I set those blocks all the time with my kubota kx057-5. I do not use a strap or chain i have a bearing swivel pelican hook that i shackle to the hook on back of my bucket, if you have your bucket on the machine you can use the curl of the bucket to help you pick it. Anyway thought i would share this info. Also try putting your blade behind you it acts as a counterweight. I know most youtube operators think you need to pick over the blade but its actually not the case, My buddy has an e60 bobcat and we build alot of retaining walls with these exact blocks and you can pick them and carry them around. 🤷 (I sent you a vid on IG) Hope this helps Adam 👊

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

The blade on the back as counterweight makes sense. Thanks.

@John_Ridenour

Ай бұрын

​@HometownAcres and you can hand weight on the blade as well. Neighbor Doug's loader should also be able to lift them as well.

@cw4973

Ай бұрын

​@@HometownAcres👊

Hi Adam. I don't have any experience with an excavator but I do with forklifts. A number of years ago I led a project to encircle a yard with a few hundred of these blocks and what I will say is that if you push the hydraulics of a machine at capacity for an extended period of time your machine will suffer for it. The other thing I'll say don't lift when your equipment is on a slope, it's so easy to tip those machines when you're pushing weight capacity. Avoid injury.

Use a chain as a last resort. A link will break without warning. If a strap frays, take it out of service. A Kevlar sleeve on the strap where you’re picking the load is helpful (when basketing the sling). Your machine should’ve come with a load chart telling you how much weight, and how far away you can be.

Chain.... Adam find a way to screw some plywood down on your metal deck it will save it in long run from scratches, holes and dints. Sacrificed the plywood. Good job!

Dude, You''re a quick learner and a smart one at that, too !! You seem to be going about this project the right way. I am very glad.

A sacrificial sheet of plywood in that trailer bed would be my suggestion . (Or two)

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

That’s not a bad idea.

Thanks Adam, literally starting a retaining wall project for a friend this week and learned a lot from this video. Probably saved me a day of fumbling.

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

Thanks. Happy to help.

You said it, "Sometimes you just need a bigger machine!" Good luck with the projects going forward

There are also 4’ versions of those blocks out there.

GOOOOOOOD SUNDAY MORNING EVERYONE!!!…Wow 😮 I would’ve thought it would’ve picked them up no problem. Goes to show what I know. Sounds like a heck of a project too Looking forward to watching you do it Have a day

Thank you for sharing!

need to use boom and not stick to lift it vertical; need to be in tight as you can get it. and the curl of the bucket has the most power, not the roll out. no chain loop on your bucket ? you get it in tight as possible and curl the bucket to lift it, which brings it in even closer, then boom it up. my TB260 will handle them, but only stacking 2 high.

You need to get rid of the strap and attach a lifting hook directly to the boom and use that to hook and lift the block. It will give you the strength to lift and the height which in this case is just the inches that you need. Perhaps use a double over a 3-foot chain or even a 2-foot one to place the hook onto the lifting arm.

Looks like a fun project!

Dirt Perfect only uses chains to move the blocks for retaining walls. He has a ton of videos on laying those types of walls. Great video.

@haroldphipps3457

Ай бұрын

Correct. I just hauled a semi load of them from the ready mix they were made at. Big loader with a nice grade 100 chain. The loader guy didn't need help hooking or unhooking! He was good! 18:42

I was just thinking Mike Morgan could possibly help you out with a safe way to move the blocks. I believe when he built the wood bunker the place he bought the blocks from delivered and set them in place for him.

Interesting... have a Komatsu pc50uu with the offset boom (which makes the boom a bit heavier) which weighs around 1200lbs that I have used to build walls of those blocks two high to reinforce creek banks and had no problem. I guess the boom geometry of that offset style ( the boom hinges from right beside the cab like bigger machines instead of out in front) makes the difference.

agree with Doug chains

Short chain with hook. You can get creative and put a bungee to the back of the hook and it will rotate away and unhook when you remove the weight. You won't need to get off the machine. Its how i set them with my KX-057

What about the high pressure gas line in the area?

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

I will be outside of the 25’ right of way

Nylon sling or steel cable all day. Im going with what the crane operators use. Rated for vertical lifting.

@haroldphipps3457

Ай бұрын

So are grade 80 and 100 chain. Chain can handle abrasion MUCH better than nylon slings or wire rope sling.

