Looking for some feedback on an idea to prep for a utility / storage shed.

[Topher265]

Okay, so this idea just hit me. Please let me know if this seems like it would work pretty well, or if some of you have suggestions on getting it done.

The background: We are going to have a utility shed built on our property. It will be a gable style 12'x16' shed. There are a few ways I can prep the site for the shed so that it's level, but the most cost efficient and attractive (to me) was to lay a 4" bed of "3/4 inch clean" gravel. I'm also planning on immediately adding (or have the builders add) an 8' lean-to for some basic covered storage of a utility trailer I have.

I do not have an actual "tractor". What I have is a used commercial front-mount diesel front wheel drive JD mower, and I have 3 JD attachments for it. I call it a tractor though :laughing:. The model is F935. One attachment I got when I bought it was the 54" hydraulic front blade. The blade has tipover springs and was probably mostly used as a snow plow, but it also has a location for a lock pin to turn the blade into a dozer blade. I did not predict ever using it, but since it was "free" I figured having it couldn't hurt.

Well, if you haven't guessed by now, my idea is to use the blade and push it down a few inches to dig down and make the area for the gravel bed. All with as little physical exertion as possible! I'm able, but also lazy :thumbsup: I'm mainly doing this so the shed is closer to ground level. The F935 has a "weight transfer valve" that applies downforce via the hydraulic lift cylinders to whatever attachment is on the front. Usually this is the mowing deck, and it works quite well so that the deck follows the ground contours.

Is there any reason why this wouldn't work? I've never used a dozer blade or done work like this so what should I look out for? The land I'm doing this to is at the edge of my yard so it's already pretty flat, and there shouldn't be any stumps/obstacles around. My mower is heavy...by the way. The dry weight is 1501lbs, and it has the JD steel cab, along with probably 200# of rear weight...and around 200# of front weight above the front axle . If I had to guess, I'd bet with the blade I'm probably around 2k lbs.

Once it's dug, I would probably lay some fabric then border the area with landscape timbers that are flush to the ground and then use a truck bed cargo unloader to get gravel out ton by ton. Then once the gravel is there use the blade again to move the gravel around.

Thoughts?

 

[MESSMAKER]

I doubt you can dig much with that setup, but you might use a rototiller to break up the soil and the blade to move it around if that helps.

 

[s219]

First, don't go down a "numerical" depth like 4" -- go down until you have stripped off the top layer of organic soil and hit solid dirt below (this is 5-10" in my area). If you don't remove that top layer, your gravel is just going to sink in and whatever it's supporting (say a concrete pad) will have problems.

Having done this with a real 4WD tractor and a box blade, and seeing how much work it was, I'd never try it with a mower like the F935. It won't have enough power or traction to make a dent (or if it did, something would likely break). This is a job for a box blade or a bulldozer.

 

[Topher265]

Well crummy. It sounds like I should just level the shed above ground. Of the three tractors I have access too, none of them have box blades so it sounds like any real digging is out.

Thanks for the comments/help though!

 

[Citydude]

Call me hard headed but I couldn't walk away without trying your machine. What do you have to lose?

 

[Pepsiboy]

Okay, so this idea just hit me. Please let me know if this seems like it would work pretty well, or if some of you have suggestions on getting it done.

The background: We are going to have a utility shed built on our property. It will be a gable style 12'x16' shed. There are a few ways I can prep the site for the shed so that it's level, but the most cost efficient and attractive (to me) was to lay a 4" bed of "3/4 inch clean" gravel. I'm also planning on immediately adding (or have the builders add) an 8' lean-to for some basic covered storage of a utility trailer I have.

I do not have an actual "tractor". What I have is a used commercial front-mount diesel front wheel drive JD mower, and I have 3 JD attachments for it. I call it a tractor though :laughing:. The model is F935. One attachment I got when I bought it was the 54" hydraulic front blade. The blade has tipover springs and was probably mostly used as a snow plow, but it also has a location for a lock pin to turn the blade into a dozer blade. I did not predict ever using it, but since it was "free" I figured having it couldn't hurt.

Well, if you haven't guessed by now, my idea is to use the blade and push it down a few inches to dig down and make the area for the gravel bed. All with as little physical exertion as possible! I'm able, but also lazy :thumbsup: I'm mainly doing this so the shed is closer to ground level. The F935 has a "weight transfer valve" that applies downforce via the hydraulic lift cylinders to whatever attachment is on the front. Usually this is the mowing deck, and it works quite well so that the deck follows the ground contours.

Is there any reason why this wouldn't work? I've never used a dozer blade or done work like this so what should I look out for? The land I'm doing this to is at the edge of my yard so it's already pretty flat, and there shouldn't be any stumps/obstacles around. My mower is heavy...by the way. The dry weight is 1501lbs, and it has the JD steel cab, along with probably 200# of rear weight...and around 200# of front weight above the front axle . If I had to guess, I'd bet with the blade I'm probably around 2k lbs.

Once it's dug, I would probably lay some fabric then border the area with landscape timbers that are flush to the ground and then use a truck bed cargo unloader to get gravel out ton by ton. Then once the gravel is there use the blade again to move the gravel around.

Thoughts?

Like others here have said, I would try using a rototiller to break up the soil FIRST, then go in with your tractor blade to remove. Do again and again until you get the depth you need. Then bring in the rock or gravel and level with tractor. :2cents:

Good luck with your project.

Dave