A few projects I have done recently

[CM1995]

Putting the new truck to work - the new next to my favorite machine at our dump.


Got the new truck set up. Used the old RDS L tank but had to buy a new tool box in order to have at least a little bed space.



Aquired another UWS drawer toolbox which I forgot how much I like them. Ratchet wrenches in the bottom drawer, pliers in second, screw drivers in third drawer, sockets in 4th and allen wrenches in the top drawer. Drop the tailgate and easy access.



Really liking this truck, Ford has a home run with their 6.7 and 10 sp trans. Wife and I have a camping trip this weekend and looking forward to hitching our TT to this beast and hitting the road.

 

[Shacman International]

Your truck is awesome

 

[hvy 1ton]

@CM1995 no plans to put GPS on the grader box?

 

[CM1995]

@CM1995 no plans to put GPS on the grader box?

Not at the moment. Might add it later.

 

[CM1995]

Never enough time for some R&R so take it when you can.

First pull with the new truck. Hooked up at the yard ready to head out on a 2 hour 1 way trip to an ACE campground on the Tombigbee river the wife and I really enjoy.



The truck exceeded my expectations. The 6.7 mated to the 10sp trans is a joy to drive.

Backed in a set up. This campground is also owned and maintained by the ACE so it is a top notch facility with concrete pads on every site which are surprisingly level.



Life is good ya'll - enjoy it every chance you get!

 

[skyking1]

congrats on a well-deserved break.

 

[CM1995]

Thanks Sky. We're staying through Monday for 3 nights total. If we have cell coverage I can fake a 1/2 day of playing hooky from work.

 

[skyking1]

We are cat-sitting till Monday, and next weekend I will be putting my sister's well back together and hauling home the long lumber and any other treasures from the family homestead. After that we are open for camping all summer. My wife can work a day from the RV if we have that cell coverage you mentioned.

 

[CM1995]

From last week -

At the drive thru only chicken shack finished up storm except for inverts as the on-site concrete company we use were not taking any orders last week.

Fine grading the parking lot. This site had 6" concrete paving on dirt sub-grade (not what I would do), .75' light duty asphalt and 1' HD asphalt.

The picture is taken from the proposed building pad, the 305 is in the dumpster pad.




One of 4 hooded curb grate inlets. The concrete curb will pour up against the cast iron hood in the back. These are inexpensive and efficient curb inlets.




One of 2 - 24x24 grate inlets in the landscape and patio area. Although this chicken shack is a drive thru only there is an outside dining area. The outdoor patio is roughly in the area where the pile of #57 stone is.




This wally world outparcel was once an apartment complex. We found the remnants of a past 8" cmu basement wall in the HD section of the parking lot. Scratched the blocks down a few inches below sub grade and let it ride.

 

[skyking1]

No sense looking for trouble.

 

[CM1995]

From the chicken shack last week.

At the rear of the property there was a tremendous amount of ground water where the double drive through wraps around to the serving window. We couldn't determine if it was a natural spring or a leak in a water main in the road above the property, either way it's quicker and cheaper to manage the water. It wasn't perched groundwater as it ran continuously.

Solution was to install a sheet drain along the rear curb line to capture the water and put it in a curb inlet in the drive through lane.

Trenching along the rear curb line. The pink stake is a 3' curb offset.

Water was already rolling in.





The sheet drain consists of filter fabric lining the trench, washed #57 stone and 4" perf HDPE pipe. We actually used the rectangular bundles of 4" pipe you can get at the big box stores now. The bundles are easier to handle and transport.

The 4" perf pipe T's off and goes into a curb grate inlet on the right in the pic.



Finished sheet drain topped off with #57's to grade on the right and a curb inlet on the left we tied the drain into.

The drive thru lanes are 6" thick concrete poured on dirt. We left it all on sub-grade but we all know the other trades will destroy it before it's time to be poured.

 

[CM1995]

There is a small segmented block retaining wall to be built on the slope around the back of the drive through lane in the back of the pic.





Since there is a lot of ground water we stubbed up the end of the 4" perf so the wall guys can tie their 4" wall drain into the sheet drain. Should take care of all the groundwater at the rear of the property.

 

[savman]

Looking good.

Are you still happy with your 305.5 purchase decision? I'm referring to the overall decision - like size, cab vs no cab, options etc.. Essentially, if you had it to do over would you change anything?

