Any Builder Types Whose Brains I Can Pick?

I’ve got a patch of land at the bottom of a steep escarpment that I’ve dug drains in to make a lawn – it’s quite waterlogged at the moment.

The problem I’ve got is trying to get around 10 tons of gravel down to the bottom to fill the drains after the pipes have gone in.

Barrowing would involve bench-cutting a wide enough path through about 50 yards of steep woodland. Then the hassle of taking dozens of barrow-loads down some really steep slopes.

But… There’s a straight line running from the top lawn, right down to the bottom which is probably around 30yds and around 35° in gradient.

Would it be possible to use those yellow chutes that builders use for dumping waste off scaffolding? And if so, is it possible to hire that sort of thing?

I’m thinking that if it was feasible, all the barrowing would be on the flat… Ta!

Good idea but don’t know if it would work at 35° , the gravel may just sit in the chute halfway down leaving you with a problem of getting it moving or splitting the chute and barrowing again.
I like the plan, obviously steeper is better, but have a think about how you’d get ten tons of gravel moving or out of the chute if it doesn’t work.
It might be better to just make a timber chute out of some ply with an open top, more like a kids slide, so you can access the gravel and get it moving with a shovel if the slope isn’t steep enough.

Anyway, these are the things you were looking for:

http://www.hss.com/g/50510/Rubbish-Chute-Section.html

Thanks for the advice, and that’s a good point. But Jebus, it’ll cost a fortune to hire 30 metres at 15 quid per 1.2m section!!!

Might be better to bite the bullet, cut a path and hire a power barrow…

These things are never simple!!!

Good luck anyway.
If you do go to a hire company, one other thing to remember is negotiation, especially if taking more than one item or for more than one week.
Treat advertised prices as maximums and ask what deal can be done. Its always better for them to have something on hire cheaply than sat in their yard.

Barrowing would involve bench-cutting a wide enough path through about 50 yards of steep woodland

Build it right and you’ll have some nice singletrack at the end of the process 😉

Cheers Loum, that sounds like good advice… 🙂

Wwaswas, there’s already enough of that, I was hoping not to have to build any more!

Put your back in to it.

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Iron Man Jim is still going strong at 81[/url] by SGMTB[/url], on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58162507@N07/5777350928/

if there is a straight line and you want to get it down not up then use gravity, you just rig up the kind of system they used in the old days of coal mining and canals – rope on a pulley connected to a sled or trolley of some kind, builders bag on top part filled with gravel in it, slide it down the hill with bit of help is necessary. Or even just your wheelbarrow jerry rigged. Fast down, easy up.

Build a couple of jumps, sell tickets to your new freeride trail centre and ask your punters to carry a small bagfull down on each run as a condition of use

Few options. post a pic of the site and I’ll have a think.

I’ll take a few piccies shortly and load them up…

could you do a pulley system – ie two connected carrying objects, – the full one rolls down or slides down a cable) and pulls the empty one back up, if you could work out automatic emptying you could maybe just stand at the top and shovel

in reality it’ll be a lot quicker barrowing …………….

Heli-drop?

Do the chute thing with water to carry the gravel, just dont overload it

Get a mug to quote for “delivered where you want it” and make him stick to it.

I’m liking BigJohn’s suggestion best!!

OK, here’s the glade I’m draining…

Here’s a shot in which you can see the distance/height from the house which has a small level lawn at the back…

Here’s a view down the slope from the lawn… The Rhododendron bush is about halfway down the slope)

And he’s a side-view showing the average gradient of the slope…

A-frames and a zipwire?

Is the lawn going to get enough light, looks very hemmed in. Wouldn’t be expecting a bowling green, but still might struggle in there.

Borrow / make one of these – you know you want to!!!

We’ve used a ‘cut in half & flattened a bit’ oil barrel & rope to move rocks with. Might be easier than borrowing as you’ve just got to drag it rather than push & lift / stop it running away.

It doesn’t look steep enough for a skip shoot to work.
Trailer & winch maybe?

I’m going to be doing a lot of cutting back – there are some straggly-looking aspen and horse chestnut that are robbing a lot of light, plus some hazel that needs coppicing back.

But there was a lot of grass growing down there before I started drainage work, so I’m confident that a shade-tolerant grass would have no problems.

I’m just after a safe level area for my nephews to play, build wigwams etc 🙂

This is what it looked like before digging began… I’m hoping to achieve a similar look but without the squelch!

Shame you missed this

Maybe wait till next year, and it might have stopped raining by then aswell

Awesome idea Seven! 5p to shift 10 tons of gravel? Yesss! 😀