Thanks for the tips . . . need more

[littleroadgrade]

Question for the blade hands here:

I went with a parabolic crown on the subgrade vs. attempting to "straight edge" from shoulder to centerline.

I ended up with 3-4" of top course at center line and down to nothing at the shoulder.

Had we had more rock I would have went 3" over all of subgrade to top of ditch.

Is this how you guys would have done it?

Thanks in advance.

Mighty fine work there Grouser, I'd say the 3-4" center top coarse is right on track, most anyone driving that road will drive down the center anyway,people tend to drive like sheep, where ever the first one drives everyone following will drive the same path.
Keep up the good work

 

[Grader4me]

If you would have spread your rock evenly over the whole road how much cover would you have had? It looked like you had a good crown on your sub base, probably around 3 to 4 per cent? I'm just curious as to what per cent your crown is now with building up your center more with the rock. Usually I try and spread my material evenly, as I already have my road base shaped with proper crown and elevations.

Good looking job..edges look straight..

 

[JonesBros]

If you would have spread your rock evenly over the whole road how much cover would you have had? It looked like you had a good crown on your sub base, probably around 3 to 4 per cent? I'm just curious as to what per cent your crown is now with building up your center more with the rock. Usually I try and spread my material evenly, as I already have my road base shaped with proper crown and elevations.

Good looking job..edges look straight..

I agree 100%

Always make sure you have at least 3" of cover on the driveway because if you don't in a years time you'll be coming back and putting more stone on it! What are you using 21A or 26? A lot of places (if using a roller and water truck) prefer 21A in the late spring & summer since it has a bit of topsoil or pug mix as they call it, to retain water when it comes to fine grading and packing.

 

[RocksnRoses]

anyway,people tend to drive like sheep, where ever the first one drives everyone following will drive the same path.
Keep up the good work

Ain't that the truth!

You've done well Grouser.:thumbsup

Rn'R.

 

[Grouser]

Mighty fine work there Grouser, I'd say the 3-4" center top coarse is right on track, most anyone driving that road will drive down the center anyway,people tend to drive like sheep, where ever the first one drives everyone following will drive the same path.
Keep up the good work

That was my thinking also, the center 10' is where most the rock is. I suppose if there was to be 2 way traffic it might have been better to spread it evenly out to top of ditch but then it would have only been maybe 2" thick at best.

Thanks for the input, do you take the time to "straight edge" from shoulder to centerline on private drives, or just rough crown like I did?

Randy brought up a good point about the parabolic crown being harder to plow but to me, it is a lot easier to create vs. a straight edge crown.

 

[Grouser]

If you would have spread your rock evenly over the whole road how much cover would you have had? It looked like you had a good crown on your sub base, probably around 3 to 4 per cent? I'm just curious as to what per cent your crown is now with building up your center more with the rock. Usually I try and spread my material evenly, as I already have my road base shaped with proper crown and elevations.

Good looking job..edges look straight..

I am figuring I maybe would have had 2" had I spread evenly from centerline to shoulder. The subgrade has a good 8 to 10% crown I am guessing, I made it pretty extreme to insure it doesn't flatten out again.

With the rock mostly in the center I don't know . . . I will shoot it tomorrow to see what it came out as.

 

[Grouser]

I agree 100%

Always make sure you have at least 3" of cover on the driveway because if you don't in a years time you'll be coming back and putting more stone on it! What are you using 21A or 26? A lot of places (if using a roller and water truck) prefer 21A in the late spring & summer since it has a bit of topsoil or pug mix as they call it, to retain water when it comes to fine grading and packing.

10-4 on at least 3". Around here we get a lot of snow and careless snow plow technique can really wipe out your surface stone especially when it is not frozen.

Not sure on the aggregate spec other than was 5/8 minus with ample binder and packs pretty good. I like working with it and it holds up well over time.

 

[Grouser]

Ain't that the truth!
Rn'R.

Hi Rn'R, how about we put up signs: "Always split your tracks and just because those ruts are there does not mean you have to drive in them!"

 

[RocksnRoses]

Hi Rn'R, how about we put up signs: "Always split your tracks and just because those ruts are there does not mean you have to drive in them!"

