Box Scraper Rocky Road after using grading scraper

[jenkinsph]

I will in most cases use base course which is 3/4" to fines about 4" deep on the edges and 6" to 8" deep in the center. I pack this down as tight as I can, then come back and add a layer of 3/4" screened rock about one rock high. If the top layer is thick it is like plowing thru marbles, and makes for wheel slip. So a firm well packed base layer that is shaped with a center crown and fines in between the rocks to lock them in place and a thin layer of clean rock on top.

If you find yourself making wheel tracks when driving on the gravel then the top layer is too thick. If you are making alot of dust then the fines are too small and can be lightly covered with a coarse sand. On a private drive the coarse sand seems to last quite a while.

To the best of my knowledge the larger rock should only be used on the bottom layer and should not be disturbed once placed. If you drop the scarifiers down and pull these larger rocks up then stop. You are running too deep, raise the scarifiers up. Using a landplane grader I find you move less and less material with repeated passes if adjusted properly. Once you have the surfaced planed smooth you can raise the front end ever so gently and smooth out any ridges. There is no need to get to the end of the driveway and have a large load of material leftover, learn to feather it out where needed.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[crazyal]

Rent or buy a rake. Don't cover them up. What most don't understand is frost will push them to the surface each spring so you're better off getting rid of as many as you can now. After they are gone then you can decide if you want to bring in some gravel.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I will in most cases use base course which is 3/4" to fines about 4" deep on the edges and 6" to 8" deep in the center. I pack this down as tight as I can, then come back and add a layer of 3/4" screened rock about one rock high. If the top layer is thick it is like plowing thru marbles, and makes for wheel slip. So a firm well packed base layer that is shaped with a center crown and fines in between the rocks to lock them in place and a thin layer of clean rock on top.

If you find yourself making wheel tracks when driving on the gravel then the top layer is too thick. If you are making alot of dust then the fines are too small and can be lightly covered with a coarse sand. On a private drive the coarse sand seems to last quite a while.

To the best of my knowledge the larger rock should only be used on the bottom layer and should not be disturbed once placed. If you drop the scarifiers down and pull these larger rocks up then stop. You are running too deep, raise the scarifiers up. Using a landplane grader I find you move less and less material with repeated passes if adjusted properly. Once you have the surfaced planed smooth you can raise the front end ever so gently and smooth out any ridges. There is no need to get to the end of the driveway and have a large load of material leftover, learn to feather it out where needed.

Hope this helps someone.

Great post right there.!!

 

[beppington]

Are these actual rocks, or large chunks of limerock? If the latter, what about using a roller on them?

 

[Granite Tractor]

Thanks very much for the advice everyone. These were definitely rocks - in some cases 6" or larger round, although there were some flat, "flaky" rocks as well (sorry, I'm weak on the geology terminology). Should have taken pictures of the before/after...

We were looking for some rocks to line a stream on our property that currently just turns into a soupy mess in the spring, so I ended up driving up and down the driveway with the tractor and putting the rocks in the bucket, then dumping them where I wanted them. My 5 year actually asked me if he could do this with me; he thought it was fun. I'll take advantage of that while it lasts!

Based on the advice on this forum and from our trusted contractor, we hired his site guy to haul in what turned out to be 13 tri-axle dump truck loads of 3/4" crush base (that's what he called it). This ended up taking 3 days (we both worked the deliveries into our other commitments).

He started at the top of our driveway and slowly dumped the material out as he drove down, then I started spreading it with the tractor.

I can't say enough about how big a difference the base made; we can now drive up and down our driveway at normal speeds instead of slowing to a crawl in my car to avoid tire/wheel/suspension damage (which has low ground clearance, stiff suspension, low profile tires).

I'm still getting used to the grader and I definitely got better as I got towards the bottom of the driveway. I have some slight dips and rises where the initial clump of base would come out when the dump truck started dumping, but I've been using the bucket to remove excess material and spread it out where I'm a bit light.

Local hardware store out of calcium chloride but my next step is take a final pass and add a bit of crown, then treat it for dust control.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Check your local concrete plant for Calcium chloride. They will probably have liquid or bags. They may be cheaper.
Bill

 

[Granite Tractor]

Check your local concrete plant for Calcium chloride. They will probably have liquid or bags. They may be cheaper.
Bill

great idea, thanks!

 

[jcims]

What's the calcium chloride for?

 

[Granite Tractor]

What's the calcium chloride for?

Dust control. See http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/general-lawn-garden/170565-dust-control-gravel-lane.html

 

[jcims]

Sweet. We're on a shared drive like the OP in that thread, and I've just started looking for some methods to control the dust.