The Great Wall

[RobS]

More shots from yesterday, between rain showers /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Here is the corner with crushed stone base leveled and ready for wall block /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobS]

The first courses of block. I started in the corner to avoid having any cuts. Like they say, it's all in the first course. Successive courses are a breeze if that first course is level and straight /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobS]

Same picture, slightly different angle /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobS]

Well, finally the sun comes out so progress picks up. So much in fact, there aren't many opportunities to stop for photos. My wife joined in and we worked hard for several hours. As you can see, the site has become quite muddy and my biggest mistake so far was not excavating the entire cut down to grade first. I'll have to remove all this dirt plus the cut when we're done.

I even got my first sunburn of the year /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[RobS]

Last picture from yesterday. Got almost to the end of our concrete apron. I thinkk I overbought on the block but that's OK as I have several other projects that will use the same stuff. My estimate was for an average wall height of 2 1/2 feet but it's running just under two feet for a good bit of it. This picture shows the highest section at just over 2 1/2 feet but it starts dying off pretty quick now. The bottom slopes as well so it's been a bit tricky judging when to start a lower course.

We both were pretty sore last night. Lifting the blocks is definitely the hardest on the back. The tractor makes the digging and placing crushed stone a breeze but we're lifting the blocks into the loader bucket then back out at the wall. It's nice being able to park the loader bucket at the top of the wall. Much easier lowering the blocks into place than raising them.

Note if you can see it, the beverage of choice sitting on the wall. After this picture we went out for dinner then came home to a nice Jaccuzzi. Definitely helped the muscles. As I type this (Sunday morning), I'm feeling pretty good.

Yes, ready to go except its dark, windy, 33 degrees and a dusting of snow on the ground. What is with this weather /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[RobS]

Here's my start on a Sunday morning. Tractor gets some warm up time, I get some coffee. Yes, that is a dusting of snow on the ground. I guess I won't be in shorts today /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobS]

Now that I'm past the concrete I decide to do the digging from above. It's nice not having the piles down below to work around /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobS]

Two areas the tractor really paid off in this project: The excavation work was made easy with the backhoe and the movement of the wall blocks. Either could have been done with shovel/wheelbarrow but I wouldn't be finished until this summer.

Here I'm loading block into the FEL bucket. It's perfectly sized to hold four rows of blocks just like they are stacked on the pallets. By adjusting the loader height I can mostly swing the blocks from pallet to bucket rather than actually lift. Same with the unload. My back is most appreciative /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobS]

And here's the finished product! Only used 2/3 the block I ordered but I have other applications in mind. I may adjust some of the heights once I finish all the grading /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobS]

View from a different angle. While the wall itself is finished I still have to remove a lot of dirt from the newly created lower elevation. Then have some stone brought in.

Some project stats: 20 hours of my time plus 4 of my wifes (too cold for her today). 576 blocks at 25 pounds each for a total of 14,400 pounds plus about 3 yards of crushed limestone. Wall is 115 linear feet at an average of 1 1/2 feet high. Two pairs of leather work gloves. My back is sore.

All that remains is the grading and giving the tractor a good cleaning /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif