Homemade culverts

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Weruna Ranch

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Have a ravine between the front and back pasture and, three years ago, had some dozer work done by one with 40 years experience to build a better "road" between the pastures. Of course, he will not come back and I haven't visited him to our place. Now everyone tells me the dozer work would have to be re-done every so often and that the time is here. All are suggesting (and I agree) that at least three and maybe four culverts need to be placed under the road. Local prices would cost $380 each for 24 inch X 24 foot culverts.

I can buy 55 gal. drums and weld them end-to-end for less than $100 each. I know the galvinized culverts will last longer than the drums - even in the Ozarks - but have any of you had experience with the drums and how long did they last in rocks and clay? A "newbie" who has read Cattle Today for four years and this is the first question. Thanks in advance!

Dave
 
55 gal drums would rust out pretty quick plus they don't offer any strength.
 
Dave

Couple of years ago bought some corrugated polyethelyene culverts. They were somewhat cheaper than steel but I only needed 12" culverts.

Have read where some folks cut the ends out of old railroad tank cars & used the barrel for a large diameter culvert. Another guy used an old 40ft flat rail car for a bridge over a creek.

Hope you can find a cost effective solution for your situation.

Good luck & happy trails.

Brock
 
I'm wondering if the water doesn't run really fast and there isn't a lot of volume if you could use a drain tile system, I don't know how many of them you'd have to put in, or how thick the road is to be able to drive across, or if this would even work... or how about a cement culvert? cost wise don't know, but if you didn't buy the pre-made, set forms yourself, if that would be a possibility....
 
I built a culvert (round here we call them whistles) once from a bunch of old hot water heater tanks.
Cut the ends out and welded them together.
Went in in 1975 and are still holding today. Don't know if the tanks today are made of as heavy a gauge metal. And it did take a bunch for a 20 foot whistle (but they were free :)
 
Sounds crazy I know but a neighbor bolted 38 inch rear tractor tires together. If I remember right he used stainless bolts three to a side. Tires were free from a large tire center. He said the entire project only cost $100.00 for one culvert 38 " X 24 foot. The road was put in about 10 years ago still working.
 
You can use barrells. The trick to it is: compact the earth around them as the fill is made. And secondly if you can get the barrells coated with foundation tar in and out that'll hold off the rust for a very long time. I can use coffe cans for a culvert. It doesn't take very much strength IF IF IF they are deep enough under the road.
 
rbell":1vxjm6hw said:
I built a culvert (round here we call them whistles) once from a bunch of old hot water heater tanks.
Cut the ends out and welded them together.
Went in in 1975 and are still holding today. Don't know if the tanks today are made of as heavy a gauge metal. And it did take a bunch for a 20 foot whistle (but they were free :)

I've done that. The old ones would last forever. I'm like you, I don't know how heavy the new ones are. Haven't changed any out in a while.

fitz
 

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