My Blog

Goings on the last few months

5/14/2012 7:05:00 PM

Well I haven't posted anything lately, thought I would just do a update of whats been going on for me since February. The last week of February I started working for a gentleman Tommy Jim Henderson with the Uno mas Ranch in Artesia Wells Tx. Its 10,012 acres and change, I have been all over the entire ranch and still haven't seen 3/4 of it I am sure. I am basically cleaning put dry stock tanks, widening roads and cleaning up just about anything with my D6R dozer.

It is definetly different than working in Houston. In the first few weeks I had some illegals come out of nowhere on me and added a gun rack to my dozer to hold my AR-15 lol. I have found about a half dozen arrowheads and just been working my tail off. I will say that the trees and brush down in South Tx will all stick you cut you or leave a thorn in you. I have seen all kinds of wildlife and having hunted South Tx all my life I am really enjoying my time down there but really want to wrap it up so I can be home and see my wife and son everyday!! My son is now 8 months and crawling and the Dr. said last week thats he is doing great and will be walking way soon!!!! This week I am doing a riding arena over on Virgie Community and should have that wrapped up by end of week!!! Thanks everyone for the last few years and don't forget to keep your hometown people working.

hard surface parking or storage site construction

1/23/2012 8:54:00 PM

I may never recieve any prizes for my literary skills, I just try and explain the methods and processes used in a way that the average joe can understand!!

We just wrapped up a 3.4 acres pipe yard for JC Inspections in Porter Tx and I would like to explain and discuss some of the steps and techniques used in the construction of the site.

The first step site to clear and grub the entire 3.4 acres and haul off the trees brush and stumps and grub the entire site with the rake attached to the front of the dozer blade. This removes and roots or stumps and any other organic matter left behind.

Once this is completed the entire site was stripped 4 to 6 inches to remove any and all organic matter left behind from the clearing and grubbing.

This completed the engineer had a topographical survey done on the entire site in order to design the initial grading plan since we were to be tying into an existing 8 inches of crushed concrete base and drainage inlets. Once the initial grade cuts and fills were established with grade stakes we used a dozer to grade the entire sight to meet the specs of the grading plan.

This phase is for the drainage type -A inlets. The developer of the complex allowed detention for all property owners. We had to saw cut a 8 ft wide access in the bend of the ditch leading to the detention area. Once this was completed we cut the ditch approximately 8 inches below grade and backfilled with six inches of cement stabilized sand allowing the extra two inches for the thickness of the pipe to achieve the proper flow line. We used for this project 24" and 18" hdpe pipe. The pipe was set to the proper grades to the first area calling for a 30x30x48 type-a box and grate, which then to carry on through the box we went down to an 18" hdpe pipe size to the second type inlet box also bedded in with stabilized sand 90 degrees out of this box we went the last 130 ft and put the last box in to he proper grades. all pipe once checked and centered in the ditch was covered up to about 4 inches over the top with the stabilized sand and compacted with a plate compactor.

The next phase is stabilization, in this case a lime slurry was called for at a rate of 200 tons for the entire sight 10 to 12 inches deep. We used a Caterpillar mixer to achieve this as we had to mix and level off and apply the slurry several times over the entire area to achieve a uniform and consistent mix. This being completes we used a smooth drum 84" vibratory compactor to compact the sight to a minimum of 95% compaction as tested by a soils technician.

We then regraded the entire site back to grade using two dozers and compacting as it was regraded. ( you can almost never compact any soil or rock or any material too much when great weights will be driven on it after completion) once the regrading was complete we staked the sight for 9" of rock one section at a time and started laying down the rock using a 650 lgp John Deere dozer. The extra inch is to allow for compaction with a finished grade of approximately 8". We put down approximately 6000 tons of crushed concrete over the entire job roughly 350 12 yd 17 to 18 ton truck loads. Thats a whole lot of rock!!!

Once the entire sight was covered with and compacted the flow lines were checked and graded as needed to ensure proper drainage to the inlets we had earlier installed.

This is how we carried out the project and I am sure as with anything there will be differing opinions. At the end of the day the customer received a great product properly constructed which will last them many years to come with proper maintenance.

January 2012

1/23/2012 8:19:00 PM

Well we all survived the holidays and the new year is off to an awesome start!!!

We finished up the JC Inspections project with Sierra Construction last week, it was a few weeks behind due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances but it turned out awesome and we and the customer couldn't be happier with the finished product.