My PC-78 is great....but....Mobilization is a huge PITA; lack of boom swing really hampers it in some tight situations; lack of quick coupler is an expensive annoyance.

I've been considering another mini, that is right until I look what they are going for, and wanted to know how you felt about yours.

 

[CM1995]

Looking good.

Are you still happy with your 305.5 purchase decision? I'm referring to the overall decision - like size, cab vs no cab, options etc.. Essentially, if you had it to do over would you change anything?

My PC-78 is great....but....Mobilization is a huge PITA; lack of boom swing really hampers it in some tight situations; lack of quick coupler is an expensive annoyance.

I've been considering another mini, that is right until I look what they are going for, and wanted to know how you felt about yours.

No regrets on the mini purchase. It's a 305E with a manual QC so almost a 305.5 reach wise. The 305 has become so handy I bought a hammer for it.

It's the perfect size as far as reach and power go for small jobs with the benefit of moving behind our pickups. Love to have a 78 sized machine but it's hard to mob like you said. We've found a balance with our 2 50K hoes and the mini.

The only beef I have with the mini is the dented sheet metal on the flip up side hood. Eventually we'll replace it in order to bring it line with the rest of our iron cosmetically wise.

 

[CM1995]

Speaking of the 305 we are back at the paint store project next to the strip mall we finished up earlier.

Nothing like the retail world - get paid to install it and then get paid to tear it out.

Paint store project involves taking out the existing cul-de-sac and re-routing the 18" storm line we installed last year. New curb, sidewalk and landscaping all have to go in addition to the existing cul-de-sac paving and curbing.



The HC ramp, sidewalk and new curbing come out as well.



18" RCP line we installed prior that will be tied into here and removed down stream. Since we are having a tough time getting RCP at the moment we will gingerly remove what we previously installed for possible re-use later.

There will be a new yard inlet installed this location. Irrigation will be capped and the gas line is live.



First heavy pull with the new truck, it performed very well. Guessing the 279 and trailer are around 13-14K. Trailer has a 15K GVWR rating and the pickup is has a 11.5K GVW, combined this is a Class A CDL rig.

 

[willie59]

Just a thought, how many sub contractors would have the foresight to stub a 4" underdrain for the above ground retaining wall sub to tie in their drains? Speaking from experience, and had to use curse words and ruffle feathers doing so, how many times have I heard and fought against "I'm just doing what's in the specs", situations "on the ground" be damned.

 

[Bumpsteer]

Yup. Smart move for sure, not his first rodeo.
Didn't cost anything, really. 10' of pipe and a fitting.
Big thing is it keeps others from screwing up his work and getting blamed for issues down the road.
Trust no others on a job.

Ed

 

[oarwhat]

Could have tested the water for chlorine to see if it was a water line leak.

 

[CM1995]

Just a thought, how many sub contractors would have the foresight to stub a 4" underdrain for the above ground retaining wall sub to tie in their drains? Speaking from experience, and had to use curse words and ruffle feathers doing so, how many times have I heard and fought against "I'm just doing what's in the specs", situations "on the ground" be damned.

Willie we try to offer solutions on projects and sometimes we are the ones that ruffle the feathers of the GC or engineer for even suggesting them. We're told the flip side - "build it like it's designed!".

This project however is for a GC we work for regularly and the owners of the chicken shack are personal friends of ours so we just do things like the pipe stub and tell them about it afterwards. They are always very appreciative of any suggestions that will make the project better.

The first chicken shack we built 10 years ago still looks as good as the day it opened.

Yup. Smart move for sure, not his first rodeo.
Didn't cost anything, really. 10' of pipe and a fitting.
Big thing is it keeps others from screwing up his work and getting blamed for issues down the road.
Trust no others on a job.

Ed

Agree Ed it didn't cost anymore and since this was a CO we made a little money on it. Now if the wall guys actually tie to the stub is another question..

 

[CM1995]

Could have tested the water for chlorine to see if it was a water line leak.

Sure could have but it wouldn't have changed anything. This gets back to the quicker part. If it was a leaking water main in the road above the chicken shack would be on its first 5 year makeover before the water board fixed the leak.

The "metro area water board" is a quasi governmental corporation that answers to no one and supply's most of the areas water. They are know for corruption, graft and waste.

Our only choice was to manage the water and move on, regardless of the source.