Hi again all,
well though I would share some of my pics and give you an idea of the earthmoving portion of our house renovation "fun".
Stated by us buying a house in the Victorian (Australia) "high" county, on a steep sloping block. Clay base, lots of rain and no driveway access to front yard. AND termites damn termities.
One crap 2m (6ft) high retaining wall crossing, from side to side under 2/3 of the house. Will need to be completely redone.
Rear of propery is accessed by 80m (263ft) gravel creek bed AKA Driveway, that slopes at 22deg; to a semi level 8m X 10m pad before then rising a further 3m via a 40m ( 130ft) 1/2 circle drive to back pad behind the house.
Only a steep wide path up one side of house from this rear pad area.
Well I started 2 years back, repairing and building retaining walls.
The most critical was the one under the house (split level at rear). I used my Kubota KH-007 mini excavator and we pulled out 8 cu meters of clay and rock and built a 2m (6ft) high concrete sleeper wall held in place by heavy steel I beams. But that another tale. Its only 30% finished so far.
Anyways I lashed out last Christmas on a second hand 4wd B7100HST and added a box blade. Initial reasoning for it was to try and maintain the driveway after each heavy rain storm washed it away. Eventually it will be surfaced.
It soon became obvious that I needed a front end loader for this machine.
By May (2010) I found a second hand loader in poor condition. Finally after many delays, its repaired enought to use (Sept 2010)
So here is FEL's first job.
Removing about 12 cubic meters of saturated clay that I had excavated using the mini excavator to build 2 of the 6 retaining walls that will cross the front of my block.
This is one Access point to the area in front of house to remove the clay.
Its a steep winding goat track most likely with not provide simple access and has NO where at top to dump the clay.
Access way 2. the better choice of access, but steep as you can see.
Using this access from clay pile to my choosing dumping spot is about 75m ( 246ft) all down hill.
this is job entrance!! TIGHT and boggy
My lady friend had just finished adding the bamboo fence, on left of photo last week, so it was prefered to NOT damage it.
After almost getting my B7100 bogged I used my trailer ramps to bridge the boggy enty
So here is the fab tool I am using
And yes I need to build a counter weight box. But for now at least choose to hang those 3 counterweights on the 3 point linkage arms. Made a huge improvement in stability.
And here is the tool at work
2nd view of the job
3rd view of the job with the pile of clay that I need to remove
4th view of the job showing how limited is the access
5th view of job
well that is for now.
So glad I have a ROPS and seat belt. Mind you I am taking it slow and easy and keeping loader bucket low to ground.
I cannot turn around at clay loading area so have to back down to the top pad landing before doing a 3 point turn to then be able to drive forward down the curved drive way to the dump point.
Tomorrow I will continue the clay removal weather permitting.
regards
david
well though I would share some of my pics and give you an idea of the earthmoving portion of our house renovation "fun".
Stated by us buying a house in the Victorian (Australia) "high" county, on a steep sloping block. Clay base, lots of rain and no driveway access to front yard. AND termites damn termities.
One crap 2m (6ft) high retaining wall crossing, from side to side under 2/3 of the house. Will need to be completely redone.
Rear of propery is accessed by 80m (263ft) gravel creek bed AKA Driveway, that slopes at 22deg; to a semi level 8m X 10m pad before then rising a further 3m via a 40m ( 130ft) 1/2 circle drive to back pad behind the house.
Only a steep wide path up one side of house from this rear pad area.
Well I started 2 years back, repairing and building retaining walls.
The most critical was the one under the house (split level at rear). I used my Kubota KH-007 mini excavator and we pulled out 8 cu meters of clay and rock and built a 2m (6ft) high concrete sleeper wall held in place by heavy steel I beams. But that another tale. Its only 30% finished so far.
Anyways I lashed out last Christmas on a second hand 4wd B7100HST and added a box blade. Initial reasoning for it was to try and maintain the driveway after each heavy rain storm washed it away. Eventually it will be surfaced.
It soon became obvious that I needed a front end loader for this machine.
By May (2010) I found a second hand loader in poor condition. Finally after many delays, its repaired enought to use (Sept 2010)
So here is FEL's first job.
Removing about 12 cubic meters of saturated clay that I had excavated using the mini excavator to build 2 of the 6 retaining walls that will cross the front of my block.
This is one Access point to the area in front of house to remove the clay.
Its a steep winding goat track most likely with not provide simple access and has NO where at top to dump the clay.
Access way 2. the better choice of access, but steep as you can see.
Using this access from clay pile to my choosing dumping spot is about 75m ( 246ft) all down hill.
this is job entrance!! TIGHT and boggy
My lady friend had just finished adding the bamboo fence, on left of photo last week, so it was prefered to NOT damage it.
After almost getting my B7100 bogged I used my trailer ramps to bridge the boggy enty
So here is the fab tool I am using
And yes I need to build a counter weight box. But for now at least choose to hang those 3 counterweights on the 3 point linkage arms. Made a huge improvement in stability.
And here is the tool at work
2nd view of the job
3rd view of the job with the pile of clay that I need to remove
4th view of the job showing how limited is the access
5th view of job
well that is for now.
So glad I have a ROPS and seat belt. Mind you I am taking it slow and easy and keeping loader bucket low to ground.
I cannot turn around at clay loading area so have to back down to the top pad landing before doing a 3 point turn to then be able to drive forward down the curved drive way to the dump point.
Tomorrow I will continue the clay removal weather permitting.
regards
david
.