What's your winter projects...?

[Gittyup]

My winter project (and probably several winters hereafter) is to build a road through my ravine back to my barn. This is a job that requires major fill. So far I have moved over 200 tons of dirt. I probably need another 200 tons of fill, and I have 38 feet of culvert pipe to install, before I can put down stone. I've reached a point where I need to let it settle a bit before I widen it some more. The edges are awefully soft; it its now a very steep 9 feet high on one side. I could use a very heavy roller. Can they be rented?

My CK25 has been surprisingly powerful at moving all this dirt. I easily get heaped buckets everytime, and the tractor handles it with no complaints. I think it is running stronger now than ever before (220 hrs). Lovin' my CK more and more each day!








And dump trailer project now complete.

 

[mark.r]

Ahh yes, you're getting horse rich!

I was looking to re-gravel the lane here, but the gravel prices haven't dropped back down to a reasonable level yet.

Durn materials, everything costs an arm and a leg plus wear and tear on the body doing it all ourselves.

But that's what our wun'nerful tractors are made for

Hey you got that right. I setting trying determine when I am going to get another 20 tons delivered to finish up a little parking area at the end of the extension in the pictures. That may have to wait as I have some fence to put up first. It never ends I tell you!

 

[mark.r]

My winter project (and probably several winters hereafter) is to build a road through my ravine back to my barn. This is a job that requires major fill. So far I have moved over 200 tons of dirt. I probably need another 200 tons of fill, and I have 38 feet of culvert pipe to install, before I can put down stone. I've reached a point where I need to let it settle a bit before I widen it some more. The edges are awefully soft; it its now a very steep 9 feet high on one side. I could use a very heavy roller. Can they be rented?

My CK25 has been surprisingly powerful at moving all this dirt. I easily get heaped buckets everytime, and the tractor handles it with no complaints. I think it is running stronger now than ever before (220 hrs). Lovin' my CK more and more each day.

And dump trailer project now complete.

That's A LOT of dirt!!!!

Cool trailer. I would mind having one a bit bigger like that for my DK.

 

[gladehound]

My winter project is to clear a spot in the woods for my future work shop. I had one more tree to get out today. The others my cousin got out with his track loader but he's a busy guy. So I decided to take a shot at this 1 foot diameter hickory with my little ol' LB1914. To my amazement, I actually got the 6 foot diameter root ball out of the ground. I cut the trunk 20 feet up to give lots of leverage for pulling, pushing and twisting out the stump and picked nice wet day. Took about an hour with the little tractor but it came out.

 

[Gittyup]

That's some good lookin dirt there, Gladehound.

 

[mark.r]

Looks good Ron. I took out a few smaller pines on Thursday after spreading grass. I know lots of owner on these forums have backhoes and grapples but I just don't do enough of that type of work to justify the cost. What I was amazed to find though is that this was the first time using my toothbar to clear brush and for the $395.00 I paid for it, it is well worth it. I found that I could pretty much pluck roots, brush and trees out by the roots much as the big CAT 963 loaders do. Very effective, and much cheaper than a grapple or hoe. If you plan on doing some more of that work it may be beneficial while also being cost effective for you, just a thought.

 

[gladehound]

Thanks, I've been thinking about a tooth bar for a while now. I'm sure it would help a lot. I'm sure if I attached a bigger machine to that tooth bar it would really help

I have tractor envy. A DK45S with 451 loader would be nice. (of couse with a tooth bar)

 

[gladehound]

Mark - just noticed you have a DK45HST, that would be nice too.

 

[mark.r]

Thanks, I've been thinking about a tooth bar for a while now. I'm sure it would help a lot. I'm sure if I attached a bigger machine to that tooth bar it would really help

I have tractor envy. A DK45S with 451 loader would be nice. (of couse with a tooth bar)

Yeah, the extra hp and weight definitely helps out with moving material but that said, somehow the toothbar seems to have multiplying effect. Meaning it makes whatever weight and power you have that much more useable. I hit the same trees with my flatedge bucket and got no where, bolted on the toothbar and 10 minutes later had two trees down.

 

[RexB]

ROTFL Tractor Envy....more HP more Torque more xxx, yeah!

We pay a premium for our compacts that have good power built into a small chassis. Like a bigger more powerful 4-year-old Cat 430D loader/backhoe for the same price as a new CK30. But those are just too big a footprint to use in the woods here and to store. So I'm loving this Kioti cut

Gittyup, you gave me Dirt Envy. Our sand/clay/rock mixture here can't touch that nice looking dirt you have. And that's a beauty trailer you built. Trucking in fill dirt is $18+ a yard and $55 truck fee for medium-quality dirt.

I just cleared a trail as far West on the property as I can go -- to the Swamp. It'd be possible to use dirt fill and build a road across it to my hill on the other side. BUT here a swamp is called a wetland, no equipment allowed. No filling. No weed spraying. nothing.

Tractor On!