Just curious how you guys trim if you've got to batter a slope. If you haven't got a tilting bucket, do you guys start at the top and go along or prefer the bottom, guess it depends on what you're loading into etc, but just curious Plus any hints on how to keep grade etc
I prefer to work along the top first, as it is easy to look down your slope and make sure its nuts on. that sort of sets my slope, Then i hop down to the bottom and finish up. I can grade a nearly perfect 2:1, 1.5:1, or whatever i need to all day this way, checking with a level every 20-30'
We work to batter rails about 10yrd apart, I pull the batter ( cut or fill ) to the rails then work the area between the rails. I agree its easier to see down a slope than up it but the secret I believe is dont be too proud to get out and LOOK at it from another angle. Its easier to go back and shave a bit more off than to try and fill in a low spot. Sometimes we get a bit of poetic licence and as long as it looks right it will be OK
Hey that looks like good work. Yeah, should definitely get myself out of the machine and take another look from another angle. Whats a batter rail. Is that like a string line grading slope or the 2 posts with the angled post on it giving indication of the required grade. Thanks for the info fella's, What sounds simple to you guys can make so much difference to me starting out.
Yes you've got it. I expect different countrys mark them up differently. Generally ours are the slope angle, as the board is set with the distance from a nail on the front post and the height above finished grade. Like this: 1m trav means string line will be 1metre above finished grade, they make it high on a fill area to give room for over fill so you can compact the edge. 1 in 1:5 ( angle ) s/d 2.20 ( slope distance) to top of batter. Cut batters are generally 6" traveller
Start the cut at the top, get it close, then finish one pass to clean it up. You can do it a couple ways, to finish, that is. I like to sweep the bucket across a 10 foot section of the slope, depending on the size of bucket and excavator I'm running. You can just take the back of the bucket and rub it back up the slope to clean it up, but I think it's personal preference. Jumping out and checking your work is definately recommended every so often.
When I started out, the foreman got me to cut the batters to grade with a track type tractor and a towed scraper - usually an IH TD25B & Cat 463. It was hard work at first but I got pretty good at it after a couple of years. You have to maintain a reference point and it is always good to look at your work from several angles. I've done it with a Cat 14G but it was hard going These days I'd use an excavator - far easier and safer but perhaps not quite so much fun !