Excavator grading tips?

Long time lurker, first time posting.

Currently doing the slab prep for a light duty shop. Just got the 3/4" crush aka top layer roughly spread out.

Only machine I have access to is a cat 308 with the mini dozer blade, ripping bucket with a finishing blade welded on the teeth. First time doing finish grading. Several hundred hours on excavators tho. Just looking for tips and tricks on how to go about it. The walls and ceiling are already in. 24' wide x 40' long by 20' high. I searched the forum but only came up with dozer tips, although some still apply. I know it's preferable to use the heel of the bucket and to start thicker.

Other then that?

Also it'll get packed by a packer later on, cat CP... how much extra material should I leave to not end up under my desired thickness?

Does the machine have a thumb? If so grab a log or beam about ten feet long and use that as a plane. If no thumb I've seen people weld a piece of pipe or i-beam to the bucket.

In the oil patch the use a piece of beam or pipe like mentioned above. Make a place to lock the bucket to it in the middle then use chains and binders from the ends to the bucket to help secure it. I've seen their hands leave a right of way looking like a million bucks that way.

What I do is rough it in high (depending on how much stone ,fill you put in),roll it . Then finish grade it .

For 3/4 crush I would leave it 1/2" or so high for the limestone we get. How are you checking grade? Laser?

Cant you use the blade on the 308? Maybe I am confused on what you are doing.

Agree with that farmerlund .
Use the blade .

Or find some ol boy with a box blade .

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/box-blade.14619/#post-186498

Tractor packs in stone & blade grades . Pretty expensive & complex but they do a nice job

Plus one on the blade just take your time and check grade frequently

If the pad is going to be halfway level fab up a post on the 308 blade to hold your laser receiver and go to town, that will help you get it halfway close fairly easily

This is only 24 feet x40 feet ,get it close and rake it in

Don't have a thumb but that's a wicked idea. Thanks for the tips guys. Only had an alert for the first answer so sorry for the late reply.

Ended up leaving it 2 inches high, packing it and it was pretty bang on.

Height check was done with a laser and Ended up getting a skid steer with a really wide (5'?) clean up bucket on the final pass. Rough in was done with the mini dozer blade on the ho... I need a lot more practice. Painfully long process it was.