On Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:25:17 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:


Operating a grader is among the most skilled activities for heavy
equipment operators. There are a bazillion variables. The other
most-skilled job is operating a big crane. Those guys are amazing.

If you're a gov'ment employee, you don't have to be skilled to run
one. The number one call to me about our local roads is poor grading.
On the flip side, some of our roads are graded by the best operator I
know. The difference is truly amazing. Especially after a few years
where the operator has made a hundred passes.

Karl


We had one of the tow behind a tractor types when I was a kid, used it
for maintaining field roads. I wasn't that good at it I expect, but
it was fun for a change of pace. We kicked the blade around on its
ring, then dropped in a pin. The two big steel wheels were used to
control height and tilt.

I haven't seen a grader for routine county road maintenance in quite a
while. The local roads went from oyster shell to blacktop a long time
ago. With 50+ inches of rain per year, it's probably cost effective
to top vs. maintain, plus oyster dredging for oyster fill was stopped
decades ago.

Pete Keillor