making a logging road level

[gil fraser]

I cut the family's firewood from our hilly spot in Maine and manage pretty well with my Kubota L2350. There is one spot on the way to a particularly good stand that dips to the east. Not enough to tip the tractor, but enough to make me nervous when I go over it.

Any tips how to level this 15 foot section with the equipment I own? Remember that any remedy has got to stand having tree length logs skidded over it. Thanks
Gil

 

[Egon]

What equipment do you own?

What type of road material is involved?

What is the slope and is it on a grade?

Egon

 

[gil fraser]

I own a Kubota L2350 with FEL. The tilt is approx 10 degrees, I'd guess, and fortunately this small stretch is relatively flat. Soils are typical Maine, less sand than clay and the "road" is essentially unimproved woods trail. I cannot bypass this dip; it lies between a stream and a steep hill and there isn't a lot of room to work on either side.

Is this a simple fix like getting some fill in there, or would a box blade be helpful? thanks again. Gil

 

[GaryE]

Gil,

I think the easiest thing to try is just haul a few loads of gravel in with your FEL from a spot close by. And then back drag the FEL over it to level it out. Just keep the FEL as low as possible when carrying the load in to keep your center of gravity as low as possible.

Good luck,

Gary

 

[Paddy]

Use a box or grader blade.

Box blade; Angle it to pull the spoils to the low side and at the same time use the cutting teeth very agressivly to dig down on the high side. Use 2 5 gal buckets filled with gravel to add some cutting power.

If you have a grader blade. You can angle in two directions to both cut a direct the spoils. grader blades are not as robust as box blades and can be bent quite easy.

 

[roxynoodle]

Is there any way to lay railroad ties or small diameter logs on the low side to keep any new gravel you put in from washing down the incline?

 

[Egon]

As stated, put something on the low side for stability. Then start at a spot that has near zero sideslope and use the inside edge of the bucket to get a path started. Dump any dirt on the low side but make sure you keep the base you are working from level. Just keep this up until you are at the other end of the side slope. This is easiest done with a dozer as you just dig turn and push to the low side. [ side doze ]

Starting level and keeping your cut area level is important. Just nibble at it and it will go well.

 

[dancer]

My farmette is a couple of hundred yards from a commercial asphalt plant. Besides the asphalt, they sell graded (e.g. 5/8" screened) gravel for (only) about $7.50 per yard -- not bad considering how far a yard of gravel will go. If you're doing engineering work on a rough road surface like you describe, a few yards of gravel involved in the process will seldom hurt...