Rainy Day Project

[GregJ]

It was pouring down rain this morning and I decided that this was a perfect day to do a project that my wife and I have been talking about for some time now. When I built my shop, I poured a little sidewalk/patio area between the shop and an existing building. This was basically an afterthought and a good use for the extra concrete that we had from the slab. Well…. 25 years later, we decided it wasn’t all that good of an idea.

This sounded like the set up for a perfect day for me. I get to destruct stuff with my tractor!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Recently there was a post about removing a sidewalk. I don’t remember a lot of pictures with that project, and I really didn’t know how my tractor would do with this, so I decided to document it with photos. I have a Kubota B7500 with a BH. Here is the “pathetic” before picture. As you can see, it is not all that attractive /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif, but hey…. It’s a shop. It is also in dire need of paint. (I have spent the last few summers playing with the kids before they go off to college. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif)

 

[GregJ]

I backed my tractor up and grabbed the first corner and was able to crack the concrete no problem. This is a 4” slab with wire mesh. It even broke the mesh no problem.

 

[GregJ]

Here is another shot from another angle

 

[GregJ]

I was able to stand it on end, chain it to my FEL and transport it to a temporary resting ground up in the woods.

 

[GregJ]

Here is another shot showing the thickness of the concrete.

 

[GregJ]

Things were going great until I ran into a little problem. I did take care to pour this concrete to be relatively strong back then. As I started around the corner, the BH actually lifted the entire slab and it would not crack. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif This shows how powerful these little backhoes are. That is a lot of concrete for a little Kubota to lift, considering that it was stuck to the dirt with a tractor sitting on top of it.

 

[GregJ]

Here is another shot.

 

[GregJ]

Time to run to the Rent-It Center and pick up one of these.

 

[GregJ]

With the 60lb. electric jack hammer I was able to break the slab into chunks that my tractor could handle. I was actually amazed at how easy this whole project went. My little B7500 and BH handled this project very easily and had plenty of power. It’s times like this that I feel a little less B7800 envy.

So….. I started at about 10:30am, ran to the post office, video store, gas station and rental center at noon (10 miles each way). Came home, had lunch, finished the project and had the jack hammer back to the rental store by 3:30. I got home from the rental center and enjoyed an ice cold Pacific NW microbrew by 4:00. Not a bad day! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Now all I have to do is landscape it …. Darn ….. I guess that means more seat time! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[DannyD]

why not put a big rock under the big slab and drop it on the rock, that may break it, but I bet the jack hammer was fun to use and destroy something.

They dont make concrete like that anymore either

 

[GregJ]

Danny,
I actually tried that. My soil is very sandy in that location and it just drove the rock into the soil.

Ummm... Jack hammer fun??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I am not sure that I would put it in that class, but fortunately I didn't have to use it too much. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Greg

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Nice photo essay. I always like these.

It's great to build things to last forever, though the guy who has to undo your work (sometimes you) may may not take so kindly to your efforts at a propper job.

Cliff

 

[GregJ]

Ok... the weekend is over and here is how much I got done. I have attached a before/after pic. I never would have attempted this project without a tractor. If I had attempted it, I would have been working on it for most of the summer, consumed incredible quantities of Advil and been cursing my wife for ever coming up with this lame idea. Instead, one weekend and I am almost done. And most of Sunday was spent running around picking up the bricks and plants. There is a post running in Kubota Owning/Operating questioning the purpose of a BX, or CUT's in general. I couldn't ask for a better piece of equipment to do work like this. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Greg

 

[surfran]

WOW! Very nice, glad I am looking at this one from work on lunch as if my wife saw that she would probably get some ideas! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

There sure is some great pride in acomplishing something like this on a weekend though.

 

[dougzdog]

what a difference that made! did you use anything to hold the edge of the bricks in place? looks like they came out nice and level.

doug

 

[GregJ]

Doug,
Right now the bricks are only held in place by the surrounding soil. They do move a little until the soil packs in place. I have thought about getting some of that plastic edging, but they seem to settle in after a while, so I figure why spend the money. I have been using these bricks for "trails" through other landscaping around the property and have come to like the "temporary" nature of them. If I decide to put in irrigation, invisible fence, etc., all I have to do is lift out a few bricks. If we change our minds, we can move them as well. Since I got the Kubota, I have come to realize that NOTHING is permanent in our yard. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Greg

 

[dummy]

Looks great. What a difference one weekend can make. So, with approximately 18 more weekends to go this summer.......

 

[GregJ]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So, with approximately 18 more weekends to go this summer.......
)</font>

And if you could hear my wife talk...... All 18 are booked up /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. Now if I could just figure out a way to use my Kubota to paint the house. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Greg