Candidquality

Think I found a page that is in mostly plain english for the ground here.

Thanks, yes. Experience is more important than a degree and is truly appreciated for the interpretation. Still trying to digest the website. https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/WebSoilSurvey.aspx Building appears to be very limited due to a 1.00 shrink/swell (maxxed out). Attched a few pictures below, one of the header and one specifically for this rated area.

Reading that data takes a degree. Not an uncomplicated site. First bit if useful data is the soil type "Crockett fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes" If that helps in any way shape or form.

Thanks, yes we average 40" a year. Will try to look up some numbers and make calls Monday. Always happy to talk with experts, just hard to track down the right resources sometimes. Appreciate pointing in the right direction. Will definitly keep posted on status as this progresses. If dusty when dry seems odd. What i held in my hand seemed really clean. Maybe after compaction and drying again it changes?

Saying around here "It is not a matter of if your foundation will shift, but when". So far no issues in my exact area, but decent foundations, poured deep enough for the load, and bolted to keep it compresssed if that makes sense. Yep, thinking about testing myself for sure. I understand DOE, just not any good data to play with this option yet. Completely off scrip use as far as i can see. Which means it is one of two options. 1. Typically too expensive or 2. Just a bad idea. If it is just #1 im good. Currently pouring down rain for hours, so put a kaibash on digging a trench to see soil layers and compaction. Will dig out a few square feet a few feet down and see what the walls look like soon.

Lot to answer, forgive me if I miss it on the first round. And feel free to correct any assumptions i've made. I can pick up in anything quickly, but do not know anything beyong a few books worth in road building. Appreciate the expert help. Old farm land. Been a housing development on 1+acre plots for 25 years. In wet times, can sink into the top few inches just by walking on the ground. In dry times, land will get 2" cracks in it. figure being old used up farm land too was distrubed, but not too far down would be solid? And yes, was thinking Geotextile to help keep the Clinker from sinking in. No frost heave as I am down in Texas. Need to dig a hole or two and see what the ground really does. Never run a perc test or anything here yet. Have dug a bit for the septic line (aerobic) sprinkler repairs, but not really thinking about the ground stability. Will be digging in some post holes for some steel post for gates and fence. Would be a good opportunity to see what's there. I am getting it from the mine, they dig and have this beautiful rotating kiln about a football field long to expand it. They don't really use it. Just off in a truck to whoever does. I need to find someone that actually works with it and see if they can provide any advice. some guys have dropped it as roadbase per his coworkers memory, but haven't actually seen anything done with it myself yet. tempted to just fingmd someone who uses this with blacktop, and drop off a few loads to them to keep the costs down and have blacktop with clicnker dropped, at least for the driveway part. They could provide it clean, or sprayed with an oil. The blacktop companies use the oil sprayed version to mix with blacktop as an aggragate as far as I can tell. Cost it the same to me either way. $25 per load to cover the paperwork, then whatever truck I need to get it delivered. Tempted to just spend the $25 for a pickup load and make a few actual tests as suggested. If I cannot find some hard data on what to do, just might take that option. Honestly don't know if I dumped it into a pile, that it wouldn't turn into a solid lump after the furst rain. Would need to buy a plate compactor, but would need that regardless. Have some at HF on clearance for under $350. No idea how long they would hold up though. Do have a walk behind reverse tine tiller, but that would be a lot of work, and agree a rental is likely the way to go for the full plot.

Thanks, and yes cement clinker is the proper term, I had already hit send before it registered in my head. Thinking about the compacting and the moisture, have a thought in my head to spread in some gypsum and see if it doesn't comglomerate or become a concretion itself with the rain? Not as stable as mixed concrete for sure, just trying to make the best use of the material I have access to. Definitly not digging by hand. Either equipment rental, or making this a partial contractor project where I supply the material. Just put up a fence with preparation for this expansion. So lining up boxes where I can. Heard a few times that this might not be comfortable to walk on. Could always top with crushed granite or something similar after the fact if needed. No roof height set yet, so another inch or two would not throw a wrench in the works. Also, no roof yet, so should be easy to work at this point. May be a bit before I pull the trigger. Really cannot afford the time to pause for this right now, and this will be a lot of compacting at a minimum, even if i have it dug out. Figure a week or two of compacting between loads. Especially if I do a full shop on top of the driveway. No size set yet, but that would make this at least 4000ft^2 times whatever depth. Plan on retiring here right now. So not a rush, more of taking advantage of an opportunity. Once the kids shifts to his next job the price goes with him. Needing to get ducks in a row and be able to pull the trigger if life takes a turn.

Thanks, I can get it for about $200 for 14cubic yards delivered. Seems a good material, just have not ever played with it myself to know how it would hold up. is extremely light weight. Plans keep expanding the more I think about it. Plan on adding a 20' expansion of about 1800ft^2 which would take about 3-4 loads worth to make a driveway to the shop. Then was thinking while I was at it, I could just get the floor done for a shop at the same time. So cost is just a small factor. Would hate to get 3-5 truckloads out here and find out I made a bad call. Also trying not to waste time and effort and at least make useable steps along to the final idea that are not at cross purposes. Can get just one at a time and have time to compact (assuming it compacts). Cannot find any good data on use as is when it is literally created to be ground into concrete. Currently sittting on old farmland, so not sure how much I would need to get down to be stable with vehicle weight, so just a guess on the 8-10" Nothing built here before the housing development. Slabs would be poured if/when I can find equipment.

Curious if anyone has any experience with using concrete clinker as a shop floor. Have access to rediculiously cheap copious quantities. Seems like it wouldn't be bad, but wanting to see if I am missing something. Thinking if I prep, Dig out 8-10" compact Drop landscape cloth Drop 2 inches at a time and compact Should be decently stable enough and if/when I decide to top it, nothing new to do? Can get oil coated at the same price and by oil coated it is sometime called blackrock. What is used to mix with blacktop, but just oil coated at this point. So could do a few layer of oil coated then top with dry? Or do not dig, just border and drop on top?

I was really hoping, but instead I will be putting on a new roof tomorrow.....there's always next year.

Wondered about the flavor of some of that jambalaya. That might explain it.

Joking aside, I always enjoyed the brim for that reason. That and you could not buy them in the store. My father bought a small boat Like this one and we would pickup and load on top of the Buick. Had a small trawling motor and we could get off the shore and get to the best fishing spots. Some very fond memories of that.

Yep, worth the $30 in my opinion.

Sorry about the link. Forgot. Been a long, long day. And to be clear, this item above is in no way top grain.

Grabbed a couple of these. Thin, which I actually prefer due to lugging around less weight. Grabbed one for me and my daughter when I setup this next forge. ARCCAPTAIN Leather Welding Work Apron 24" X 42" Heat Flame Resistant Cowhide Blacksmith Aprons with 6 Tool Pockets for Welders Men Women, Adjustable M to XXXL Commercial link removed per TOS I used to work with leather seals for semi's ( Stemco back in the ss4 dibacle days) Best top grain leather you could imagine. Cut lots of donut shapes so everyone always had plenty of drink coasters around. Guess I need to check back to see if anyone I know still works there, could keep me in scraps for the rest of my life out of a days production waste. At the current prices of leather, thinking about just buying an entire cow at auction, sell the leather and buy a whole other cow. Prices for decent leather are unbelieveable now.