Ditch cleanup-Culvert Project

[kozal01]

My Little Kioti has been putting in the work since I bought it in May. Besides other small projects around the house the main one is cleaning up the ditch at the front of my property. I started with my little Exmark trying to yank bushes out, it held its own for a zero turn but I needed a tractor so I went and bought one! I pulled a bunch of brush and a few trees, cleared the dead leaves and debris and brought in fill to level it out a bit. The big job is installing three 8' sections of culvert so I can backfill the ditch and then grade my yard to be more level towards the ditch. Had to get creative to move the culverts from the back of my property to the front. The tractor will lift them but I was not comfortable going down the hill to my front yard with that heavy of a load so my dolly and a chain made pretty easy work towing them down there. Next step is renting a small excavator to dig out the ditch and set the pipes then the Kioti will get busy with about 20 yards or so if fill. Wish I had bought one of these years ago.

 

[airbiscuit]

Good work!

 

[Tinhack]

Great work!

I've been lazy since temps hitting 100+ daily set in since about June. We beat the longest streak over 100 set back in 2009. Doesn't look like we're getting a reprieve any time soon.

 

[Kubota Dragon]

My Little Kioti has been putting in the work since I bought it in May. Besides other small projects around the house the main one is cleaning up the ditch at the front of my property. I started with my little Exmark trying to yank bushes out, it held its own for a zero turn but I needed a tractor so I went and bought one! I pulled a bunch of brush and a few trees, cleared the dead leaves and debris and brought in fill to level it out a bit. The big job is installing three 8' sections of culvert so I can backfill the ditch and then grade my yard to be more level towards the ditch. Had to get creative to move the culverts from the back of my property to the front. The tractor will lift them but I was not comfortable going down the hill to my front yard with that heavy of a load so my dolly and a chain made pretty easy work towing them down there. Next step is renting a small excavator to dig out the ditch and set the pipes then the Kioti will get busy with about 20 yards or so if fill. Wish I had bought one of these years ago.

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Not for nothing, that little tractor would be great with a backhoe. I purchased another Kubota, this time a 23S with a backhoe. Even at under 30 hp, this little guy can make work a lot more fun.

 

[kozal01]

Good work!

Thanks! Its a work in progress but its been fun

Great work!

I've been lazy since temps hitting 100+ daily set in since about June. We beat the longest streak over 100 set back in 2009. Doesn't look like we're getting a reprieve any time soon.

We havent had those temps thankfully, first summer in a few years that we havent seen 100+ actually but the humidity has been obnoxious at times which has kept me inside in the AC a few times. Temps are cooling off this week though.

Not for nothing, that little tractor would be great with a backhoe. I purchased another Kubota, this time a 23S with a backhoe. Even at under 30 hp, this little guy can make work a lot more fun.

I considered it, it would be handy for sure but I was on a budget buying the tractor so I skipped it.

 

[kozal01]

Had to bring in some reinforcements. Mini excavator is bad ass! Truck will get a workout this weekend hauling fill too. One section of culvert in so far.

 

[Tinhack]

Well now you're just showing off.

 

[RjCorazza]

Great idea with the dollie and pipe. My loader MAY have lifted that pipe, but I would have likely just drug it before thinking it through.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd have never thought of using a dolly like that. You must also have excellent operator skills not to have rolled the dolly over with that kind of an overload.

 

[kozal01]

Well now you're just showing off.

Ha Ha! The excavator is just a rental but it is pretty sweet

Great idea with the dollie and pipe. My loader MAY have lifted that pipe, but I would have likely just drug it before thinking it through.

Thanks! Tractor will lift the pipe but Im sure its over the limit so I didn't want t push my luck. I thought about dragging it too but I didnt want to mess up my lawn.

I'd have never thought of using a dolly like that. You must also have excellent operator skills not to have rolled the dolly over with that kind of an overload.

It was actually pretty stable surprisingly. I went very slow.

 

[kozal01]

Well, got all three culvert sections in, ditch dig out and 15 yards of fill hauled in. Will do at least another 15 tomorrow. Doesn’t look like much in the pictures but I made a ton of progress today. I love my Kioti but dang is this Wacker nice!

 

[Tinhack]

As Ryan the concrete guy would say, "Good Work"!

 

[kozal01]

As Ryan the concrete guy would say, "Good Work"!

Thank you sir!


It was a busy weekend and I made good use of the rental excavator and made huge progress on this project. Moved 30 yards of fill with the little Kioti and my truck/ trailer and got it filled and mostly graded. Still have a bit of finish work to do then bring in top soil but Im happy with the work I got done this weekend.

 

[kozal01]

Since it’s been just over a year since I started this project I figure I should update this thread. Got top soil down before fall/winter and dealt with a bit of washout into the ditch so this spring I brought in field stones from a local farm to shore up the area around the new culvert. I then touched up the top soil and planted grass seed. The unusually cold days we had this spring slowed the germination down a lot but I’m finally getting some decent grass filling in. Sure looks a lot better than it did originally!

 

[yanmars]

looking good