Author Topic: Hide Site/Bug Out Location Construction, Part 6 (Read 68595 times)

Flyin6 · « **on:** October 25, 2018, 09:50:23 PM »

OK, we left off with the pond construction. It is at this point still a work in progress, so we will pick up the action starting with Pond work.

At the start of today's work I will be opening a new cut to establish the far side of the pond and with some luck get the stone wall put in along that area

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2018, 09:51:26 PM »

The Attack dog didn't even get a good smell of the beans and pork I cooked after the sled dog finished it off!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 25, 2018, 09:53:05 PM »

This trench is the main drain from a field uphill so I am taking pains to design it to last and slow down the cascade of water and perhaps act as a sediment trap of sorts. It is no where near done at this point

Flyin6 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 25, 2018, 09:53:54 PM »

In this shot, the far wall is about to be removed and set back another 20-30 feet

Flyin6 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 25, 2018, 09:55:43 PM »

This view shows the business end of the trench that will feed water during rains. It terminates in a wall with what will be a rock field at the bottom which is just getting started in this photo

Flyin6 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 25, 2018, 09:57:39 PM »

Most of the dirt in the foreground will be removed as I try an idea out to add visual interest to the outline of the pond and give fish more cover and breeding spots

Flyin6 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 25, 2018, 09:58:25 PM »

Wall building in progress

Flyin6 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 25, 2018, 09:59:57 PM »

The idea is to bring the wall up in such a was as to create a very gentle slope into the top of the wall, then a 8-10 foot drop to the water

Flyin6 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 25, 2018, 10:01:47 PM »

The machinery is holding up well. Spud took a hit from another huge shifting rock. Chief is running like a swiss watch. THat is one well built machine!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 25, 2018, 10:03:03 PM »

Here is the new cut, freshly excavated and scraped with the CTL

Flyin6 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 25, 2018, 10:06:20 PM »

The wall build process is laborious. First you need to cut away yards of earth and get the bottom pretty level. Then place really big flat stones around the base, then backfill with this dryer but hard clay. I then use the CTL bucket to level and compress the clay behind the boulders and squeeze some of the dirt in between the adjacent rocks. The process is repeated many times as each course is completed to get ready for the next row of stones

Flyin6 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 25, 2018, 10:07:10 PM »

And the wall gets taller...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 25, 2018, 10:08:38 PM »

The attack dog seen here attacking me! What a vicious beast that thing is!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 25, 2018, 10:11:44 PM »

The wall extends to the right beyond our view, thanks to that big grubb pile of dirt.

I didn't get a pic of it, but I cut the first drainage trench from one of those man made channels I created. That thing was also extended another ten feet. I would have completed it, however, I simply ran out of daylight.

Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 25, 2018, 10:46:09 PM »

You haven’t mounted aux spot lights on the big Hoe yet?
Our excavation crew has had me helping out on one of our more ugly foundations and we have been build lots of retaining walls. One thing we use to pack the soil behind the rocks is a sheep’s foot attachment on the track hoe and a man handled jumping jack for each bucket of soil behind the rocks. It makes for a really stable wall. Now I understand your rocks are flat and ours out as large of diameter as your whole bucket and I would assume that makes things a little different to be sure.

cruizng · « **Reply #15 on:** October 26, 2018, 08:09:53 AM »

Quote from: Flyin6 on October 25, 2018, 10:08:38 PM

The attack dog seen here attacking me! What a vicious beast that thing is!

I think the pooch just wants to drive... Great work! Looking good.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 26, 2018, 12:58:55 PM »

Quote from: Bigdave_185 on October 25, 2018, 10:46:09 PM

You haven’t mounted aux spot lights on the big Hoe yet?
Our excavation crew has had me helping out on one of our more ugly foundations and we have been build lots of retaining walls. One thing we use to pack the soil behind the rocks is a sheep’s foot attachment on the track hoe and a man handled jumping jack for each bucket of soil behind the rocks. It makes for a really stable wall. Now I understand your rocks are flat and ours out as large of diameter as your whole bucket and I would assume that makes things a little different to be sure.

I'm sure you guys are doing a good job of it, I am just working with what I have. One thing I have come to learn is that this KY clay is really stout. I mean you can stand up a wall of it as I have with my pond levee and it barely moves. The wall behind the rocks is pretty stable and would likely stand almost by itself, so I am not as concerned about packing the dirt in. I wish that I could do a better job with it, however I'll have to settle with just pressing it down and dragging it out with the CTL.