I know I have missed a few emails and phone calls from some customers and I want to appologize if anyone felt that I wasn't up to par on my attention to their needs.

I am headed down to Artesia Wells this weekend to meet with Mr. Tommy Henderson to discuss the cleanout of 13 existing tanks on the Uno Mas Ranch and possibly adding 8 more to hold rainfall in the south pasture of the ranch. Its going to be a great weekend with business on Friday and some hog hunting after we concluded our meeting.

Our son is doing great he is 18 lbs and 26 inches tall now and eating some solid foods mainly oatmeal and sweet potatoes witgh bananas next week!!!

December, Lime stabilizing

12/6/2011 1:44:00 AM

Well I wanted to discuss some types of stabilizing today.

We are doing a three acre lay down yard for JC Inspections in Porter and will be doing stabilizing late this week and into next week in preparation for eight inches of crushed concrete.

There are many types of stabilizing materials Lime, fly ash, carbide, these can be either in dry form or a slurry depending on your desired method of application or needs. once this is determined you can use a mixer much like a overgrown garden tiller to mix the lime in with the soil to the needed depth and compact for the 24 to 48 hour cure time then perform the mixing again for the final time compacting and then allowing the desired finish grade to be achieved for your project. this is just a small amount of information on this subject. There are numerous articles and web sites that can be used for more in depth information.

Now for the weekend do it yourselfer you can use simple tools and materials from your local hardware store to achieve soil stabilization for your small home and ranch projects. If you have a road or drive way that never firms up and just eats your gravel or rock, you can use a farm tractor with a rotary tiller and calcified lime or Portland cement spread over the affected area and tilled in and the tractor can be used to pack the area back down afterwards allowing you to regrade and re rock or pave your drive way or road.

These products typically come in 100lb bags and one bag will generally cover about 100sq ft 4 to 6 inches deep. If you use portland cement make sure the grade you set is the grade you want, after all it is cement and will set up as so. You will want to wear some type of dust mask and a long sleeve shirt and pants these products can and will cause irritaion on the skin and or eyes or airways and are not good for your health. Please use sound judgement when using these products.

Its been awhile!

12/2/2011 1:19:00 AM

I know I have been away for awhile, since my last post My wife and I have added a baby boy to the family!! He was born on September 6th @ 9 Lb 3 ounces. He is growing so fast its hard to keep up with him.

Work wise we have been really busy doing all types of large and small projects, recently we have completed a 1 acre pond For John Walker and his family in Cimmaron on 1488 done a few lot clearing projects a few home pads and most recently are in the middle of doing a three acre lay down/ pipe yard for JC Inspections in Porter off of Gene Campbell and East Industrial Parkway!!

Its going great we have all the clearing and rough grading completed and will be staring the underground in the morning, following the completion of this phase we will be soil stabilizing the entire site in preparation for almost 7000 tons of crushed concrete to be placed and compacted. We hope to be completed be Christmas!

As for January it looks like we will be doing a retention pond for a small industrial complex involving three large building pads and grading out for asphalt!! Let me know if you need any quotes or just some advice on your upcoming projects!!!

Thanks Again

Brian Beke

June. pond construction

6/2/2011 7:27:00 PM

Well these past few months have been busy, my wife is pregnant and were having a boy in September. I just wanted to touch on a few tips and pointers for pond construction today.

When digging your pond you should select a naturally low area that can help with natural drainage to your new pond, when you start digging you need to take the first few feet or however much natural topsoil you have on the location of the pond and set it aside for dressing the area around the pond after the excavation is complete.

When you do get that out of the way and you get to the clay you should determine if it will be adequate to seal your pond. There are many methods everyone has an opinion, I personally take a hand full and ball it up tight and see how much of a ribbon it will make when pushed out between your thumb and index finger. If you get a two or so inch ribbon before it breaks off and falls to the ground, you should be ok if you line your pond with the clay you have on site.

When you have your pond excavated to your desired shape and or depth do leave at least 12 inches of undercut to allow for the clay to be spread and walked in or compacted how ever your prefer and feel comfortable with at least 2 feet above the desired water level tapering off into the natural ground. When this is done you can take into consideration the area for your over flow and use a spillway design or an over flow pipe depending on your preference and budget or needs.

When you choose the overflow you should make all swales and available drainage able to flow into the pond or away depending on preferences. When this is complete you can the take the top soil and spread it at 4 to 6 inches depths depending on how much you have and your are ready to seed sod or sprig which I recommend at least one of the methods to ensure and slow erosion and silt and sediment build up into your new pond.

