Spreading gravel.

   / Spreading gravel. #11  
I would agree with the others that the driver should be able to spread it. A good driver can even lay it out at the thickness you want. When I was in college, I worked for a road building construction company. We had a dump truck driver everyone called Fruit Loops (the name's a WHOLE other story/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif). But if the grader operator wanted a mat of gravel at 1 1/4", Fruit Loops could do it, and he'd pull a wheelie the whole time too /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif!. And he was driving a big tri-axle dump/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif. It never ceased to impress me.
 
   / Spreading gravel.
  • Thread Starter
#12  
Gary,
Well, you got my interest now, What is the fruit loop story ?/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Ed King
 
   / Spreading gravel. #13  
Well, I should just leave it at the fact that the guy was one of those characters that would do anything, anytime. He didn't care who was around or what they thought. But since you asked, here's one story....

We were grading for a new parking lot. I was operating a compaction roller and was working at the far side from where Fruit Loops was laying rock. He was proud of the fact that once he started his run, he'd never need to stop. So it caught my attention when I noticed him stop in the middle of the run (which totally pissed off the grader operator 'cause of the huge pile of rock that was left /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif). He was bobbing up and down in the cab of the truck, and then he jumped out and ran in front of the truck and threw something into the gravel and kicked a bunch of gravel around. Then he got back in the truck and drove away. Later when we had a chance for a break, I asked him what he was he doing when he'd stopped. He shrugged his shoulders and said..."Ya know how sometimes you have to "pass gas" (language cleaned up so that Muhammad doesn't get mad at me!/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif) and you kinda push to help it out? Well, it WASN'T gas. So, I removed my undies and tossed them into the gravel. Who'll know - we're gonna pave over it anyway! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

So now, every time I drive past that parking lot I start laughing/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif. That story is one of the few that I could tell about him. I'll just say that Fruit Loops was, without a doubt, the most colorful character I've ever known - and I was in the Navy/w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif!
 
   / Spreading gravel. #14  
I keep the box blade up so it lets the gravel slowly trickle out. Then with the fel I use the front edge of the blade, in reverse and downward pressure. Smooths just like concrete.
 
   / Spreading gravel. #15  
Ha

I got 3x15m3 loads of gravel for my driveway, and after reading similar posts a while ago, asked for a truck with tailgate chains.

Trucks rock up - Chains - Nah we don't have them !!!

So guess what - I was left with my little 18hp 2wd bota with only a rear blade - And 3 very large piles of gravel.

So I did what all real men would do - Go out and have a go. That only lasted for about a hour until I called in my freindly local excavator driver who spread it for me !!!

Cheers
 
   / Spreading gravel.
  • Thread Starter
#16  
Well, I guess I asked for it/w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif, thanks for the story, I got a pretty good belly laugh /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Ed King
 
   / Spreading gravel.
  • Thread Starter
#17  
Thanks, I'll give that a try when I get the gravel delievered, looks like it's going to be awhile, have to wait for it to dry out again.

Ed King
 
   / Spreading gravel. #18  
Ed,Everyone has their own way.I let the truck spread the rock where he can.I use my rear blade and turn it around backwards,driving foward.This simply drags the rock and does a good job of leveling.
 
   / Spreading gravel.
  • Thread Starter
#19  
I guess I'll play around and see what works. At least it will mean lots of seat time./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
 
   / Spreading gravel. #20  
Just to add my $0.02.

I had 43 tons of #2 stone delivered two weeks ago. The hill I am spreading it on was not conducive for the triaxle to spread, so I had him dump both loads near my garage because I plan to use the left over for a parking pad.

I loaded up the back blade (don't have a boxblade /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif ) and started to spread. I have a TC33D and a 60" bucket. I could get the bucket overflowing without a toothbar /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif . Needless to say I was very light on the trips down the hill. But I was able to master the bucket to get a very even spread and would lay the back blade down to smooth the ridges. I spread most of it in about 2 days.

Now the only bad part is my 2wd S10 spins out in the middle due to the grade. I have got to figure out how to get up and down without 4wd - any ideas on making the surface harder?

I will try to post some pictures.

Eric
 
 
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