Drum Roller Compactor

River19

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601, RB1560, BB1260 and BX2830 blower
Sep 10, 2020
323
475
63
NH/VT NEK
I maintain our gravel drive of 550' that has a pretty decent slope to it with some water mitigation challenges.

We received 7" of rain in the past week and thus I needed to bust out the box blade and regrade. Challenge is after I regrade it needs some compaction obviously otherwise I run the risk of the fines washing away again if we get rain. That happened last nice and some of my work needs to be redone as we got a nasty overnight storm and downpour.

So besides the fact I am working on additional water mitigation improvements I was thinking of a simple water filled drum roller/compactor on the draw bar to smooth it all out.

Something simple like the Agri-fab 60" drum......gets to 1100lbs with water etc. and for a simple roller I think Agri-Fab is probably fine.

Am I thinking about this right?
 

Attachments

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
9,668
3,915
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
It'll work fine, just don't try to make sharp turns !! I had a 4' version 'BigJim' brand,wnen empty I'd firm in the 'Winter rye' into the veggie patch. when full you KNEW it was behind you.Also be 100% SURE to remove the plug ,drain, and tilt BEFORE Ol' Man Winter arrives....
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

River19

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601, RB1560, BB1260 and BX2830 blower
Sep 10, 2020
323
475
63
NH/VT NEK
In looking locally it seems the 48" is much easier to get than the 60" which not only is more spendy but requires heavy freight charges.

The 48" can get to 920lbs filled and I can run an offset bar on the 3pt to get it over behind my right rear tire.......thinking of going that route.
 

ruger1980

Active member

Equipment
L4310 w/La682, L225
Oct 25, 2020
331
120
43
CNY
I would personally wheel roll it with a heavy vehicle as a steel drum roller will bridge any low spots and not seal or compact your substrate. If you are filling in trenches or ruts you will have to be concerned with differential compaction where the area filled will compact to a greater degree than the area around it and will eventually result in a low spot.

The best thing you can do is make sure you have sufficient crown in the roadway and make sure the surface is flat and sealed so that water does not permeate into the surface. But with a gravel surface this will take constant maintenance.
 

jimh406

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501 with R4 tires
Jan 29, 2021
2,154
1,557
113
Western MT
It will pack if you drive it with your tractor. I do have a roller, but it’s not that heavy compared to my tractor with loaded tires.
 

bmblank

Well-known member

Equipment
2020 L3901HST, LA525 Loader, 66" Q/A Bucket, PFL2042 Forks, Meteor SB68PT Blower
Mar 4, 2015
624
268
63
Cadillac, MI
Ditto what Ruger said. I've got a 500gal propane tank that was converted into a roller. It does mostly good, but it IS lacking, particularly on the road. It may seem to push down the high spots, but what you end up with is a dense spot surrounded by a fluffier, less compacted area. That'll wash out, leaving the dense spot and you end up with a high spot in the same spot.

Big roller works well for sand, works mostly well for soil and for gravel roads... Maybe as well as adequate...
 

William1

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX25D
Jul 28, 2015
1,080
263
83
Richmond, Virginia
When I have releveled areas, I just drive back and forth over it, over and over, moving about 6" to the side with each pass. It does not require a lot of attention or effort. Keep the FEL full of material and if when I make a pass, if I feel a dip, I scoop out of the FEL, and drive over again.
Gravel with only high spots, a roller is awesome and fast. But if there are holes, you have to fill and compact them first. Or box scrap to the lowest point and level (horrible job to do).
 

River19

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601, RB1560, BB1260 and BX2830 blower
Sep 10, 2020
323
475
63
NH/VT NEK
I guess I can just regrade it for now and drive drive drive and let the loaded tires do the work..... the box blade does wonders for maintenance.
 

Dave_eng

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,106
926
113
Williamstown Ontario Canada
After fighting wash outs and pot holes in my farm lane (3-400 feet long) I decided to invest some $ and use geo cell technology to re-build the worst areas.

geo cell

The cells go down over a geo textile fabric and are then filled with gravel. The cell structure keeps the gravel contained against wash outs and is often used in erosion control.

