Guys what is the best method to cut the top off rolling hills and get the bottom of the valley built up with the dirt from the top ? I know this is simple to a operator but i,d just like to learn the right way from a 'sperienced" operator. I,ll be useing a crawler loader. Bob
The quickest -perhaps even the best- method is with explosives, preferably shaped charges set at the elevation you wish the hill top cut to and facing in the direction of the valley you would like filled. But I digress. You will need to establish cut and fill elevations, then begin cutting and filling from the top down. You can purchase builders levels relatively inexpensively to determine what your cut and fill needs will be. Hope this helps, and I was joking about the explosives unless of course you have LEGAL access to them.
First thing I do is clear any trees and pile them out of the work area to burn or cut up for fire wood. Then strip all the sod and topsoil from the cut and fill site. Start up top loosening up the fill dirt. And then start cutting into the top of the bank. Cut about half the depth of the bucket then pack it where you want , you may want to walk it in a bit. Continue till that cut is down then start another cut. When you get close to where you want to be you may want to start finishing as you go.
HOW DO YOU LOOSEN THE FILL DIRT / and when you say pack in in you mean drive over it a few times with the tracks ? why cut the sod off the fill site if its going to be fairly deep ? just a learnning here.
Loosen fill dirt = take bucket and break up dirt that is to be moved to fill area, this allows you to get a full bucket each trip. Pack = carry the dirt to desired area you are filling. Walk it in = compact loose dirt in fill area. I always remove the sod and topsoil so the fill dirt can bond and is less likely to slip. Also you may want the sod /topsoil mixture to go back over the fill dirt so you can get grass easier. With a track loader its easier to carry or pack the dirt than it is to try and push it.
Got it thanks
+ 1 On everything he said.
If the goal is nothing more than creating a patch of level ground, the above infromation is adequate in its simplicity, but if the plan is to build anything on the filled area, it gets a whole lot more complex than just 'walking it in'...
Here's a couple vids to browse. Couple different methods. They are loading trucks but the rest of it is the same principle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ZXdlupOKQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSXA0J4gbik These are not my videos.
What i'd do is push the topsoil to the side in both spots, then i'd create a slot with the bucket, pushing the dirt into the low spot. Push the dirt instead of carrying each bucket, that way you can move 3 yards at a time instead of 2. Slot the hole about as deep as the bucket is high, and then start widening your slot alittle at a time (Say 1/8 to 1/4 of your bucket). All the time your pushing more and more dirt into the fill area, and because your only digging fresh material with a small portion of your bucket, your machine shouldn't stall, or spin out....if so just peel off a little less on the next pass. When your done leveling, spread out the topsoil you removed at the beginning over the area, and reseed or whatever you want to do. I hope this rambling makes sense.....
I,ve been studying slot gradeing, thanks a bunch
Pushing consistenly with a track loader will burn a considerable amount more fuel. If you want to push then you need a dozer. You will be time and fuel ahead to load the bucket and carry the dirt. You should be able to make quicker cycles versus pushing. How far are you going to have to move the dirt? if its over 300' you may want to hire a dump truck to haul it. Trust me , carrying dirt is about as boring as it gets but its like the turtle and the hare, you keep moving and you will get the results your looking for. I did run across a 963 earlier in Columbia Kentucky. Thought about this when I seen it. Don't know a thing about it though. One thing , your owners manual will have different techniques on how to accomplish a task most of it is straight forward but I've learned from reading this .
There is no way that dig and carry will out work or be more efficient than slot dozing. Slot dozing will burn more fuel in an hour, but it'll move way more yardage in that hour. BCOWAN, Vantage does a good job explaining the principles and how to in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9cxaCyc31M
A+ to everything DICKJR said . A good tip if you're gonna do a lot of dirt moving is to keep the dirt smooth, otherwise you're gonna beat yourself to death. Do this by flattening out your bucket and back drag the dirt. Also if a structure is going on top of the fill then it needs to be compacted WELL in 6" to 8" lifts until you reach desired grade . Good luck hope everything goes well.
Yair . . . Finally got some data time! I've been itching to watch the slot-dozing vid linked in the #13 post. It did show a competent operator working a tidy little push. It was certainly not a demonstration of bulk earthmoving using slot dozing techniques Slots are not working as slots untill they are a couple of feet deep and once they are established they are maintained untill the very last . . . typicaly a quarter blade width is left between the slots. This is the "cheap dirt" and is pushed from back to front. In all fairness the operator did mention this but it was not a very convincing demonstration or a very good job for him to demo. on. Videos such as this are best filmed from the ground with a explanatery voice over so the viewer has a better feel (and look) of what is going on. Cheers.
Move more dirt pushing than carrying, but as some one said depends on how far. Wouldnt go more than 300 ft get a truck to haul it if its further than that. I
Its just kocking the top off some low rolling hills down into the low area to level them out some. I can push some own,walk it in then more down. Its for pasture improvement/ cleanning etc. Not going to build on it. Thanks bob