@SpicerDesignsLLC

Ай бұрын

@@haroldphipps3457 so either one will work as long as its rated for it. Slings have all the rating on them. Its easier to misuse a chain.

You can put a strap around the boom (where the boom and arm connect) and it will pick more weight.

Have a great day Adam,God Bless you all!!!❤😊

Good morning Adam, a learning experience is never a Bust. Maybe you just need to hire some Egyptians, I’ve read that they have some success moving big blocks in the past. 😂 Have a wonderful Productive Week. 😊👍👍👍

@mikewatson4644

Ай бұрын

But there may have been a large number of them on the job site. Buying lunch for all of them would be a problem.

Get the site already and then go rent a bigger machine for a day to place your blocks

Mafia blocks. HaHa, that's funny. Never heard them called that before.

Hey Adam, That is going to be a great project. Looking forward to it. I would use the strap. Out of curiosity how much so those blocks cost? Also in your configuration the strap is Not 6400lbs. That strap is 6400lbs strength in a straight light "one eye on the object one on the machine" If you "choke" the object its rated capacity is around 75-80% less than 6400 But your using a "basket" style lift the way you are doing it so that actually Doubles the capacity so it would be 12,800lbs "for a normal basket". Hope that helps. All the information i just gave can be easily checked online at any Sling manufacture.

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

Good information. Thank you for sharing.

Hello Adam, You might want to consider 4' x 2' x 2' blocks. You can do a base o 6 footers with a second row of 4 footers. Just a thought.

Around here you can have the supplier will deliver and set them for a nominal fee. Also if you are going to stockpile them you need to get them closer to the site.

@haroldphipps3457

Ай бұрын

Excellent advice!!

You might find those blocks cheeper at a Richie brothers auction .

What about your Air conditioned lawnmower?

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

Its lift capacity is only 2680lbs. A 1000lbs shy of the 3600lbs these blocks weigh.

In the steel beam business we use straps for lifting lighter beams, and steel cable for heavier ones. Renting a crane might be better than an excavator, it can stay in one place and swing all the blocks into place fairly easily.

My brother's Kubota Kx121-3 weighs 10k lbs and will lift 7k lbs. Also, lift the block then drive the trailer out from under it. Do not swing that over the side of the tracks! 🤠👍

@bfw523

Ай бұрын

No, it can not lift 7k...it can lift just over 4k

@Jtwizzle

Ай бұрын

Specs say 4100lbs and thats best case with the load as close and low as possible. Kubota probably underrates by a bit, but not that much.

Matt. We use a Komatsu PC100 to set this size block, our machine handles them with ease and we can max boom out setting block with no issues, we also use the 4 ft block at 2300lb each which our E50 can handle, we have swivel hook set up and a shackle that pins directly to our coupler eye so you can grab a block or drop it and never get out of the seat of the machine, you might try that setup and that will eliminate that extra length with a chain or strap

Use a rated soft shackle between your machine and the block to increase your lift height. You could also raise the machine. You should be able to place pretty close with trailer dump. For the third course you would be going from the upper to the lower. You could also use your machine and neighbor Doug's to place the blocks.

I move 4' mafia blocks all day long with a bobcat e-35 you can move those with yours it all comes down to how close you work to the machine the more stick you have out the less you can lift. you should be able to do two courses with your set up, possibly more if you can work from the top of the wall you are building, always keep blade toward your work in this situation as it provides extra stabilization when it is down, and will stop a block from swinging back into your machine

Hey bud try putting your bucket back on and hooking the strap on a tooth of your bucket. So you can use your curl to get you some more height. And if you’re needing more counter weight to track around try moving it with your blade behind you. We have a hitachi 26 jd 35 cat 304 and a cat 306 and we used to have a jd50

I had a kabota 121-3 and I could pick up and walk with 3600 lbs. understanding geometry and lifting ability of the machine is what matters. keep it safe.

We have a Kubota 057 that lifts them, and we have had kx 121 -3 in past that lifted them, didn't like it..but did it.. enough to unload off truck and set 1st course..057 model no problem..not off side tho..

I like chains over straps because they’re much tougher.

Hang a bunch of weight on the blade, lift the block on the opposite side and track backwards.

