How would you handle this problem?

78Parrothead · #1 04/09/13, 12:50 PM

Once upon a time we think there was a rock wall built along the right of way. Today there are trees and tumbled rocks. We had a person cut down the trees so the power company can run poles and lines. But he cut them 18 inches from the ground. The trees were so thick the ground was wet well into August. The mosquitoes tried to carry us off alive there was so much stagnant water.

So now we have to find a way to level it out a bit. The land is level with the road for about 6 feet then there is a hump where the rock was is/was then in some places lower than the road. I think if we can push the remains of the wall into the low areas it will level out.

We have built a rudimentary driveway.

What equipment and how would you get rid of the stumps, take down the wall and level it out.

Oh, and when the guy cut down the trees, he put them in the field. We have to sort and cut up a pile of logs and scrub trees that is about 7 feet tall and 12-15 feet long. Anyone want to come help?

dkhern · #2 04/09/13, 03:13 PM

not really understandeing your problems. are the rocks large or small, size of stumps? a bull dozer will move rocks, push out stumps, build road. may be cost effective to hire one. couple of hrs vs couple of years. id burn the log pile. good luck

uncle Will in In. · #3 04/09/13, 03:34 PM

Hire the dozer. He can level it out burry the stumps and push the trees into a nice big pile that you can someday burn of donate to someone to cut up for fire wood.
If you want a solid road that won't turn into mud holes in the spring, have him make the road higher in the center, and put shallow dtainage ditches along both sides.

78Parrothead · #4 04/09/13, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkhern

not really understandeing your problems. are the rocks large or small, size of stumps? a bull dozer will move rocks, push out stumps, build road. may be cost effective to hire one. couple of hrs vs couple of years. id burn the log pile. good luck

The rocks are a variety of sizes, most the size of a human head. (I know gruesome, but I couldn't think of another comparison.)

Is a bull dozer something one can learn to drive quickly or should we hire someone to do the work. Are we generally talking in the thousands for that kind of work?

luvrulz · #5 04/09/13, 03:42 PM

Since it doesn't say where you are, we don't know if we can come help you!! The trees can be cut up with a chain saw and stacked for fire wood next year. The average cost around here is $80-$100 an hour for a bulldozer.... It might take a couple hours for them to clear the stumps and the rocks. Save the rocks and put them where they will help with erosion and all that. Use them as landscaping ornaments or something. You can put them around the pond?? So, where are you???!

simi-steading · #6 04/09/13, 03:48 PM

It will cost you less to hire someone with a doze who could knock the job out in a couple hours, than it would cost you to rent one, learn to run it, and actually make any real progress in a day or two...

78Parrothead · #7 04/09/13, 04:30 PM

Okay, Thanks.

Dh just reminded me that the rental place said if we bent the blade pushing around stumps we would be responsible for replacing the thing.

I think that was what the problem was we couldn't get a dozer to rent for fear of breaking it. So we were looking for an alternative.

Dh just joined the site. Maybe he will pop in and explain better.

78Parrothead · #8 04/09/13, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvrulz

Since it doesn't say where you are, we don't know if we can come help you!! The trees can be cut up with a chain saw and stacked for fire wood next year. The average cost around here is $80-$100 an hour for a bulldozer.... It might take a couple hours for them to clear the stumps and the rocks. Save the rocks and put them where they will help with erosion and all that. Use them as landscaping ornaments or something. You can put them around the pond?? So, where are you???!

Northern Maine.

luvrulz · #9 04/09/13, 04:59 PM

Prob cost more there for the dozer, but here, we can rent one with an operator! And he owns the machine so we don't worry about the bent blade.

Do you have someone around you that has one to work for you?? Good luck with this project! The first of many, I'm sure!

Jennifer L. · #10 04/09/13, 05:05 PM

Hire the bull dozer. Experienced operators will get that job done before you could figure out how to use it. And as you pointed out, repairs are their responsibility and parts can be pricey. It's going to be some cash out, but your problem will be done. Find other things that might need dozing while he's there, too, get a bunch of stuff done. This kind of stuff is well worth the money.

lonelytree · #11 04/09/13, 05:59 PM

I would look at an excavator with a thumb. Bury the stumps out of the way. Salvage any firewood and throw the rest in the hole. Cover with skullheads then get a truckload of fill. Level it out.

A few excavators have small blades on them. Some have nice 6 way blades. With the right operator they could be done in less than a day IF you salvage the firewood first.