Eighteen-thousand pounds of gravel, Eleven-thousand pounds of sand, One-hundred thirty-two 16 X 16 cement blocks, Seven 6 X 6 treated posts, Seven 2 X 12 planks sixteen feet long, Eight 2 X 6 planks sixteen feet long, One-hundred forty feet of 1/2" re-bar, Seven pieces of 5/8" all-thread rod, Twenty-eight 5/8" hex nuts and washers, Thirty feet of 3" perforated drainage pipe, Two rolls of root-resistant membrane, plus misc shop-built brackets and fittings and GALLONS of paint and concrete deck sealer. [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] DON'T try this at home! [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Wife to husband: "Honey, let's build a nice patio deck here by the big tree so I can put my new patio furniture on it!" Husband: "Hmmmm.....we'll have to get a better front end loader for the John Deere to use for digging out the hole." Wife: "Sure honey....no problem. Let's go get one right now!" TWO-AND-A-HALF MONTHS LATER we have our patio deck finished and my pet 1952 John Deere has a mint-condition, vintage, Model 45 front end loader on it. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] There is much joy around here; when the wife is happy, EVERYBODY is happy. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]
[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] You got THAT right! We have about 140 "team" hours of labor in it between my wife and I. The only outside labor we had was the actual delivery of the sand. We hauled the gravel ourselves and did all the rest of the stuff ourselves. It is really nice to just look out there and see it all done, and especially when my wife constantly comments on how much she likes it...........that's worth a lot.......AND every time I go over to the shed I can admire my Number 45 John Deere front end loader. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] We did everything humanly possible to deal with the rainwater that will fall on the block deck by providing superb under-deck drainage; and if our calculations are correct, we'll not have a freezing-heaving problem. If we DO ever have frost damage, it's only a matter of pulling the blocks up and resetting them in the sand bed. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
How about some pictures of the completed project. Ive used my tractor with its loader for many projects. Gotta luv that 4-wheel drive wheel borrow. I have a new holland compact. With a 52" loader, 48" rotto tiller, 48" bush hog, post hole digger and a 60" mid mount mower deck. I just used the front end loader to lift my furnace to mount it in my greenhouse. It took the place of three guys with the push of a lever [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Worked perfect. Have fun with your new addition to your tractor
Larry
[img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] I'd love to post a photo but alas, my scanner hasn't worked since the day I got it....the software keeps evaporating..... and my compooter skills are limited to just typing in some commentary. I keep intending to get some tutoring................................ [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] Basically, our backyard slopes 1" to the foot away from our house. The patio is roughly sixteen feet by fifteen feet and begins at lawn level on the near side and is sixteen inches high on the far side. It resembles a loading dock with perimeter benches on three sides. The same posts that hold the plank retaining walls also support the benches. The block surface is a checkerboard of red/grey pre-cast blocks set in sand over gravel and the outer edge is 2" planking that closely hugs the blocks. Needless to say, measurements were critical in order to get the blocks to fill the space between the perimeter planking with zero left over. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] The perimeter planking disappears into the lawn on the house end and is sixteen inches high on the far end. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Our John Deere has a hand clutch, no live hydraulics, and a hand-trip bucket, but in the hands of an experienced operator will still outdig fifty men with shovels and wheelbarrows. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Luckily, I grew up on early John Deeres, so the tractor seems "normal" to me. There is nothing like hearing that "A" John Deere snort; with the front wheels slightly "floating"; as it boils the dirt over the sides of that bucket. [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] You know, I never thought of doing that for purposes of posting.........a VERY good idea. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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