Question on digging swales

[Jordon]

Hello Everyone,
I have a job coming up which requires me to create a small v-swale behind a new building (like the one pictured in this link: http://www.parmeleegeology.com/slope%20drain.JPG. The swale is to run the entire length of the building (about 500 feet). The slope on each side is to be 3 feet wide, and the bottom point has to be about 2 feet below surrounding grade. The issue is that the area in question is sandwiched between the new building and a wall, giving me about 10 feet of width in which to create the 6 foot wide swale.

Could anyone give me any ideas on the most efficient way to complete this job? I've looked around the forum, but haven't found any ideas. The space is too small to get our 277B in and cut the slopes from the sides. I think this would take too long with hand too, and the soil is sugar sand with absolutely no “stickiness”. None of the rental places in town seems to have a v-bucket available either.

I’m just starting out, so I appreciate the advice of those who have been doing this for a while.

Cheers,
Jordon

 

[Lee-online]

mini exc with a rototilt style bucket?

Shouldn't the 277 should do the job once you get the grade started?

 

[Jordon]

Thanks for the reply Lee, I hadn't thought of the mini with the rototilt. I guess that's probably my best bet for this job.

Like you said, once I get the slope started, I should be able to run down the length of the swale with the 277 tipped to one side and cut the slope the rest of the way. From working in this sand before though, I've learned that this doesn't really work well. The 277 just slides around.

 

[stumpjumper83]

Look for a takeuchi fr series mini ex to rent, they have the ability to spin around with loaded bucket in less than 8'. Mine is a 053fr, and It pulls a 36" digging bucket with ease. If the mini ex thing doesnt work out, look at a ashland ground hog skid loader scraper, they are 6' wide. take yor pan in and cut the necessary material out, then shape to profile with a grader blade on the slidloader or with the mini.

Other option is to test your salesmanship, talk them into letting you put a 6" or 8" preforated drain tile in with apropriate slope to drain right. Explain that if they would ever need to get a vehicle in beside their building or even just to mow around it will be easier than with the swale and because your not trying to form something in a confined area, be cheaper....

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Why not weld some plate to the bottom of your 277 bucket to match the profile of the ditch? Like making a large V bucket out of it. Then you can cut it to grade in one pass.

 

[Stump Knocker]

I've worked in sugar sand for over 30 years in central FL. and it's a bitch to grade a swale.
If he can't find a mini with a rototilt bucket,I would go with a skidsteer.

STUMP KNOCKER

 

[Jordon]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Stump Jumper, you're idea might be the way to go. JDOFMEMI, that was the first thing I though of, but I see any way that I could remove from the bucket, but that would be strong enough not to fall off while working. I still think I might be able to attach something to our forks to create a makeshift v-bucket. Stump Knocker, I grew up real close to you, in Lake Mary.

 

[AT&SW]

We do this type of work on a regular basis with a boxblade equiped with a tilt cylinder works great in florida's sandy soils.

 

[tuney443]

Look for a takeuchi fr series mini ex to rent, they have the ability to spin around with loaded bucket in less than 8'. Mine is a 053fr, and It pulls a 36" digging bucket with ease. If the mini ex thing doesnt work out, look at a ashland ground hog skid loader scraper, they are 6' wide. take yor pan in and cut the necessary material out, then shape to profile with a grader blade on the slidloader or with the mini.

Other option is to test your salesmanship, talk them into letting you put a 6" or 8" preforated drain tile in with apropriate slope to drain right. Explain that if they would ever need to get a vehicle in beside their building or even just to mow around it will be easier than with the swale and because your not trying to form something in a confined area, be cheaper....

I go through this all the time with rookie engineers and these wise ass ''landscape architects'' who ONLY think their way is the only way. One in particular comes to mind when I was pulling measurements with her on a severely sloped English Tea Garden job.She's holding the smart end and I see her measuring with the slope instead of the tape being level so I tell her she's doing it wrong.She completely ignores me but the client hears us and tells her that I'm right.Egg all over her face as now she realizes all her computer generated plans are now NG because she didn't factor real life into the equation.Floats my boat when I'm allowed to prove them oh so wrong.

 

[johndeere123]

could you do it with a small dozer and a tilt blade? just push towards the end of the building and then load with the skid steer to haul away?

 

[Dozerboy]

Depends on the customer, but I have gotten away with just hogging out the extra material with a 2' bucket and digging it a little deep. Then just pull the sides down to make the V. A good hand can do it without making to much of it sluff. With a little hand work to clean it up and walk in the sluff then your done.

 

[Turbo21835]

I would dig more a less a trench on the centerline of the ditch. Then i would walk back in and cut the slope on one side, then rinse and repeat one more time. I have done this many times in clay type, and silty sand type soils. Its not the quickest way to do things, but works decently.

 

[Jordon]

Well, I just got off the phone with our guy from the big equipment rental company in our area. He told me that something like an excavator tilt-bucket, or tilt-boxblade "doesn't exist". I must have been hallucinating the 8 million times I've seen one used on a job site...I guess I'll be doing this job the way Turbo suggested...

 

[OldandWorn]

Perfect job for a Gradall.

 

[stock]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeJx7viF1cw

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Stock

Where did you find those? I built my own, and it does not have a long nose like these. It would work better if it did though, but still I am able to do a nice ditch in just a couple of passes.

 

[JDFG1974]

Use a mini ex. and a DINGO small track machine. That's how we do it , and were in GA where we have hard red clay. Should be a breeze with sandy soil . GOOD LUCK