Hello , I have the 55-9 which is more powerful than your model which is an urban excavator. But a real 6 ton like the 55-9 handles it well. That said, it is better to work with the blade lowered, which limits movement. Good luck 👍👏🤙

Move closer to block and put jersey barrier block parallel to and close 1' to the excavator blade and you might be able to lift enough to set second row/course DO NOT TRY TO EXTEND BOOM instead track forward to place block when clear of first course and maybe you will be able to advoid a rental it will be slow but it's your time so out of pocket costs will be minimized. Good Luck Ray Stormont

Neighbor Doug’s SkidSteer?

Generally, skid steers can lift between 1,250 and 4,200 pounds, depending on the skid steer size, make, and model.

It will work for what your doing.

Neighbor Dougs bobcat CTL should pick that up fairly easy.

Interesting, never knew they were called mafia blocks and I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio! Looked at using these for a project as they pretty much give them away, but the issue was the cost of hauling and moving without any of the equipment that you have. That made it cost prohibitive having to pay for the hauling and moving.

If they have 2x2x4 blocks that would be nice and easy. According to specs your machine should have been able to lift it, with possibly a few hundred lbs to spare. Maybe the blocks weigh a little more than expected, or your particular machines hydraulic relief set point is a bit lower than avg.

Use The boom to lift. Put the strap on one of the sides on the top of the boom where the pin for the stick is.

The second row can be those blocks that are half size. That will work ok.

A lot of your problem in lifting these is you are lifting to far away from center of gravity. But you don’t have to rent a machine. Doug’s skid steer will lift and place them easily

Try Doug's T770 track loader. It should do the trick.

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

Yeah, but I think it carries them too close to the cab.

I would try putting the sling at the end of the boom it should give more lifting capacity and being closer to the machine

Not really a bust; just learned you'll need a bigger machine to efficiently move those blocks.

Chain but get secure grade it won't stretch

a big skid loader will stack them - did a bunker with my 262b cat - 2 rows high. If you have a buddy with a skid loader might save you a rental

I've never heard the name Mafia block - had to look it up! I hope you get this project going soon - looks interesting! 👍 God bless you and your family. Thanks for great videos!! 👍🙏♥️ May I ask - why not dump the blocks closer to the area where you're going to use them - save rental time moving them later?

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

I do not know how soon I’ll be getting to this project and I did not want them in the way of the shop.

@DDL2728

Ай бұрын

@@HometownAcres Good reason - I knew you had one!! 😉👍♥️🙏 But, don't make us wait long! 😉😄

Maybe you can put de first row of Block by the side of your garage and the second and third row by the top of the Hill and Just drop the Block in the hole so you dont have to lift the Block but Just drop them. And if you open your bucket you gonna win 12 to 16 inch of lift capacity. Sorry for my english its not my principal language

According to the specs, if you lift from the forward traveling direction (blade) and stay within 10' of the machine, you should be able to lift 6,940 pounds. Do not swing left or right, that reduces the lift capacity by 50%. Keep the load close to the machine to take advantage of the counterweight. Lifting from 3.3 feet reduces the lift capacity to 6,510 pounds.

You mentioned stockpiling them in the wood yard to move at a later date. Looks a little far from the project to move one at a time? 🤷‍♂️

If you backed your trailer into that hillside with the excavator on top of the hill you could have gotten it off the trailer onto the ground and then moved it. The deeper down you are digging/lifting from the more power the excavator will have.

So I need a favor if you are able... kind of a physics question... is your lift capacity higher or lower when the blade is infront or behind the machine? ... if about the same can you try putting the blade to the rear and hang a bunch of weight off of the rear face of the blade (strap a large log to it)... obviously adding the factory rear cab weights is preferred but I have a feeling that adding a 3-500lb log to the blade out to the rear would have a similar stability improvement. Please give it a shot next time you are out moving logs etc. Thanks🎉

Might be a stupid question I'm sure you've thought of it but back here in this area of the country they make different links Like 4 footers 5 footers and 6' blocks Maybe that maybe that would help you out Being able to use your own equipment Thanks for the video

Just thinking about you stock piling those so far from where you need them, I would think you're making extra work for yourself trying to get them back up to your house where you need them.

If you have a five or six ton machine, maybe look into getting the half size mafia blocks there aren’t as long

Get close to it use curl of bucket to lift

Avanti has lifting capacity over 4k lbs. Your videos are Awesome !!

@ryan71100

Ай бұрын

That avanti in the video that outdoors with the morgans just posted today looks like it would be the best machine for this job!

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

Yeah, that could be another machine to use for this project besides a larger excavator.

