Fired Road contractor. Build it myself?

[sixdogs]

You don't need a dozer on the road, I was thinking just on the land. Your blade will do a great job. A rototiller will chop up or bury lots of small stuff that you think you have to pick up. I till and then use the cultimulcher to press things back into the grade. If you do use a rock rake, you need, or should have draft control n the tractor to make the road extra smooth. I get the feeling you'll do fine with whatever you have.

 

[airbiscuit]

I figured there was logic to your work.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Looking great. I love moving dirt, but stuck in an office.

 

[ovrszd]

Progress. I love progress.

Remember you have to control water runoff from the uphill side.

Lookin good!!!! Thanks for posting the update pics!!!!

 

[airbiscuit]

Would a landscape rake be better off with one or two wheels? I'm thinking of adding some to mine for the driveway.

This link is to show sixdogs a vid of the guide wheels in action (end of video)

WoodchuckDad - a grown up version of this grapple would be sweet for your acreage clean up. I like how you can use it as a root rake.

 

[kevin37b]

If it was me , I would get the slash and garbage piled up and burn it . Get the banks sloped on the uphill side and build a berm or ditch to control runoff . Looks like you have and will have plenty of dirt . Just trying to help . Nice work so far . Dirt takes a bunch of energy to reposition as you are aware .

 

[WoodChuckDad]

If it was me , I would get the slash and garbage piled up and burn it . Get the banks sloped on the uphill side and build a berm or ditch to control runoff . Looks like you have and will have plenty of dirt . Just trying to help . Nice work so far . Dirt takes a bunch of energy to reposition as you are aware .

We have been piling up and separating the slash from topsoil as we go. Burning has been slow going. Was hoping for more snow this winter. It has been so dry that I haven't been comfortable burning except one day when we had a few inches of snow on the ground. It will happen. Probably in the spring when we start getting rain.

 

[olPete]

You are making great progress.
First of all good work seeing off those contractors, they have a phone glued to their ear most of the day so little excuse for the no contact.
I'm really jealous of your blade by the way. It may have set you back a bit but you have an ideal tool there, especially once you have your stump holes to level, it will allow you to make little 'pot-bumps' to allow for the soft stuff to settle, probably with more ease than your excavator unless it has a tilt bucket.
Regarding culverts, what plans do you have there? I can see the logic of waiting and then putting them in later, but if there's naturally a bend or contour where it should go then that's your place. Have seen some around here that have a 'pool' of what we term reject gravel ie large river run with all the fines removed. People put it in at the head of the culvert and often some at the outlet, the idea being that the inlet side won't grow weeds and block up, and the outlet won't erode.. just an idle thought.
If you are pushed for room for your watercourse, remember it can be made quite narrow and maintained with herbicide won't look as neat as mowed verges but could save you quite a lot of $$$
Good to see a man with a plan, and love the pictures, looks like a great place to be!
Pete

 

[airbiscuit]

This a pretty good look at what a tail wheel design would look like for your blade.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

This a pretty good look at what a tail wheel design would look like for your blade.

I think that would be fantastic. I'm up against the wall on time so I don't think I will be building it till I am done with this bit of the road. I think it will still come in amazingly handy in the expansion of the orchard.