RDrancher's Photo Thread

[redprospector]

I've enjoyed looking at your pictures. I grew up across the lake from you in Pilot Point, but that was a looooooong time ago. I forgot how flat it is there.

Andy

 

[RDrancher]

I've enjoyed looking at your pictures. I grew up across the lake from you in Pilot Point, but that was a looooooong time ago. I forgot how flat it is there. Andy

I do quite a bit of work in Pilot Point, mostly for new homes. Ya...it's all pretty flat.

Here's a few from a 40 yard driveway today. The home was built in the late 1800's. The driveway looked like it was just a little newer.

 

[RDrancher]

Nice work!! I understand being "picky" I am picky when working for others, but seemed to waiver on my personal projects, IDK why Thanks for the photos,

I completely understand Western! I am of the belief that "perfect" and "adequate" should be a lot closer in the dictionary...

Great Pics!!! I really enjoyed seeing them and all the different types of jobs that you do.

Eddie

Thanks Eddie! I try to keep all of the work equipment related, but every once in awhile a concrete driveway or retaining wall seem to slip in there. Hard to retrain an old dog I guess.

 

[jinman]

Hey RD, that right-hand quick-attach handle on your loader looks like something has been chomping on it. Has the lever been broken off since before you bought the tractor? Mine are a bit stiff at times, but I never used a cheater hard enough to do that.

Nice job on the driveway! That looks great. Did you do all that with one bobtail and pup load? I normally figure 10'W x 75' L for each load for new roads. That driveway probably had a base down in the dirt, so maybe 100' per load would be good.

 

[RDrancher]

Hey Jim...Figured someone had to notice the handle! It actually broke off during that blizzard we had a couple of winters ago. It was being stubborn and I gave it a few taps with a hammer to get it locked all the way in. I sandwiched the broken off handle between two sections of steel stake and welded it up. That held fine until last week.

You are correct, there was a little base left under the washout. The driveway took about 40 yards, or two truck and pup loads. I usually figure 3/4" rock and road base just like concrete...length x width x depth in inches divided by 324. Gets it real close. I make adjustments for other aggregates. For example, pea gravel goes a little farther and with chat / screenings you'll need a bit more. Just so you know, 3/4" out of Chico is running 3/8" crush up to 3/4". Lays down nice and compacts pretty hard without a roller if it's not put in too thick.

 

[GregbkH]

Beautiful work!

This is my 2nd season of maintaining the gravel drive and easement of our property in western WI. Up here, the drives usually have a base layer of larger breaker rock (limestone) for a base. 4-6 inch stuff. Otherwise the 3/4" will sink into the earth and disappear. You don't need it down in Tx? Is it because we have heavy frost up here?

 

[RDrancher]

Beautiful work!

This is my 2nd season of maintaining the gravel drive and easement of our property in western WI. Up here, the drives usually have a base layer of larger breaker rock (limestone) for a base. 4-6 inch stuff. Otherwise the 3/4" will sink into the earth and disappear. You don't need it down in Tx? Is it because we have heavy frost up here?

Most driveways here have a road base material down first. Its usually made up of 5/8" or 1-1/2" crushed rock and limestone fines. There are also driveways that have a utility rock like your breaker rock put down during construction and then were topped with road base. The former outnumbers the latter by at least 100-1. If utility rock is used with clean stone installed on top, they'll both usually disappear over time. The fines in the road base seem to hold things together longer. If I see enough road base present when I check out a job, I always give the customer the option of additional road base or stone. If there's not enough road base then they need road base plain and simple. For new driveways I try to educate the customer on the positive aspects of using geotextile, but getting folks to change from what daddy did is a hard sell.

 

[RDrancher]

Finished out the week with another driveway re-grade, four cross-driveway drainage pipes and six truck and pup loads of gravel.


I'll be back at this property later in the year to do some clearing and mulching.

 

[mikehaugen]

so have you figured out how to keep the green out it yet?

 

[two_bit_score]

Great thread, really enjoyed it. Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

 

[RDrancher]

so have you figured out how to keep the green out it yet?

By "green" I'm assuming you mean grass, etc. Round-up, if it's an existing driveway. Of course, when installing a new driveway using non-woven geotextile works the best. Another thing that works is to excavate for the driveway so that the finish elevation is level is just above the surrounding soil, as opposed to laying the gravel over the top of the ground. That way the edges are just as thick as the rest of the drive and the gravel is more contained. Material selection is important too. Locally, we have a brown-colored road base that looks great, but the fines are pretty fertile, so grass loves to grow in it. I don't use it.

