may not look like much, but that is almost enough 4x6 and 6x6 lumber to begin building the much needed and furiously debated ‘retaining wall’.
(http://www.fotolode.com/images/m7farms/RR/wal1.jpg)
I helped my father-in-law sort some ‘scraps’ yesterday and brought this stuff home. Now to move those rocks I was so happy to find and place last year…
While Internet Celebrities like Rooster, ‘Ice’ Berg, Hollywood, Dad, Jon, Rick, Stan and others were Yukking it up in York…the serfs were at home working on the R/R…
Who had the idea to put these rocks here?
Oh yeah, that was me, just a few pages back…anyways-
we have landed on a new and FINAL plan to retain the fill to complete a level ROW. While surveying the area, the CFO stopped by and asked that I actually increase the size of the future Empire!
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/1.jpg)
He’s standing at the end of our proposed layout. the CFO asked that we go past the Cedar to emcmopass it and then turn back up the hill. “Ok” was my reply. This will allow a slight gradient change and offer yet another opportunity to try and squeeze more roundy-rounds into the plan.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/5.jpg)
I worked on my PhD (Post Hole Digger) later in the day. Those post are far longer than needed to achieve ‘grade’ but I wasn’t ready to cut down-yet. They are 4x6 and are spaced 6’ apart due to the turns created by the sidewalk. We will place a 4x4 between them (@ 3’) to help make the ‘bend’ look nicer.
Across the front of the ‘wall’ the post will be set at 6’ apart as well, using the same pattern 4x6-4x4-4x6. The max height of the wall above ground level will be appox. <20".
This is a much larger example of what we’re building (from yahoo images)
Work Continues-stay tuned!
Cale - Don’t plan on adding a lot of fill over those tree roots or the tree will not survive more than a few years. My next door neighbor back filled around half a dozen trees when building his house. 4 years later he had to pay big bucks to have them taken down - they all died.
The tree is at grade on 3 sides. I’m thinking a little rock work or something to fill around the font to keep it healthy <2"!
the pictures are very deceiving- and the super long post I set are no help regarding the ‘view’. It’s gonna be a Very Low Wall, and may be a trip hazard up there at the intersection with the drive LOL
Cale Nelson said:
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/5.jpg)
I think a nice retaining wall would look reeeal nice along the back of this sidewalk.
As Jon said not a lot of fill just along the back of the wall, and slope it inwards.
Picture the train running a long the top of the wall.
Sean
I second what Jon said.
When building my layout I killed my big apple tree by adding 8" of fill around the tree. I’m still sick about it since I used the apples for homemade apple pie. I’m growing a few more but it will take a few years to get as big as the previous one.
Turned a corner today! just in time for the rain…
Been wondering how I’d make this transition, here is what I came up with…right or wrong, it’s hand dug 24" down, and I’m rolling with it. Notch has nothing to do with the wall, this is a left over from the Chicken House bracing.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/walla.jpg)
some brackets I found at Lowes…set the angle I needed, leveled, and staked off:
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/wallb.jpg)
Wife increased the ROW out to the “green thing”
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/wallc.jpg)
Shame I’ll cut most of them off. Again, the wall at max height is only planned to be about 18" tall!
to give you an idea of how this transitions from the back door to the RR…here is a shot looking out the backdoor glass.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/walld.jpg)
Looking into the back door
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/walle.jpg)
Is it done yet Cal?
Saturday afternoon, I had some time before Dinner, so I decided to work on my PhD a little more:
The ground was soft from recent rains, and I luckily choose the Hand vs the Auger diggers, about 18" down I found the water line that feeds the barn. Found as in, bumped with PhD’s and looked to make sure it wasn’t a rock. I would not have ‘felt’ the PVC with the Tractor!
wife called for supper, afterwards I came back out to find this on the lawn:
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/wallg.jpg)
of course no further hole digging, just the regular run of the mill Chicken Scratch’d Graffiti! I can’t believe they let him below the Mason-Dixon!
Yard-art notwithstanding, it was a productive afternoon, I’ve got about 9 more holes to dig in and hope to get to those today.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/wall/wallf.jpeg)
some of those are drops I had laying around to add to the visual. Appears entire area will be near 13’ x 34’ overall
Got 'em all yesterday, added some quickcrete to each hole and set at plumb.
now to cut them all down to size and keep moving forward.
That looks too much like work 
PM me your address and current phone number.
I need to get down there one weekend and return the bender before you start putting down track.
Ralph
Happy Fathers Day
Happy Fathers Day. Now your making some progress. The wall looks great. The hardest part is almost done.
Nice work Cale. Looks like you wound up a bit more than <20" high. On to the back fill
Dave, N.B., Marconi said:
Nice work Cale. Looks like you wound up a bit more than <20" high. On to the back fill
I don’t think so. Add up the lumber sizes. Three 2x6s=16.5 inches, unless they are 2x8s!
Yea, the easy part is fillin all that up with dirt, rocks stone, whatever…
Thanks Guys
the average height on the front wall (shown) is 19" as short as 17.5" nearest house and a little under 24" out on the deep end. Some backfilling will correct the grade outside the wall, and yes-lotsa dirt with fill the grade behind the wall.
I hope to work on the ‘bends’ tomorrow and get this chapter completed soon!
Maybe I’ll get a Bobcat Rental Gift Card for Fathers Day
oh, we used 2x8x12 treated, and had to trench in some to get them to go w/o cutting.
Looking good Cale. Don’t you have a front-end loader on that tractor of yours? If not, Bobcat is a real good idea.
no loader here, so a rental will have to be tapped…
Still Lots’a work to do, but this part is almost complete…90+ degrees forecast for the next week or so-whew…time to order some dirt!
