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A bit of progress on my lot...


Kent

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While I was unsuccessful in burning my huge brush pile last week in Tennessee (too dry and windy to get burn permits), I did make enough progress to keep me motivated. I had the guys put in an 18" plastic culvert for the driveway, and get it ready for stone base, and to hopefully begin construction. Since there's no permanent running water, and just runoff from a relatively small area, I think an 18" culvert is actually larger than needed but I wanted that size as a minimum for easy cleanout, if needed. Here's a series of pics that show it being installed, that I thought you might find interesting: [url="http://static.flickr.com/51/108500394_cdda68c24b_b.jpg"]Clearing the trees[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/54/108501235_b5a0d26ed8_b.jpg"]Preparing a bed for the culvert[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/48/108501615_15bde44a3f_b.jpg"]More bed preparation[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/46/108502545_bdd7b55fa6_b.jpg"]Getting dirt off the stumps as he piles the brush[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/47/108507425_f0f2089972_b.jpg"]32 Feet of culvert lying in the bed, waiting on the fill dirt[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/39/108507881_065331360e_b.jpg"]Spreading the fill and packing it in[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/35/108508273_c4f081bf89_b.jpg"]Smoothing the edge of the fill[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/35/108508594_54e611b989_b.jpg"]He packed the edges (the banks) with the bucket, patting it down [/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/52/108508971_5548aa54a6_b.jpg"]Closeup of packing the banks using the bucket[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/43/108509319_2669e9009b_b.jpg"]One of the 12 tandem loads of moist, sticky clay that we covered it with[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/48/108509587_bd47627942_b.jpg"]He built up the fill in layers about 6" deep, packing each layer by running over it[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/54/108510075_dc1e9be0bb_b.jpg"]Final grade, after 2 tandem loads of topsoil added, and backbladed sith the dozer to sow grass seed in[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/48/108692254_ec8ecd327c_b.jpg"]Grass seed sown on banks, mulched with old hay, and waiting on first loads of base stone[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/40/108685424_d38481119a_b.jpg"]Other end of circular driveway in same state -- waiting for base of 1/5-2" stone[/url] We were lucky enough to find a guy in the neighborhood who was cutting the grade off behind his house -- giving away this nice red, sticky clay that we used to fill around the culvert. It packed so well just by repeately running the excavator over it that the loaded dump truck would barely make tracks in it... We spread the very thin layer of topsoil to cover the ugly clay, with most of it spilling down the banks on each side, just so there would we a good seedbed for sowing fescue to prevent erosion. Now, if my resident flock of wild turkeys don't eat all the grass seed, I should be in pretty good shape! [:0] Just so there's enough tractor photos to justify it being here, here's a pictures of my Power Trac PT-425... :D [url="http://static.flickr.com/43/108518821_29a494303e_b.jpg"]A big bite of brush[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/39/108517999_4162773acc_b.jpg"]Me, loading dead tree branches[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/47/108519749_e1200923d6_b.jpg"]My friend and my oldest son cleaning up brush from the road bank[/url] [url="http://static.flickr.com/54/108503932_8ed74f4372_b.jpg"]It handles these hillsides much better than the little Kubota did[/url]
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Awsome Photo's Ken, thanks so much for your time. Look's like a lot of good tractor fun. By the way can you put a mower deck on the power trac........Dave
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quote:
Originally posted by Just_Me
Awsome Photo's Ken, thanks so much for your time. Look's like a lot of good tractor fun. By the way can you put a mower deck on the power trac........Dave
Yes, I have a 60" finish mower and 48" "bush hog" for it...
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quote:
Originally posted by MDB
Great Pics. Kent, Looks like you are starting to make things happen down there.
Not as fast as I'd hoped, Mike. Until I can get that huge pile of brush dealt with, I can't go any farther... Still, I hope to get that garage built this summer!
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Great pictures Kent, I'll be down in Marion Va (50 mile north of Bristol, Tenn). this weekend visiting myy brother.JH
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Neat show Kent. Driveway looks super. ^ Think I would love to have a Power-Trac like yours. Looks like a neat/cool machine to have. Carry on,
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quote:
Originally posted by johnmonkey
Great pictures Kent, I'll be down in Marion Va (50 mile north of Bristol, Tenn). this weekend visiting myy brother.JH
John, That's pretty country there. The Southern Appalachians are "God's Country" as far as I'm concerned. Four nice, relatively mild seasons... Marion is "just across the hill" from where these Power Tracs are made. They're made in Tazewell VA, just off I-77, about half way to the West Virginia line...
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quote:
Originally posted by RayS
That`s odd the leaves are out on the trees. Just seems early.
Ray, most of the trees you see with leaves on them are wild American holly (i.e. yew) trees, and the others are wild rhododendrons. Neither shed their leaves...
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One way to rid yourself of that brush pile is get a chipper. Don't they make a chipper attachment for that nice tractor? You would end up with some nice wood chips for mulch as well. Best of luck Kent...
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Rick, Though I'm looking for a little chipper I can use, it'll take more than a tractor-powered chipper (even the big 6" Category 1 PTO-powered ones) to handle this pile. I'm actually trying to schedule a horizontal chipper/grinder something like this to do it...