Here are a couple photos of a driveway I regraded so they could get a handle on the grass. Like most gravel driveways it's thin on the edges, so unless it's maintained, the grass will grow back in time. BTW - I didn't add any new material to the driveway.

Great thread, really enjoyed it. Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

Thank you! :thumbsup:

 

[two_bit_score]

That is a dramatic difference in appearance in #31.

Would you mind going through the process a little, including what equipment used, for those of us that aren't experienced enough to know?

Once again, Excellent thread!

.

 

[RDrancher]

Every job is different, but when I'm using the box blade and scarifiers I only go down to a depth of 2" or so. I also use a ratchet rake on the bucket and am experimenting with a landplane. I don't mind getting into the soil a little bit to remove grass roots, but if I see any soil peeling up onto the scarifiers I raise them up a bit. I rip to the bottom of any potholes full-box blade width both ways and take the extra time to compact those areas back in. In the photos in #31 I hauled off two bucket loads of grass and roots.

STEPS FOR RESTORING YOUR GRAVEL DRIVEWAY or PARKING LOT

#1. During our visit to provide you with a Free Estimate, we'll measure the area and identify any existing problems (IE: potholes, poor drainage, washboard). We will also determine the depth of the existing gravel in several locations to insure that there is enough material and the right type of material to reclaim your driveway or parking lot.

If we determine that you will need additional gravel, we will inform you during our first visit…No Surprises!

#2. We'll scarify (score) your driveway or parking lot using our equipment-mounted scarifiers and a specially designed loader attachment. Getting to the bottom of these problem areas is the only method proven to repair and eliminate potholes, poor drainage and washboard surfaces. Adding rock to potholes and spreading more gravel over old problems looks fine for awhile... but it does nothing to correct the problem. Those same problem areas will return just as before.

#3. The gravel and fine particles are mixed back together and re-graded over your driveway or parking lot using the combination of our loader and road maintainer or box grader. We pay close attention to drainage, dress up the edges, and re-crown if required. We also separate and remove as much grass, soil and other materials as possible during the restoration process.

#4. Your reclaimed gravel driveway or parking lot is then compacted to add durability. Rainfall does the rest!

 

[RDrancher]

Started an RV access today. Its on a slope with some drainage issues.


Hmmm, A culvert pipe no one knew existed. I'll be installing a new larger and longer one here anyway.


Picked up a couple new tinhorns for the project this afternoon.

 

[mikehaugen]

when people speak of "drainage issues" does that mean water pooling around driveway because the drive is low, or water is not draining through the driveway well enough?

 

[RDrancher]

Well, it can mean a lot of things. In this case the RV access has a "J" turn at the top and water travels straight down the hill towards it. I'm putting in a rip rap collection area there to channel flow under the new gravel area. At the bottom of the hill at the gate water flows down the neighbor's drainage channel and would travel across the gravel there too.

Here's some photos from today. Created a small drainage swale and catch area with geotextile and rip rap to collect flow off of the adjoining property. Put in a 30' culvert pipe and graded a shallow swale to an existing culvert pipe under the private road, then dug the ditch for the 30' culvert at the top. The customer decided this afternoon to widen the area so I'm adding another 16 footer. It started raining, so I wheel rolled the driveway and swale before leaving.


Thirsty Tractor



May I buy a vowel?

 

[sparc]

It started raining, so I wheel rolled the driveway and swale before leaving.

Great thread and nice work.

What do you normally use for compaction, a walk behind or a towable roller?

 

[RDrancher]

Thank you!

Of course it depends on the project, but I use a vibratory ride-on roller and a plate compactor for small areas whenever its in the client's budget. I had been looking lately at purchasing a towable roller that I could keep on the trailer for everyday jobs, but I may be parking the tractor and going to a CTL so I've been putting that off. Sure wish the economy would get better so purchasing decisions would be easier.

 

[RDrancher]

Didn't get out to the job until this afternoon, but managed to get the additional culvert picked up and set. Graded for the upper catch basin, keyed in for the geotextile and rip rap and then placed the rip rap. Hmmm, forgot to get pics of the grading.


The downstream end of the pipe.

 

[jinman]

RD, that 4"-6" rip-rap is very nice and easy to work. I got one load of 8"-12" and 4 loads of 4"-6". I've used 2/3 of my 4"-6" and still have half a load of the larger rip-rap. I'm close to Chico, Paradise, & Bridgeport. Hauling is much cheaper here than in Denton. Even so, none of it is cheap.