If the pond is desired for fishing you can have logs, stumps, concrete pipes and many other things to give your new pond a good habitat for the fish. Also leaving shelfs and or shallow area 5 or so feet in depth below the water level also will give the fish a spawning area so you have a healthy eco-fishery for many years to come. A fountain or aerator will also help your fish grow faster and be hearty and healthy. These are all opinions I have from my many years of pond excavation and as stated everyone has their preferred methods. If you hire me to excavate a pond please don't insult my 25 years of knowledge by becoming a Google pond expert overnight. I am as honest as they come and will not lie to you about your pond or any matter that may arise.

Brian Beke

New Photos of Murphy project in Magnolia TX

3/27/2011 7:29:00 PM

I have just uploaded new pictures of the Murphy project in Clear Creek Forest over off of Nichols Sawmill in Magnolia!! This month is going great we are extremely busy and welcome any and all inquires for more projects!!

March

3/18/2011 7:32:00 AM

Well March has been a super busy month. We have been doing anything from clearing to dirt work and fence row leveling.

We were invited to join the Better Business Bureau and should have their link on our web site soon and they will be creating a web site for us on their site and should be available soon.

We also have started accepting Visa, Mastercard and Discover Cards so don't wait we our busy and recieving phone calls and emails on a daily basis for more prospective work. Its going to be a very busy summer.

February

2/25/2011 6:16:00 PM

Well this month has been great and continues to be so! Let's hope March turns out great as well. Hope everyone is doing great, were busy if anyone needs anything let me know so we make sure you get a spot in line!

Constructing a House,Barn,Shop or Mobile Home Pad

2/11/2011 9:02:00 AM

Its been awhile, I have been extremely busy in Kurten Tx. I want to explain some methods and ways to construct a House or Mobile Home pad today. There are many ways to do this and the below are a few methods I employ in doing a house or mobile home,shop pad etc. These are my opinions and I suggest anyone to do your own research and seek advice or ask questions when undertaking this or any other project of dirt work.

When Constructing a pad for a home first you need to determine where the pad will be placed and be sure that it is fairly level, once this is accomplished you will need to strip the area 4 to 6 inches. ( sometimes a foot or more may be neccesary to achieve optimum results) slightly larger than the intended pad size of all organic,wet or muddy soil to give yourself the best possible footing for the pad. The equipment used to spread the fill can vary from a small bulldozer to a tractor with a box blade or even a skid steer loader depending on your budget ,equipment available and also the number of loads of fill your are planning on bringing in to do your house or mobile home pad.

I suggest using a 80% clay and 20% sand mixture for your pad. There are many methods of compaction and the best by far is using a vibratory compactor and putting the fill in 6 to 8 inch lifts depending on the finished sub grade of the pad. If you are on a budget you can use the dump trucks for compaction as a pneumatic tired vehicle that is loaded with dirt will provide more than enough compaction for the pad if done in a consistent manner. Also when doing a House,mobile home or building pad customers may have a desire to have the fill dirt tested and have a lab technician present to check the compaction and moisture content of each lift, this may be neccesary to satisfy property owner,lender or Bank needs for warranty or insurance needs. The fill material will have to be sampled and tested in a lab prior to starting the work.

The average number of loads of fill dirt for a home or mobile home pad or shop will vary depending on the square footage or foot print that you are planning on having. The average home is about 2500 square feet and will average 30 to 40 loads of fill dirt with and average heigth of about 2 feet, while a mobile home pad will be less at about 1000 square feet and averages about 5 to 10 loads of fill dirt at an average height of 6 inches.

If you are doing a pad for a small building or shop or patio etc you can also use a farm tractor and box blade to spread the material using the tires on the farm tractor to achieve compaction. Although a bulldozer may weigh thousands of pounds more than a farm tractor or skid steer loader, the steel tracks and length of the track frame, width of track pads are designed to give the machine a low impact foot print using a dozer with LGP undercarriage puts very Low Ground Pressure as the machine travels over ground. This will not provide adequate compaction for a house or mobile home pad. Any pneumatic tired equipment,i.e. loaded dump truck, farm tractor,skid steer loader, even a pick up truck will provide better compaction than a steel tracked machine. The moisture content of the soil will determine how well or quickly compaction will be achieved,if the soil is to dry compaction usually will not be able to be achieved while if the fill dirt is to wet the same will be true. This is my opinion and I do again suggest asking or seeking as much advice as possible before attempting any project which not familiar with its methods or processes.

Brian Beke