Even the big Vermeer tub chippers aren't big enough. There's some stuff in there well over 24" in diameter -- not counting all the stumps. It's pine, so its of no value for firewood or even pulp wood in this area. The downside is that it costs $375 an hour, to include the machine, an excavator to feed it, and the two operators... Here's a movie of one of these beasts in operation: http://www.banditchippers.com/index.php?option=com_video&itemId=0&task=view&id=24&limit=10&limitstart=20&search=&orderby=0 Now, at least, I have a large enough level spot in the driveway to park one...
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Gee at $375.00 an hour I guess having a BIG BURN and stand back and have a few cold ones while it burns is the better idea! :>) Best of luck...
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quote:
Originally posted by Wishin2BMowin
Gee at $375.00 an hour I guess having a BIG BURN and stand back and have a few cold ones while it burns is the better idea! :>) Best of luck...
That's exactly what I was trying to do -- except for the cold ones -- but I struck out ...
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I know this will do it and I can imagine that would be a tad higher then the $375.00/hr for the machine down your way. http://www.morbark.com/Equipment/SpecSheets/1600tg.pdf
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Just finished looking at all your pictures over at Flickrs.I can see why you picked that spot!I agree with it being "God's Country".We have spent many vacations in the Smokeys and I'm always ready to go again.All your work down there will be well worth it!
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quote:
Originally posted by dcw06
I can see why you picked that spot! I agree with it being "God's Country".
Thanks Dave, I obviously agree. I've looked for property around there off and on for quite a long time -- we actually looked at lots in this same development about 15 years ago -- but I thought this lot was "special" because of the lakes (ponds) and all the "little things"... Here's a couple of my favorite features: [img]http://static.flickr.com/36/110688562_9541e9510a_m.jpg[/img] [img]http://static.flickr.com/35/110688769_ac62227cc5_m.jpg[/img] These two "miniature waterfalls" are in the little stream that drains the top lake into the bottom one, running down the boundary of my lot. Both are where the stream has eroded the soil down to solid sandstone. (There's one more, but it's temporarily muffled by pine needles and I'll need to clean those out.) The one shown on top is easily within 75 feet of where the house will be, and is a noisy little thing that we'll be able to hear through the windows. When there's no traffic on the gravel roads, and the wind isn't blowing hard in the trees, that one provides all the background noise you hear. It's very relaxing just to spend time where the ONLY noise is birds, running water and wind in the trees...
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"It's very relaxing just to spend time where the ONLY noise is birds, running water and wind in the tree" Amen.. Looking forward to looking at your pictures next week when I go back to work, will have wireless connection where I'm staying, took about 4 min for one to download here... Although that pine isn't choice firewood where there's hardwoods around Knet, you could have a large pile for your own use.
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Marty, I wasn't thinking about those of you on dialup -- I'm spoiled with cable at home and T1 at work. My daughter (also on dialup) fussed at me also. So, I spent a while compressing pictures and such and posting them elsewhere. This might work better for you -- it's the NEWEST link added, there: http://www.simpletractors.com/subsite/Saddleridge.htm
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Depending on the drop and flow of the stream, it looks like you might have a good possibility for producing your own electricity. Have a look at some sites like www.otherpower.com and click on hydro and try a few links from there or The Aternative Energy Store which has some background info re checking out viability. Or just do a Google search re micro hydro power.
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Kent your lot looks real nice,,,,,,,,,I am sure you will have a lot of fun and TONS of seat time,,,,, I see new larger toys in your future :)
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