OT: design for a 3/4" gravel screener?

[oldtiffie]

Good lord man. 50/50 mix of roundup and 2,4,D sprayed 3 times a year. 6 yards of gravel moved TWICE with a shovel. No way.

Pretty well +1 but a more permanent weed-killing sprays reduces the annual (at least once) - possibly two or more times a season.

If you need to move it - hire in a "Bob Cat" (with driver - as they know their stuff and their machine/s.

A vibrating pad or roller will certainly assist with levelling and compaction.

[Black Forest]

Pretty well +1 but a more permanent weed-killing sprays reduces the annual (at least once) - possibly two or more times a season.

If you need to move it - hire in a "Bob Cat" (with driver - as they know their stuff and their machine/s.

A vibrating pad or roller will certainly assist with levelling and compaction.

He wrote in the original post he only has 36" access. To my knowledge the 42" wide is the smallest skid steer one can get.

[Carm]

"Carm, what do you mean by solarizing in this context? "

Cover the area with an impervious black plastic sheet. Probably need to weight the edges, and if you have invasives, the edges need dug in.
No sunlight for plant growth. Lots of heat kills lots of life. The dead organic matter will still foster growth from new seeds.
NJ this time of year, coupla weeks will do it.

Heavy salting generally works too. Like weedkillers, you should consider where that stuff goes.

[Willy]

Good lord man. 50/50 mix of roundup and 2,4,D sprayed 3 times a year. 6 yards of gravel moved TWICE with a shovel. No way.

I did spread 40 yards a few years ago by myself with only a shovel and wheelbarrow, not fun but it went surprisingly fast.
However I'm older and wiser now, plus I have better ways to get my exercise.

In order to keep that section of the yard clean I now spray Round-Up on it once in the spring when vegetation is actively growing and then one more follow up treatment later during the summer. Two sessions, 20 minutes each, you're done.

Not sure how much if any debris/leaves fall on this section of the yard but acquiring grunt labor to rake and clean the yard occasionally may be easier and cheaper than to clean up the mess by not being proactive. Screening weeds and decomposed vegetation from gravel and ending up with a clean product also entails dealing with the debris matter that is removed. Think about the processing of this as well.

[oldtiffie]

Originally Posted by oldtiffie
Pretty well +1 but a more permanent weed-killing sprays reduces the annual (at least once) - possibly two or more times a season.

If you need to move it - hire in a "Bob Cat" (with driver - as they know their stuff and their machine/s.

A vibrating pad or roller will certainly assist with levelling and compaction.

He wrote in the original post he only has 36" access. To my knowledge the 42" wide is the smallest skid steer one can get.

Good catch BF I got that wrong.

This OZ-made machine should do the job nicely.

http://www.dingo.com.au/about-dingo/

I'dbe surprised ifthere were no similar machines in the US.

They are very popular here with Builders,Plumbers and Land-scapers here and owners who hire them out during the weekends.

[Boostinjdm]

Bobcats can be found 36" wide. You just have to look for the right ones. 371 and 310 with narrow tires will do the trick.

[kendall]

Plenty of track hoes and loaders that are designed to fit through the average 3.0 front door with ease available in the US.

[gellfex]

Thanks all. One thing that makes me nervous about the chemical approach is that this pebble bed is also the root bed for fruit trees, the source of the leaves making the humus. Is there a risk of poisoning the trees? It's shaded by said trees, reducing the efficacy of the "solarizing" method.

[gellfex]

Here you go,just an inclined screen deck with a motor and counterweight to make it shake.Could just as easily be made using an electric motor with an offset weight to make it shake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUEJ8AZiqLs

I'd say that machine is not long enough, looks like a lot of fine is still getting into the clean pile.

[Willy]

Thanks all. One thing that makes me nervous about the chemical approach is that this pebble bed is also the root bed for fruit trees, the source of the leaves making the humus. Is there a risk of poisoning the trees? It's shaded by said trees, reducing the efficacy of the "solarizing" method.

No issue with round-up, it only kills the plants that it makes contact with, it does not poison the soil. Any remaining seeds will germinate later hence the follow up application.

[Mike Burdick]

...It seems the thing to do is just screen out all the crap and return the gravel....

Okay... Get a concrete mixer and add the gravel. While it is running, add water and "float" the debris out the open end. Lots of work but no equipment to build.

[gellfex]

Okay... Get a concrete mixer and add the gravel. While it is running, add water and "float" the debris out the open end. Lots of work but no equipment to build.

And then what do I do with all that mud in my yard! It does have the advantage of removing the thousands of peach pits...

[Boostinjdm]

What does 6 yards of new gravel cost?

[boslab]

I was thinking about taking a hole saw to an old cement mixer I have, might work
Mark