Before starting work I decided to make two cross drains in the areas where the worst water damage was occurring.

The cross drain was just a shallow trench (18" deep) dug across the lane way and extending a few feet on either side. A corrugated drainage tile was laid in the bottom of the trench.

Geotextile fabric was laid on top of the drainage tile and then road gravel with max 3/4" stone used to fill the depression.

To my amazement these two cross drains stopped all damage. No pot holes, no ruts.

The roll of geo textile 12' wide and in a roll 16" in diameter has been sitting on my front porch where the squirrels are ripping pieces off for nests.

There is no formal place for the cross drains to drain to yet they manage to deal with what once was a small river running down the lane..

I probably have $4,000 in geo cells and geo textile sitting unused because of the effectiveness of the cross drains.

A lot to say that if you focus on the water, the granular compaction you are considering as a solution to your lane damage will take care of itself.

Dave
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users

NHSleddog

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650
Dec 19, 2019
2,149
1,822
113
Southern, NH
I grade a lot of roads and driveways and a roller will give an initial set to the surface. It is not compacting it down but nesting the loose surface together. I makes a big difference to how long the surface holds up. I know this from doing the same driveways year to year. It makes a big difference.

With the granular rake/blade finish, you never get a full flat surface, the same is true for compacting with your tires. Using the tires only does an ok job compacting but a terrible job for a flat graded surface, you will continue to add new ruts and tire marks.

Wilton3.jpg


Wilton1.jpg


private-road-2jpg.jpg


private-road-4.jpg


grading6.jpg



roll.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users

River19

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601, RB1560, BB1260 and BX2830 blower
Sep 10, 2020
323
475
63
NH/VT NEK
I grade a lot of roads and driveways and a roller will give an initial set to the surface. It is not compacting it down but nesting the loose surface together. I makes a big difference to how long the surface holds up. I know this from doing the same driveways year to year. It makes a big difference.

With the granular rake/blade finish, you never get a full flat surface, the same is true for compacting with your tires. Using the tires only does an ok job compacting but a terrible job for a flat graded surface, you will continue to add new ruts and tire marks.

View attachment 63507

View attachment 63508

View attachment 63509

View attachment 63510

View attachment 63511


View attachment 63513
Thanks sir, this is what I had in mind.

I get that nothing is perfect, but that initial setting of the fines is what I had in mind. Multiple passes with the tractor tires is fine for when I am working a specific stretch but I don't think that is practical for all 550' over and over again.

The other thing this heavy period of rain has shown me with this property is that the wildflowers/weeds and associated dirt that tend to line the driveway act as a barrier/berm not allowing water to slide off the side but to pick up speed and follow the fall line down the driveway adding to erosion.

So short of water bars, I took the box blade on an angle and cut that berm down and created a better slope off the side into the drainage ditch. We'll see how it works.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

B737

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX3310
Jun 9, 2019
2,024
2,194
113
New Jersey
I begrudgingly purchased that roller. But I think it is a practical solution to set very soft material the rake leaves behind. Most boring attachment ever! ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

B737

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX3310
Jun 9, 2019
2,024
2,194
113
New Jersey
before ordering I was very careful to consider tractor HP and PTO output :ROFLMAO:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,200
113
Peoria, AZ
60", 920lb roller.
IMG_0040.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users

River19

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601, RB1560, BB1260 and BX2830 blower
Sep 10, 2020
323
475
63
NH/VT NEK
before ordering I was very careful to consider tractor HP and PTO output :ROFLMAO:
Well of course. The last thing you want is an underpowered PTO when rolling......the roller could catch up to you and crush you........... :cool:
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

bmblank

Well-known member

Equipment
2020 L3901HST, LA525 Loader, 66" Q/A Bucket, PFL2042 Forks, Meteor SB68PT Blower
Mar 4, 2015
624
268
63
Cadillac, MI
Well of course. The last thing you want is an underpowered PTO when rolling......the roller could catch up to you and crush you........... :cool:
Hey, you laugh, but... Well, nothing to do with PTO or anything, but, when I'm pulling my 500 gallon roller full of water with my B7100... I have to be very careful when turning. 500 gallons of water doesn't like to just change directions on a whim.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user