Can’t believe you didn’t strap that block down during travel… you could’ve killed someone! 😂

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

The concrete place is about 300 yards away from my driveway lol

Dump all the blocks near your garage and get Doug's Bobcat excavator and combine with yours to lift blocks on top of each other. In other words, use the two machines you have available instead on renting one larger machine. Just be ready to return the favor to Doug! 2X 6T = 12T capacity. A little more cumbersome but not if two minds like you and Doug combine your efforts.

Can you get the blocks with a lift point at each end so that you and Doug could work in tandem ?

I think you can manage with your excavator: go up the trail and then set them down from there, 2nd row no problem

Chains all day long Adam.

Does your supplier not offer delivery and setting of all of the blocks at one time? Your sight would have to be ready to go but I'd think that wouldn't be a bad idea anyway. Maybe, you covered this and I missed it.

I have 2 observations...1) Y'all are lifting from way far out in front of yourselves...🤷‍♂️ and 2) surely you can get smaller blocks? Or, hell, why not cast your own with that funky concrete mixer of yours? 😁

What about a 4' block?

get smaller blocks !

at around video12:30 you could pull the trailer out from under and just put it down but there isnt anything else you could do with it

Mafia blocks? I’ve never heard them called that before.

Don’t dump the blocks so far away from the job site. Lots of wasted time and fuel to move them what appears to be a quite a long distance

Does the mafia block need to be that size for the retaining wall project? I imagine you could get them in 2'x2'x4' long blocks and build just as solid retaining wall.

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

2’x2’x6’ is the most commonly available size and easier to source.

Put a bigger shackle on the block and try again lifting from the shackle then your lifting from a few inches above the block

Chain is much easier to adjust length and holds up better

I think you and Spicer Designs are in competition with each other lol

When we moved 1800 blocks of those one year, with a truck and trailer, unloading with a wheel loader, we started with straps, but concrete is very rough on straps and we ended up using chains instead, it was also way faster that with straps. What you need to focus on when lifting with the excav is you want the block as close to the machine as possible, and you want the lifting happen on the big arm directly on the machine, you dont want to lift with small digging/curling arm and keep the block as close to the machine as possible

Max lifting is as close to the machine as possible. they should both lift that!

👍👍👍

hook it to the thumb get it in closer to you

If you put your blade down, it will raise the machine. Then pull your truck out from underneath of the block

What about building a Gabion wall?

They may have 4'ers in Erie if they dont have them locally

Hello Adam. If you bought shorter blocks, your machine could move and stack them.

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

Shorter blocks were not available at the place I bought them from.

@jimmerrithew453

Ай бұрын

Hi Adam. Someone else made an excellent suggestion, which could save you a lot of time and effort. Ask the block suppliers if they have a flatbed crane truck that could deliver a load of blocks and lift them into place. That may cost less than renting a larger excavator. Dig out the area around the garage, move the fill to where you need it, and then finish the parking area after you complete the new structure.

@11:41 “That’s what she said!”

Adam, if you watch Mike Morgan's video today he might have the perfect machine to address your issue. Anyway, stay safe healthy and dry. Bill H from Cranberry Township

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

Appreciate it Bill. Thanks.

I've moved and set those blocks with a komatsu pc40... I'm surprised your 60s don't do better...

@austinavery4772

Ай бұрын

I have same bobcat e60 it will do it fine and swing over side. But i do it different. I have a long arm (as does he) which makes the outfront geometry different so you have to do some tricks

Chain!

To far out. Attach to top end of thumb Will move load a few feet farther back. Amount of lifting power will be much higher. . But yea your definitely pushing the envelope with those things.

Yanmar sv100 is what I used to move blocks .

Are these blocks cheaper than to cast a retaining wall. If not - do you plan to use these because of the road alongside is not yours and you are prohibited to put a permanent wall this close to the road? Im a retired forklift driver for 50 years and know how you can max out on lifting capacity and get away with it for only one time , but you are to do it some 10-20 times or more - thats a lot to ask of your 6T excavator. I would even call it abuse ( if not rape - lol). So yes - sometimes you need to call in the cavalry and either upgrade or rent a bigger excavator OR get a semitruck with a crane to pick the blocks up at the dealer and put them in place for you when unloading. Keep up the good work - greetings from Denmark

Adam, what size trailer is that? Seems like it worked out well for you over the years moving material and machines

@HometownAcres

Ай бұрын

7x14