To Backhoe or not to Backhoe

[fried1765]

Another vote for a dozer. You could have a dozer in there and done by the time you'd dig 1/10th of your pond with a hoe.

I think you'll find two camps on here....those who swear by their hoe, and those who swear at it. If you can afford it, get it just to have around. They're handy as all get-out. But, for what they're charging for them, I think I'd rent something I could abuse and return and not have to worry about storing it for the once or twice a year I'd use it, or the wear and tear on the tractor.

If you get one, you'll have lots of new friends at church and around the neighborhood! :laughing:

Renting may be a reasonable idea....if the rental yard is just a mile or two away.
In my case, the nearest backhoe rental available is 80+ miles.
That is why I own my L48TLB!
It is ALWAYS available to me, even if I only need it for 15 minutes.

 

[GE7EA]

Wow!! Thanks for all the input. I am certain that I could find several other uses for the backhoe, but am convinced that I can't justify spending the money to handle this particular project. I think I will try to reach out to some neighbors that own a skid steer at least. One neighbor has had an excavating backhoe on his property for nearly a month, so it may be worth talking to him to see what he would charge or the availability to use it. Again, I really appreciate all the feedback. An ounce of advice is well worth not having to live with the frustration of countless hours of working with something that would have a hard time achieving the desired result.

 

[JerryK]

I am a fan of backhoes.... Only problem with them is they are a pathway of obtaining an excavator. Another of those ' if I only had ' life's problems...

 

[fried1765]

I am a fan of backhoes.... Only problem with them is they are a pathway of obtaining an excavator. Another of those ' if I only had ' life's problems...

Excavators are obviously good, but they are a one trick pony!
They can dig/lift.
They cannot move dirt beyond their boom reach.
They are crawlers, and as such, move around VERY slowly.
As has been said many times: A TLB is a Swiss army knife.

 

[GE7EA]

I can see where getting the backhoe could lead to wanting an excavator. The price of the backhoe is close to 8k out the door with tax title and tip. They quoted a 12" bucket, but that seems a bit small to me. I think it would handle the trenching fine, but would take some time. I saw a video where someone mentioned that it goes faster if you have someone drive the tractor while you operate the backhoe (Not at the same time). I would feel much more comfortable if it was a 4-5k investment because I know I would figure out a lot of other uses for it. At this point I haven't contacted my neighbors yet, nor have I gotten any quotes on having it done. If all of that doesn't yield any reasonable results, I may reconsider. I do appreciate the feedback and ideas. There's a lot of value in other's sharing their experiences especially when mistakes can be so costly.

 

[GE7EA]

I did want to mention that I'm fairly confident that the retention pond would hold water. Living in South Carolina the majority of the soil in my area has a high clay content. I've read where people have pinned some pigs in the area of the pond and used them to pack in the dirt / clay. For the sides they said they hang corn up around the edges to get them to do the sides as well, eliminating the need for a liner. That sounds great to me, but wonder if it actually works.

 

[3Ts]

I did want to mention that I'm fairly confident that the retention pond would hold water. Living in South Carolina the majority of the soil in my area has a high clay content. I've read where people have pinned some pigs in the area of the pond and used them to pack in the dirt / clay. For the sides they said they hang corn up around the edges to get them to do the sides as well, eliminating the need for a liner. That sounds great to me, but wonder if it actually works.

I thought it was sheep if you want it packed and hogs if you wanted it tilled up due to their rooting.

 

[countrybumpkin]

You say retention pond, for run run off only, or are you planning on it holding water year around? A 20 foot by 20 foot pond isn’t going to hold much, especially if there is much of a water shed area. As for will the tractor unit do the job, Yes it would but not quickly. A small excavator and dozer would make quick work of that job.

 

[GE7EA]

The primary purpose of the retention pond is aesthetics more than anything else. I would like it to hold water year round. We have a large pond at the bottom of the property where the majority of the water ends up. What my ultimate goal is, is to direct the largest amounts of water to dedicated areas and minimize erosion. If you can look at the picture I posted in my original post, the upper line is where I'd like the lower line to go. That's going to take a lot more dirt moving than a TLB. The area closest to the barn where the line is, I want to trench and put in pipe and continue that down to where the pond will be. The pond will have a spillway into another pipe that lets out to a ditch that leads to the pond at the far left of the pic. The lower line is what I want to divert over to the upper line because where the lower line is, is where we primarily travel to and from the pond. In my mind, it seems like the least invasive way to maintain what we have and not have watershed ruts in multiple places. I may be way off, but it's what I am thinking.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Curious if anyone on say 100 acres finds a track hoe too slow to get around and maybe doesn't use it for every little job on account of that.