[AT] Shale or gravel?

[Cecil Bearden]

Our roads here are shale as no gravel is available economically.  It is red 
shale and it works great.  Water runs off of it and I have a shale base for 
all of my sheep barns.  My advice is go for it...

Cecil in OKla
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Sloane" <mikesloane at verizon.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2006 5:33 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] Shale or gravel?


>
> I don't know what you are calling "run of bank" gravel, but if it is like 
> the stuff around here in the "gravel pits", there is a fair amount of fine 
> material that tends to pack down after a while. Regular washed 3/4" or 1" 
> cut gravel quarry will be your best bet for drainage, but it isn't much 
> good for walking on and is probably the most expensive. But any kind of 
> material is going to get plugged up with manure, hair, grass/hay, and dirt 
> after a while. I have no experience with shale, but my gut feeling is that 
> it will be about the worst choice for drainage.
>
> My two cents and worth exactly what you paid for it. :-)
>
> Mike
>
> carl gogol wrote:
>> I am in the process of leveling an area for an eventual animal shelter 
>> (or barn) and am wondering about the suitability of shale as the base for 
>> the barn and section of the barnyard nearest the barn.  Does well 
>> compacted shale drain as well as gravel or "run-of-crusher", or is it 
>> more or less impervious to water when packed?
>>
>> "Run of bank" gravel would cost about $5.50/cubic yard delivered.  The 
>> shale would be loaded free and deliverery is about half the distance, 
>> costing me about $1 a cubic yard delivered.  The contractor that just 
>> excavated our pond would be the supplier in either case.  He has a gravel 
>> bed about 7 miles down the road and will soon be excavating for a 
>> detention pond that will require moving the removed material (much of it 
>> shale) off site.  Since he also has the road contract, he will be hauling 
>> gravel past our place and returning empty.  This way he can return with a 
>> load of shale and dump it here on the way back to the gravel.
>>
>> Is shale a good choice, or should I just use the gravel the way I had 
>> planned.  Your thoughts would be appreciated.  For example, would shale 
>> be likely to cut animal's hoofs?  Does it drain, or does water tend to 
>> run off instead of pass through?
>> Carl Gogol
>> Manlius, NY
>> AC One Seventy diesel
>> (2) AC D-14, AC 914H
>> Simplicity 3112 & 7116
>> Kubota F-2400
>>
>
> -- 
> Mike Sloane
> Allamuchy NJ
> <mikesloane at verizon.net>
> Website: <www.geocities.com/mikesloane>
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>
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