Harv
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2000
- Messages
- 3,371
- Tractor
- Kubota L2500DT Standard Transmission
Hmmmmmm. Took a shot at what discussion group this one belongs in. If you're taking polls, Muhammad, how 'bout one for "Tractor Projects" or "Tractor Usage" -- you know, a proper place to chat about the things we actually do with our tractors?
I know there are previous threads dealing with culverts, and I have been reading them avidly, but I was hoping you experienced guys could walk me through the 3 culverts I have planned. Since I'm obsessed with posting pictures, it seems like an opportunity for y'all to tell me what I'm doing wrong (or right, if that ever happens. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)
Well, this project was off to a bad start, as you may already know. I got back from my 'panic' trip to the property last night (Tuesday) after doing what I could to fend off any damage from this unexpected rain storm that just passed through. The pipe still hasn't arrived -- apparently it is now sitting in the dealer's yard, but I'm at the bottom of their delivery list even though it is over 2 weeks overdue. Grumble. /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif
All I was able to do, therefore, was to throw a tarp over my pile of crushed limestone (backfill) and hope it's still workable when the pipe does get delivered.
I also needed to open up a water channel that had completely filled itself in. This being only the third time in the seat of my 2500, it was all learning curve. Taking the advice from previous posts I first scraped out a "V" groove by tilting the box blade as far as I could and dragging the lower 3 rippers through the area where I wanted the channel to be. At first I thought my box was too wimpy to do the job, but a few repetitions laters and I could start to appreciate the results.
After loosening the soil (and considerable rocks) in that manner, I then attacked from the side with the loader bucket to create at least the semblance of a ditch. Lots of that learning curve here I can tell you. Muhammad -- I didn't understand all that hooplah about the spinner, but after this little project I'm definitely putting it on my shopping list. The resulting ditch (and I use the word flatteringly) was quite shallow -- about a foot -- but that's about where the natural bottom of the channel should be. Any deeper and it would be below the high-water mark of the pond itself.
This is actually the site of the first 12-inch culvert pipe I'm going to put in. The channel is quite shallow, but the area is in a natural depression (funny how water finds those) so I'm hoping I can build up the tractor path to achieve that magical 12 inches of topfill above the pipe without creating a mountain for the tractor to climb over.
Shortly after that last picture was taken, the sky let loose with a truly impressive downpour. I kept at it in the rain until the loose soil I had created started turning to mud. There wasn't much danger of burying the tractor, but I didn't like the way it started slipping and sliding in close proximity to the trees. I also started wondering just how good a lightning rod me and my Kubota would make. I finished what I could by hand, soaked to the bone, and then packed it up for the night. Next day was too soggy for digging, so I spent the day tinkering with my new tilt meters and such. More on that in another post.
The culvert pipe should be arriving Thursday, so I'll be heading back up first thing Friday morning.
Is this too much detail and/or verbage for this kind of post? I feel pretty lost and alone on this project, so I'm trying to use the magic of the internet and digital photography to draw some of you into being back-seat drivers for me. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif
I know there are previous threads dealing with culverts, and I have been reading them avidly, but I was hoping you experienced guys could walk me through the 3 culverts I have planned. Since I'm obsessed with posting pictures, it seems like an opportunity for y'all to tell me what I'm doing wrong (or right, if that ever happens. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)
Well, this project was off to a bad start, as you may already know. I got back from my 'panic' trip to the property last night (Tuesday) after doing what I could to fend off any damage from this unexpected rain storm that just passed through. The pipe still hasn't arrived -- apparently it is now sitting in the dealer's yard, but I'm at the bottom of their delivery list even though it is over 2 weeks overdue. Grumble. /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif
All I was able to do, therefore, was to throw a tarp over my pile of crushed limestone (backfill) and hope it's still workable when the pipe does get delivered.
I also needed to open up a water channel that had completely filled itself in. This being only the third time in the seat of my 2500, it was all learning curve. Taking the advice from previous posts I first scraped out a "V" groove by tilting the box blade as far as I could and dragging the lower 3 rippers through the area where I wanted the channel to be. At first I thought my box was too wimpy to do the job, but a few repetitions laters and I could start to appreciate the results.
After loosening the soil (and considerable rocks) in that manner, I then attacked from the side with the loader bucket to create at least the semblance of a ditch. Lots of that learning curve here I can tell you. Muhammad -- I didn't understand all that hooplah about the spinner, but after this little project I'm definitely putting it on my shopping list. The resulting ditch (and I use the word flatteringly) was quite shallow -- about a foot -- but that's about where the natural bottom of the channel should be. Any deeper and it would be below the high-water mark of the pond itself.
This is actually the site of the first 12-inch culvert pipe I'm going to put in. The channel is quite shallow, but the area is in a natural depression (funny how water finds those) so I'm hoping I can build up the tractor path to achieve that magical 12 inches of topfill above the pipe without creating a mountain for the tractor to climb over.
Shortly after that last picture was taken, the sky let loose with a truly impressive downpour. I kept at it in the rain until the loose soil I had created started turning to mud. There wasn't much danger of burying the tractor, but I didn't like the way it started slipping and sliding in close proximity to the trees. I also started wondering just how good a lightning rod me and my Kubota would make. I finished what I could by hand, soaked to the bone, and then packed it up for the night. Next day was too soggy for digging, so I spent the day tinkering with my new tilt meters and such. More on that in another post.
The culvert pipe should be arriving Thursday, so I'll be heading back up first thing Friday morning.
Is this too much detail and/or verbage for this kind of post? I feel pretty lost and alone on this project, so I'm trying to use the magic of the internet and digital photography to draw some of you into being back-seat drivers for me. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif