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!