Removing top material from driveway…

[Jasonized]

I used my front plow blade:
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Huh…. Wouldn’t have thought a snow blade would be tough enough…. But then, it also looks like you have more dirt than rocks compared to mine..
Nice drive, though!

I thought about trying some sort of depth wheels on the BB…. Say, on one side, and then running one side/pass to set depth, then the another to match it, to get it wide enough.
The do the leveling/flattening…

 

[GreensvilleJay]

you backdrag' the blade do NOT go forward........

obviously the more passes, the better you get at th e'proceedure' AND the better packed the material will be. this is a case where 'more is better'.

 

[Lil Foot]

Huh…. Wouldn’t have thought a snow blade would be tough enough…. But then, it also looks like you have more dirt than rocks compared to mine..
Nice drive, though!

I thought about trying some sort of depth wheels on the BB…. Say, on one side, and then running one side/pass to set depth, then the another to match it, to get it wide enough.
The do the leveling/flattening…

That blade is really stout- I think it began life as a full size truck mounted snow blade,
Plus my driveway is volcanic cinders over hard packed dirt.

 

[Jasonized]

That blade is really stout- I think it began life as a full size truck mounted snow blade,
Plus my driveway is volcanic cinders over hard packed dirt.

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I have to agree, that looks quite stout!

I never considered lava rock as a driveway. I’ve only seen it done in planters. Looks nice thouth!

 

[jimh406]

I'm not really sure why you want to take the top layer off and add a different layer. That seems like a lot of work and expense. If I took it off, I"d probably go with asphalt millings and seal it.

I believe adding a thin layer of 3/4" stone would be a better option and pack it into the existing driveway. I'm making the assumption you have stone with fines now.

Worse case, you have to go back to your original plan. Best case, it will be a lot cheaper and faster. Note: I added some 3/4" to one part of my driveway to make it a bit drier and not muddy after rain/snow. The side effect was less dust.

 

[Lil Foot]

I never considered lava rock as a driveway.

It is fairly common in northern AZ, it locks together quite well, gives excellent traction in snow & ice, and it is cheap.
Last load of 3/4" minus I bought weighed 3.2 tons, cost me $19, plus my fuel. (about 150 mi round trip)

 

[Trimley]

That blade is really stout- I think it began life as a full size truck mounted snow blade,
Plus my driveway is volcanic cinders over hard packed dirt.

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That Red Lava Rock, I have it in some of my landscape beds. I figure there's about 8 yards, that's been in place for 20+ years. I can't stand the stuff. When my new BX23S arrives, that stuff is going away..somewhere..I do not care.

I've read and seen where people use it for their driveways, although I'm not going to be adding to mine.

All my driveway coming into the property and near the house is a mix of crushed rock. A 2" crushed base, then 5/8" minus packed in to build the top. It's PACKED like what OP is dealing with. I'm always picking up the bigger rocks by hand, and tossing them to the side.

 

[GrizBota]

It is fairly common in northern AZ, it locks together quite well, gives excellent traction in snow & ice, and it is cheap.
Last load of 3/4" minus I bought weighed 3.2 tons, cost me $19, plus my fuel. (about 150 mi round trip)

Cinders are a common gravel road surfacing in Central Oregon, on the east side of the Cascades. Most of it red. They are also used for sanding gravel for improving traction hard surfaces roadways on snow and ice by many of the transportation entities in Oregon.

 

[Jasonized]

Cinders are a common gravel road surfacing in Central Oregon, on the east side of the Cascades. Most of it red. They are also used for sanding gravel for improving traction hard surfaces roadways on snow and ice by many of the transportation entities in Oregon.

They are used hre in CA for icy days as well.. crushed lava rock instead of salt. Not quite powder, not quite rock…. I think pea gravel will be better though. With the tufftrack, I won’t have much migration, either.

 

[fried1765]

you backdrag' the blade do NOT go forward........

obviously the more passes, the better you get at th e'proceedure' AND the better packed the material will be. this is a case where 'more is better'.

It would seem that a pair of "Edge Tamers" could work well in this front blade situation