How To Make A Concrete-Filled Culvert Roller

2019 - Volume #43, Issue #4, Page #24

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Filling a 6-ft. long, 24-in. dia. culvert with concrete is an easy way to make an effective roller/packer. The problem? How do you pack concrete into the culvert?
    Dale McLaen solved the problem by mounting a concrete mixer on a skid loader.
    “We use the roller to compact fresh gravel, squeeze down ruts, and pack fill material when pouring a concrete slab,” says McLaen.
    He made the loader-mounted mixer by removing the wheels and installing a base he can lift with a pair of forklift forks.
    “I added chutes on both sides so I can dump concrete in either direction, depending on which way I pick up the mixer and which side the dump handle is on,” says McLaen. “Sometimes, when dumping cement next to a wall or obstruction, the drum tilt handle needs to be on the opposite side. The chutes make filling buckets or holes easier.”
    The chutes came in handy when filling the culvert. McLaen fabricated 24-in. dia., 1/4-in. steel plates with center holes for a 1 5/8-in. steel shaft. Anchor bolts in the steel plates set in the concrete help retain the plates.
    “I set the culvert on its end on blocks with the shaft seated in one plate,” says McLaen. “I lifted the mixer up and poured concrete into the open end. While it was still wet, I could wiggle the shaft around in the concrete and center it for the second steel plate. The plates fit tight enough that I had to tap them in with a hammer. They center the shaft and help keep the ends of the roller from getting beat up.”
    The frame for the roller is made from 6-in. wide, 1/4-in. channel iron. McLaen reports it was salvaged from the side rails of a scrapped-out WD45 Allis-Chalmers tractor. The shaft is held in place by a 4-bolt, flanged bearing at each end.
    “The flange sits nicely inside the channel irons, which are slotted. I can slide the roller out of the frame if the bearings need to be serviced,” he says.
    McLaen used 4 by 4-in., 1/4-in. steel tubing as angled bracing from the sides to the front frame and also for the tongue. A jack stand makes hooking the roller up to a tractor easy. McLaen also added a lanyard to secure the hitch pin.
    “Years ago, I got tired of looking for the right pin for hooking up an implement or other equipment,” he says. “I started attaching the correct pin to every hitch using 1/8-in. cable and crimps. Now, when I back up to hook onto something, I know the pin is there.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dale McLaen, McLaen’s Service, 13756 Hwy. 11, Rutland, N.D. 58067 (ph 701-724-6232; mclaen@drtel.net).

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How To Make A Concrete-Filled Culvert Roller MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous Filling a 6-ft long 24-in dia culvert with concrete is an easy way to make an effective roller/packer The problem? How do you pack concrete into the culvert? Dale McLaen solved the problem by mounting a concrete mixer on a skid loader “We use the roller to compact fresh gravel squeeze down ruts and pack fill material when pouring a concrete slab ” says McLaen He made the loader-mounted mixer by removing the wheels and installing a base he can lift with a pair of forklift forks “I added chutes on both sides so I can dump concrete in either direction depending on which way I pick up the mixer and which side the dump handle is on ” says McLaen “Sometimes when dumping cement next to a wall or obstruction the drum tilt handle needs to be on the opposite side The chutes make filling buckets or holes easier ” The chutes came in handy when filling the culvert McLaen fabricated 24-in dia 1/4-in steel plates with center holes for a 1 5/8-in steel shaft Anchor bolts in the steel plates set in the concrete help retain the plates “I set the culvert on its end on blocks with the shaft seated in one plate ” says McLaen “I lifted the mixer up and poured concrete into the open end While it was still wet I could wiggle the shaft around in the concrete and center it for the second steel plate The plates fit tight enough that I had to tap them in with a hammer They center the shaft and also help keep the ends of the roller from getting beat up ” The frame for the roller is made from 6-in wide 1/4-in channel iron McLaen reports it was salvaged from the side rails of a scrapped-out WD45 Allis Chalmers tractor The shaft is held in place by a 4-bolt flanged bearing at each end “The flange sits nicely inside the channel irons which are slotted I can slide the roller out of the frame if the bearings need to be serviced ” he says McLaen used 4 by 4-in 1/4-in steel tubing as angled bracing from the sides to the front frame and also for the tongue A jack stand makes hooking the roller up to a tractor easy McLaen also added a lanyard to secure the hitch pin “Years ago I got tired of looking for the right pin for hooking up an implement or other equipment ” he says “I started attaching the correct pin to every hitch using 1/8-in cable and crimps Now when I back up to hook onto something I know the pin is there ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dale McLaen McLaen’s Service 13756 Hwy 11 Rutland N Dak 58067 ph 701 724-6232; mclaen@drtel net

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