Just getting started, you can see the tree that was cut down. I didn't do much base preparation past removing the top soil. I probably should have put 6" of gravel down but I did this last minute and didn't have any on hand.
Placing a stone with the stone clamp I welded together.
Progress after first weekend. One black pipe has electrical wire in it for power for a pump by the river, the second is the water line for the pump.
I had hired a backhoe to move some earth around my property, so I had him dump a load of gravel and some topsoil behind the wall. I will use it when I backfill.
Progress after working 3 days on the wall.
Picture from behind the wall. 3/4" clear gravel is used behind the wall for drainage, then topsoil.
Almost done.
Another picture of the almost completed wall.
Another shot of placing a stone with the stone clamp.
This stone is 4 feet long and over 3 feet in width. I decided to try to split it.
I used the 7" diamond blade on the angle grinder to score a line where I wanted to split it. Then used a large hammer drill to drill a number of 3/4" holes. I didn't have the proper wedge and feathers, so used 4 3/4" chisels as wedges, driving them into the holes I drilled (all at the same time). Hitting them with a large sledge hammer, until the stone split. To help split the stone I raised it up and put angle iron under where I wanted it to spit. Then removed the wood that held it up, so that one end hung in the air. This is supposed to help it split.
And the stone split, right were I wanted it to.
Woohoo look at that split.
I cleaned up the saw marks with a pitching tool but left the drill marks, I may remove those too. But I kind of like them.
Most of the last level on the wall, but not set in place yet. I still have another day of work to fit the stones.
Well winter and spring have come and gone and it is done.
View from my place. Planted 3 6' Norway Spruce and one 3'. Added some Hosta and Husker Red. Used round boulders on my side since the amount of earth to retain wasn't nearly as much.