JR · « **Reply #17 on:** October 26, 2018, 06:37:02 PM »

You need more equip it looks to me and some lights!

Looks like the muts get along good.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 26, 2018, 06:59:52 PM »

Quote from: JR on October 26, 2018, 06:37:02 PM

You need more equip it looks to me and some lights!

Looks like the muts get along good.

More equipment?

Well, sir, what would you suggest?

Should a good CAT 953 or 963 come along that I could afford, I'd be interested in that

Should a Fecon forestry head come available, sign me up as well

The little John Deere tractor is broken down again, so that could be replaced and I wouldn't shed a tear

But right now, I am sitting pretty on most counts (if things would just stay unbroken)

JR · « **Reply #19 on:** October 26, 2018, 07:03:10 PM »

Maybe they will give you enough for the JD for a another quad

stlaser · « **Reply #20 on:** October 26, 2018, 10:39:18 PM »

Quote from: Flyin6 on October 26, 2018, 06:59:52 PM

Quote from: JR on October 26, 2018, 06:37:02 PM
You need more equip it looks to me and some lights!

Looks like the muts get along good.
More equipment?

Well, sir, what would you suggest?

Should a good CAT 953 or 963 come along that I could afford, I'd be interested in that

Should a Fecon forestry head come available, sign me up as well

The little John Deere tractor is broken down again, so that could be replaced and I wouldn't shed a tear

But right now, I am sitting pretty on most counts (if things would just stay unbroken)

D10.....

JR · « **Reply #21 on:** October 26, 2018, 10:45:59 PM »

He could break that too,,,,,,,,,,,,

Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 26, 2018, 11:03:45 PM »

Let’s get something with a canon on it.

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rpar86 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 26, 2018, 11:39:04 PM »

Quote from: Bigdave_185 on October 26, 2018, 11:03:45 PM

Let’s get something with a canon on it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Put the JD in its sights?

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Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #24 on:** October 27, 2018, 12:12:41 AM »

Put the JD in the pond and claim insurance on it.

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TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #25 on:** October 27, 2018, 07:30:49 AM »

Better make sure you have the right coverage.. don’t ask me how I know....

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Flyin6 · « **Reply #26 on:** October 27, 2018, 09:53:42 AM »

Quote from: rpar86 on October 26, 2018, 11:39:04 PM

Quote from: Bigdave_185 on October 26, 2018, 11:03:45 PM
Let’s get something with a canon on it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Put the JD in its sights?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

;-)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #27 on:** October 27, 2018, 09:54:58 AM »

Quote from: Bigdave_185 on October 27, 2018, 12:12:41 AM

Put the JD in the pond and claim insurance on it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

;-) ;-)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #28 on:** October 27, 2018, 09:55:22 AM »

Quote from: TexasRedNeck on October 27, 2018, 07:30:49 AM

Better make sure you have the right coverage.. don’t ask me how I know....

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

;-) ;-) ;-)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #29 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:24:01 AM »

Back to pond work/construction

October gives way to cooler and wetter months which may not be good for digging and werkin' in the dirt so I have been at a full court press digging and stacking up stones.

I'd really like to finish the pond so that come spring I am not still tearing the dirt up and the whole thing gets a good chance to green over.

All this turning about is scratching and in some areas gouging the tracks on Spud, but with 125 hours on the hobbs at the moment the machine is running great!

At the start of the work this time everything was working and running just fine

That would not stay true...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #30 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:26:45 AM »

Then less than an hour into the digging one of the hoses in the excavator boom sprung a leak

It looks like a hose failed (Weird!) as it was spraying a very fine jet of very high pressure (4300 psi) hyd oil all over my pretty (Not so much) paint.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #31 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:29:14 AM »

I caught it before it unloaded any significant amount of fluid. My Excavator has something like 70 gallons of the stuff which can bankrupt you in a new your minute if you're unlucky enough to experience a big failure.

