90 foot wall on the property line. It replaced an existing, old-school, mortared, cinder block wall that did not have a crushed stone base or drainage, and was in bad shape when we purchased our 120+ year old home.
Bought a 1025R TLB, mechanical thumb for the backhoe, pallet forks, tamper (cheap chinese), laser level for grading and excavation, etc. Tore down an old shed and used the plywood floor and joists to build a gravel bin for crushed stone near the wall location. The excavation for the bin, done on sloped ground, will be enlarged for a new shed at a later date. Part of the floor from the old shed was used to build a ramp over the wall from my property into the neighbor's yard. They were nice enough to allow me access because the landscaping prevented access to constructing the wall and I helped them out with a little grading they needed.
The wall had to be stepped up along its length because it runs up a slope, so renting a tamper would have been very expensive. You can't really step up until you get there with the first course, unless you are confident that excavating all at once will be without mistakes. And the tamper I bought will be used again for the new shed and a parking pad using pavers. It was the cheapest one with a frame and eye so the loader and a chain took care of in and out of the trench.
Once I had the first courses in, it was son, son-in-law and grandson for stack-n-pack time.
Here are some picks, including the old wall (about 6,000 lbs weighed at the landfill), the bin and ramp to wheel barrel for working alone at an easy pace, and to save loader trips out to the street to get on the other side of the wall. Used the backhoe to scoop the stone to the ramp, raked into a wheelbarrow and shuttled the stone. Once it was time for stack and pack with my helpers, it was loader out the back yard, side street, front street and into the neighbor's yard. Front yard, to street, to front yard was not safe due to a very steep hill up to my driveway.

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   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #44  
What are some projects you've attempted (and accomplished) with a tractor that may be considered abnormal? I'm talking about thinking outside the box (blade) to the max.
I don't care if it was the absolute worst possible tool for the job.

What are some innovative (or not) ways youve used a tractor to clear land, specifically?

I'm new to the tractor world but have been thoroughly enjoying ripping up trees with my post/tree puller.
 
   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #45  
What are some projects you've attempted (and accomplished) with a tractor that may be considered abnormal? I'm talking about thinking outside the box (blade) to the max.
I don't care if it was the absolute worst possible tool for the job.

What are some innovative (or not) ways youve used a tractor to clear land, specifically?

I'm new to the tractor world but have been thoroughly enjoying ripping up trees with my post/tree puller.
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Putting a 300 pound pizza oven in place.
 
   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #46  
Used it as a boom to help me erect a pole barn by myself. For the trusses, I constructed a wooden beam, attached it to the FEL and viola! I was actually surprised it worked so well and I didn't kill myself!
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   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #47  
What are some projects you've attempted (and accomplished) with a tractor that may be considered abnormal? I'm talking about thinking outside the box (blade) to the max.
I don't care if it was the absolute worst possible tool for the job.

What are some innovative (or not) ways youve used a tractor to clear land, specifically?

I'm new to the tractor world but have been thoroughly enjoying ripping up trees with my post/tree puller.
 
   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #48  
What are some projects you've attempted (and accomplished) with a tractor that may be considered abnormal? I'm talking about thinking outside the box (blade) to the max.
I don't care if it was the absolute worst possible tool for the job.

What are some innovative (or not) ways youve used a tractor to clear land, specifically?

I'm new to the tractor world but have been thoroughly enjoying ripping up trees with my post/tree puller.
A while back, I taught my little Kubota BX25 the ways of the force. It eventually became a true Jedi Master. Here it is fighting the Death Star with a light saber. If you look close, you can see the emperor under the Death Star shooting lightning bolts.


Note….this is a real photo with no photo shop.
 

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   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #49  
The one that haunts me the most was on the zero turn by my pond. Water Moccasin came out of the water and in front of me. I thought that I would chase it down and run it over with the blades chopping it up into fertilizer. But it stopped and curled up in front of me with it's head up higher then the deck. I stopped about ten feet in front of it, got scared, and backed up as fast as I could. I went back to the house as fast as I could, grabbed a pistol and went back looking for it, but I never saw it again. I still have nightmares of that snake!!!!!
That's why you carry your pistol, so you don't have to run back to the house for it!
 
   / Non Traditional Projects (What have you done with your tractor?) #50  
That's why you carry your pistol, so you don't have to run back to the house for it!

Exactly. We have timber rattlers and copperheads here in the mountains. Plus, rabid raccoons and a number of coyotes have been seen. Iffn' I've got my britches on, I have a handgun on me as well.
 
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