And So It Begins

[EddieWalker]

How thick are you going to put the limestone? My experience is that it needs to be at least 4 inches thick to lock together. If it's any thinner, it will flex and move around on you, which will lead to potholes and then sink holes. With 4 inches, you will have a solid surface that will shed water and support just about any weight vehicle. Also be careful of blading the road after it's down. Most of the time all you do is scrape off the stone and make it thinner. I'd much rather add stone to problem areas then try to scrape down a good area to fix a bad one.

Eddie

 

[davemhughes]

As usual, sound advice.....but, I only have the cash for a 2in base right now as its 1900+ feet of road plus a well being drilled in a couple of weeks. I would do 4in but the wife thinks water is important. I told her we live at the lake, can't you bath down there. Looks like a well wins out for now. More rock later this summer.

 

[davemhughes]

Spent 2 days out there kind of dressing up the road, pushing downed trees up, discing oats and just general tractor loader work. I had to use my genie to run my angle grinder on the disc 3 pt because my quick attach 3pt thingy was hitting the disc frame. I built some axel traps along a couple of access points where spot lighters have been coming in through in 4x4 trucks. Neighbor said they have heard shooting up there the other night, plus fresh off road truck tire tracks.....they are in for a rude surprise tonight.....

 

[midlf]

OK I'll bite. What is an axle trap and how do you build them?

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon Dave,
Wow great pictures and progress ! Really enjoyed all of them ! I think Eddie gave good advice on adding to the driveway rather than blading especially when its thin to begin with. Maybe just a an extra load dropped and use the FEL for all the low spots that show up !

Keep the pics coming !

 

[WayneB]

Looks great Dave! Will be looking forward to seeing the progress

 

[davemhughes]

OK I'll bite. What is an axle trap and how do you build them?

I will post up some pics of exactly what I am talking about.....very easy to make and very effective.

 

[bones1]

Nice place Dave.How much waterfront land do you have there?(read jealous)

 

[davemhughes]

Axel Trap:

As you see from the spot lighter's view you can not see it until its too late. Basically picking the right spot along their entry point is key. You dig a 3ft or so ditch right behind a slight rise and when they come through at night as they use the same route they have been using......that front axel is done. I have a lot of tolerance but not for spot lighters.....

 

[davemhughes]

Ok, had about 120T of Ab-3 gravel hauled in and spread it thin today. Monday having another 100T hauled in to thicken it up. The Ab-3 has lots of fines in it so after I drive on it multiple times over the weekend it should be packed down enough for the next 100T. I heeded the advice given and am going to put down a total 4in base to start or come as close as possible. Then wait for a good rain to make those fines get solid.

Ran my tractor from about 0900 to close to 1730, never shut it off. I had a issue once where I smoked the clutch once.....know better now not to get that buried up in the pile of gravel next time. Also I hit a root with the blade and it sheared the right linch pin off and it shot up and hit my tool box I installed on my tractor and took the left corner of the my tool box off. That would have sucked to have been hit by that. Had to use my truck winch to get the blade un-hung up. Installed a new pin and away I went. I paid $8 a ton for the rock and $55 a load to the driver for a 14T load each time. Long day.........had a great time.