So we are digging into a bank on the side of my commercial property and plan on building a retaining wall. The material coming out of the bank is a real bony bank run just loaded with rocks, I am using a skid steer to pile the material ,getting it ready to load onto a ten wheeler to bring it to a different property we own that I need to raise the grade/pan of the property up and leave the property in a neat and level condition I know that I am supposed to make a level pad to work off of and I have been scooping a bucket of material and going off my pad in all different directions and as soon as the loader goes off level I go get more material. When I was a younger I used to work week ends at a construction dump with a big dozer covering the material that came in.it was always clean fill used for the cover and with the dozer it seamed real easy Any ways my problems are that the dirt is so bony I spend a lot of time back blading (bucket uncurled as if I was trying to dump a load)picking out the rocks then I am stuck with the rocks on this property that I will have to truck back to the other property. Is there a trick to piling the material to sift some of the rocks out? I have noticed that the edge of my pile has a ton of the rocks along the outside edge of it and I do just drive around the edge and just pull the rocks off the edge and place them on the edge of this property. I hope I have explained this properly Just looking for tips or tricks you guys could share.
That's what I was going to suggest. Pile up your material before spreading it, and dump your bucket slowly. The larger rocks will roll off the pile and you'll need to periodically gather them before they get covered. There are passive screeners available that aren't too expensive, they are just grates on an angle that you dump through that will separate rocks over the size of the grate openings.
The old timers screening plant was simply that...pile your stuff high and loose and let the boulders roll off around the foot. A static screen is not hard to make. Maybe you can borrow or hire one. Otherwise see if you can get something like this:
Thanks guys I definately have it piled high. I just dont know if it loose or not. I will try and dump slower. The screed would be nice but with the cost of steel, I dont think I would be building one. Actually I think I have to go dumpster diving I just seen some thing yesterday that might work. I may be back with photos.:bouncegri
Why do you need to take the rocks out in the first place, you said youre just using the material for fill? The big boulder will normally roll off the pile by themselves, but why worry about the smaller stuff?
Somehow I know, if anyone ever offered me all the sand I could load and haul away in a day, I'd have that bucket on my machine... :Banghead
Because it seams the "smaller stuff " raises up to the top as I am spreading it out. I am only raiseing the grade about 10 to 16 inches, Thanks again
What are you raising the grade for, how big of rocks are you talking about? I would just lift the grade up to within 4-6" with the rocky stuff, then bring it up to final grade with some finer material. We use a lot of blasted rock around here and thats how we always do it.
We are just raising the property in a low spot to shed some water I only have the bony stuff and that's why I wanted to sift out as many rocks as possible. (The big stuff 18 to 30 inches) rolls off the pile its the other rocks (10 to 16) that I am trying to get out of the material. all the smaller stuff disappears no problem. I made a ramp up the pile today ( I had to I was running out of room) I took the time to bring materiel up to the top of my ramp and dump it over the edge slowly, the material settles into the pile and the rocks get rolling down the out side. seams so simple now but it works fine I will be able to sort this no problem, I just wish I knew this before I would have designed the pile with a ramp from the get go
If we have the room we spread the dirt thin and make a stock pile like a scraper would. Then we just push the rocks off the stock pile the ends, edges wherever.
Well this is what I saw in a dumpster,would have been the start of a good screed ,but there is no way to get it out of the dumpster as the same part that is visable sticking out the top is buried on the bottom of the dumpster with some 4" round tube connecting them
Go get yourself a torch. Trust me, heck that would be a great start for one of those rock screen buckets. :yup
sifting dirt If your using a bucket with teeth you can sift through the dirt with teeth down back draging MAKE SURE YOU KEEP ALL WHEELS ON GROUND and then lighty go forward to put your bucket flat and scoop rocks off of top just keep stirring up the dirt and sifting the rocks out if I can do this with a JD 544 H you can with a skid steer
Well I went back today and I can cut it out safely, I have to find the owner of the property and get permission to take it out. I wont mention the torch part yet
Nope no teath But I have become better versed in pileing. I run up the ramp and dump it over the edge, its really working well now . thanks to all who have guided me