About the only way that would work, Grouser, would be to actually put the signs in the ruts. I was always telling my blokes, not to keep driving in the same tracks, but I might just as well have went and had a conversation with a fence post. I would say to them "If I put a b****y great rock on that track, I guarantee you would run over it!" Didn't make any difference.:Banghead

We build and rebuild a lot of farm roads here, similar to what you are doing, but we do not have the water problems that you have. I am always telling our customers, to build the road a little bit wider than one car width, which is often what they want and when they are driving on it, to move over and back constantly and the surface of the road will last three times as long, especially if they do not get it graded very often.

Rn'R.

 

[Grader4me]

I kind of hacked it in but got er done.

I missed this post and pic. That's what you have to do my friend! Use your imagination and make it work. There is no such thing as impossible...well.. almost no such thing..

On edit..it's great that you're asking for tips, but don't sell yourself short here. You're the guy on the machine, and from what I'm seeing you really don't need much help..

 

[Grouser]

Ended up with an average of about 9% cross slope with the rock. Probably about 6 to 7% on the subgrade. It's a little extreme for crown but I am thinking with all the snow we have been getting it will shed water that much better and take longer to flatten out.

You guys in heavy snow/water areas ever try this much crown? My only concern is slick/icy conditions may put you in the ditch.

I will take photos in a year and see how it worked out.

 

[Grouser]

I missed this post and pic. That's what you have to do my friend! Use your imagination and make it work. There is no such thing as impossible...well.. almost no such thing..

On edit..it's great that you're asking for tips, but don't sell yourself short here. You're the guy on the machine, and from what I'm seeing you really don't need much help..

I think more than anything I just like discussing different theories on the art and science of dirt! :drinkup

 

[Grader4me]

I think more than anything I just like discussing different theories on the art and science of dirt! :drinkup

I hear ya...How long have you been on a grader?

You guys in heavy snow/water areas ever try this much crown? My only concern is slick/icy conditions may put you in the ditch.

I try for 3 to 4% as more than that can make the driving a little harder in the winter. As well, with extreme crowns it makes it uncomfortable to drive on, thus people have a tendency to drive in the center of the road.

Your road looks very good though and it will flatten down some. What is the feeling/comments from the owner of the road?

 

[Grouser]

Grader4me, I probably have around 1500 hrs on grader but it has been on and off over the last 30 years. I always jump on one any chance I get. Mostly so far has been haul road maintainence for off road trucks.

The owner likes the excessive crown and he and his wife promised me they will always split thier tracks and stay close to center.

It rained hard last night and he called me today to say that the drainage worked great.
Thanks again for the input.

 

[Randy Krieg]

Don't Leave Home without Them

MG Mans best friends!

 

[JonesBros]

Damn.. I wish we had that kind of water truck & roller. But then again working for the state my oldies but goodies get paid just as much a brand new one off the lot! But imagine that.. a KW for a water truck..wow.

 

[dogboneshd]

Great thread fellas.

 

[Grouser]

Yes on the water truck and roller. What a pain it is trying to grade without them, a guy can wheel roll all day long and still no comparison.

I do think overall though for the money he has into this driveway that all the choices he made were smart. A water truck, roller, culverts and more rock would have at least quadrupled the cost of the job.

I mentioned earlier that the owner is a veteran, he served in Korea and Vietnam. While we were working, a FedEx truck pulled up and I noticed him walking up the hill with a box. Turns out his home burned down 4 years ago and he finally recieved his replacement medals from the U.S. military.

Once I started asking him questions he told me a little about what happened. He was a helicopter door gunner for the 101st Airborne and was shot down in Vietnam. He was hit twice by a 30 caliber machine gun, he showed me the entrance and exit scars for the one that hit him in the abdoman area, wow! His right arm had a nasty chunk out of it too.

I asked him if I could get a pic of the medals so he laid them out for me. The Purple Heart is hidden behind the lever.

I am so glad I did the best I could for this man :usa

 

[Madcanadian]

The one problem with a crown greater than 4 percent is that if you get a high volume of snow you will get freshlets in the spring, and they will move a considerable amount of material off of the road and fill in your ditches.

 

[HvySpr]

Great spot to do a lil V Ditch and Camber all at least on the grassy side.. Looked nice and dry lost of good material to play with. Nice Job.