Moving a small mountain

[Pks]

This is a photo of my little tractor trying to turn a small mountain into a mole hill, in my backyard. As the photo shows, I've been able to cut into it somewhat. Now all I need to do is continue the cut for another 30 feet or so. This little mountain got put here by a landscape company before Mary and I baught the place.

The box-scraper on the back of the tractor has been converted into a weight box. I put about 500 lbs of "one man rocks" on the platform I made. It helps the R4 tires to dig into the sand. It's also helpful for pulling out 30 year old wild grape vines. Those things are all over the propery.

Peter

 

[Thomas]

Pks,
What..did all the snow melt already out there. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Sure wish I had some wild grapes growing, /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif and I rather play in dirt than snow anytime.

Looks like you got the right tool for the job, /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif and good dirt pile there.


Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[paccorti]

Pks,

Good thing you have a tractor! That looks like fun. BTW do you have a toothbar... think it would help?

Peter

 

[Bird]

How long is it taking? I've got a little mound of dirt at my brother's place about 12' high and 40-50' diameter that needs to be moved and spread about 50 yards from where it is now./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Bird

 

[Pks]

Let's see... The amount of dirt I've already moved measures about 15 ft x 15 ft x 4 ft. With no toothbar and about 1000 lbs on the 3PH and R4 tires, it has taken about 5 hours. That includes transportation time to the "dirt relocation area".

I think the best setup would be to use Ag tires and a toothbar, but hey I mow the lawn and mix contrete too.

The snow is not yet completely gone in lower Michigan-note the green leaves on the trees. That picture is dated July of last year.

I'm using the sand to raise the level of my yard near the house to correct drainage problems. I'll try to post more photos of that. I don't have any pictures of the actual raising of the yard but I think you can imagine it pretty well. The immediate area behind the house is just big enough to throw a ball or the like. The dirt I moved from the top of the hill raised that playing surface about 9 inches. Now the water from heavy rains and the spring runoff moves past the house instead of creating a lake.

Again, I'll post better photos.

 

[Pks]

Bird,

For my little B2400, the speed of moving dirt is related to how hard the dirt is. I'll post a good example of moving a semi truck load of woodchips. That was a pile of fresh chips that was about 10 ft x 4 ft x 60 ft. That pile was easy to dig into. It took about 16 hours, including the time to transport and spread the stuff. If my hauling vehicle had been a hydraulilc dump trailer, my time would have been cut in half. I used a 5 ft x 6 ft motorcycle trailer with 3 ft sides. I had to unload it by hand-ugh!

Peter

 

[RobS]

Peter, how far are you moving the dirt? I've found that dragging it in the box is a lot quicker for short moves than the loader.

Looks like fun/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

Sand? What's that? Ain't none of that stuff around here. I'm talking about hard clay./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[Bird]

Yep, those wood chips are a lot easier to move. The contractor who was clearing power lines a couple of years ago dumped 3 truckloads for me. Of course, when we start moving that mountain at my brother's place, we'll be loading the bed of his Kawasaki Mule with the Kubota and then it has an electric dump, so there won't be any of that work with long handled tools.

Bird

 

[Pks]

The dirt was moved about 80 yards. I use the box scraper to move small amounts of dirt and shape things a bit. I also use the box to cut up, dig up, tear into and annoy 30 year old poison ivy vines that have been running amuck (sp) in the back yard-until "junior" showed up that is.

What's really fun is knowing I'm doing something that will eventually improve our place (and make the neighbor a little happier too).