Mid way between the lines is ideal, so I am still G-T-G

It is an awesome machine!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #32 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:31:04 AM »

Oh, and a bolt that retains a pin that holds on the bucket linkage fell out somewhere and the pin stopped retaining the linkage! So I grabbed a 1/2" lag screw and tapped it into the hole as a temporary repair. I'll have a new bolt along with a new hose in a jiffy-quick

Flyin6 · « **Reply #33 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:33:02 AM »

The portable refuelling/water trailer is working great as well. I topped it off with low sulphur diesel at Costco at a cost of $300, and by the end of two days an well over 40 gallons into the supply ! Yikes!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #34 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:36:03 AM »

^^^^ I like to keep the fuel supply close to my burn pile in the cold months to keep the fuel from jelling.

So, I am expanding the north side of the pond into a semi-circle "Grotto arrangement. It will look pretty cool when I get it done and maybe serve as a spot to plant a gazebo where I can drink quoffee and pray to the most awesome God in the universe!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #35 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:38:46 AM »

Just dug out this section, leveled it and am carrying a base block. It worked out great, that the wall is resting on the very bedrock that I am using to stack. Notice how level it all is?

Later I will remove the base but leave a nice shelf to both support the wall and allow peeps to walk around the edge of the pond in ankle deep water.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #36 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:40:21 AM »

And it it goes, blocks are stacked up and backfilled

Flyin6 · « **Reply #37 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:42:23 AM »

View from the top after back filling and tracking in the fill

I have about a 10-11 foot drop at the high point and a comfortable 7 feet on the small end

Flyin6 · « **Reply #38 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:45:52 AM »

With the dirt I removed I expanded the berms that constitute a swail which will catch the run off from two fields that earlier did not feed into the pond. With the expanded area of the pond, I will obviously need more acreage draining into it to support the volume.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #39 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:46:46 AM »

The view in the direction of flow:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #40 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:47:41 AM »

The southern swail is now completed and graded

Flyin6 · « **Reply #41 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:49:46 AM »

It terminates into this drain channel which aient pretty now, but I'll do something interesting with it before I let the fat lady sing

Flyin6 · « **Reply #42 on:** October 31, 2018, 11:51:56 AM »

And the second one...

Not finished, but I ran out of time. That's probably going to fill with water and require me to pump it back out...GRRRRRR!

Nate · « **Reply #43 on:** October 31, 2018, 12:32:23 PM »

thats some good earthmoving progress for 1 person over a couple of days

JR · « **Reply #44 on:** October 31, 2018, 01:20:58 PM »

I just love all the pics of the property, wall/pond is coming right along. Looks like you have a boat ramp to! You just going to contour the drains so they are still functional but you don't fall into them when you walk by?

Just cost me $150 to fill up the dmax. Was getting low, light even came on (5-10gal left) and I don't normally go that low.

Bob Smith · « **Reply #45 on:** October 31, 2018, 02:15:41 PM »

Quote from: JR on October 31, 2018, 01:20:58 PM

Just cost me $150 to fill up the dmax. Was getting low, light even came on (5-10gal left) and I don't normally go that low.

JR, nearest boat gas is 4.50 gal and the tank is 65 gal and was not filled by the dealer. I do hope fuel usage gets better as the engine gets broken in a bit.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #46 on:** October 31, 2018, 04:00:29 PM »

Quote from: Nate on October 31, 2018, 12:32:23 PM

thats some good earthmoving progress for 1 person over a couple of days

Tell me about it!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #47 on:** October 31, 2018, 04:06:37 PM »

Quote from: JR on October 31, 2018, 01:20:58 PM

I just love all the pics of the property, wall/pond is coming right along. Looks like you have a boat ramp to! You just going to contour the drains so they are still functional but you don't fall into them when you walk by?

Just cost me $150 to fill up the dmax. Was getting low, light even came on (5-10gal left) and I don't normally go that low.

Not sure what all that is going to look like just yet. Most likely I'll install a culvert/drain system and fill all that back in. Second (and cooler) option is to build a bridge over it. I'd widen it some and make the embankment all rocky, and more natural looking. Normally, I'd just loop the road out around it wider, but the way this thing lays out that is not a good or easy option.

Just had the hydraulic hose made up for Chief. That thing, with discounts set me back $155! OUCH!

cudakidd53 · « **Reply #48 on:** October 31, 2018, 04:11:21 PM »

Just incredible the amount of development down there Don!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #49 on:** October 31, 2018, 04:12:48 PM »

Quote from: cudakidd53 on October 31, 2018, 04:11:21 PM

Just incredible the amount of development down there Don!

You'll be surprised the next time you show up there I'm guessing.

We feasibly may be shooting ducks or geese off the pond!