Creating a Lake

[KentT]

That was my immediate thought when looking at Eddie's most recent picture -- "How can you pack the dirt in that narrow keyway?"

 

[EddieWalker]

Good question.

My dozer weighs 40,000 pounds, but with the tracks, it doesn't compact very well. Spreads the weight out too much.

My backhoe weighs 14,000 pounds, and with a yard of dirt in the front bucket, it's another ton. The front tires really concentrate that weight to a single point.

I fill the keyway and drive through it with the dozer first, then with the backhoe, and finally with a load of dirt in the front bucket.

One of the reasons for doing the keyway fist is that I can also drive over it with the dumptruck when I'm moving dirt. The more I drive over it, the better it will compact.

I've also decided to widen it at the deepest point to six feet from four feet. That makes sense and it won't take very much effor to do it.

Thanks for the advice and questions,
Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

I read an interesting article in one of my trade magazines. Seems Cat did a study on the most efficient way to move dirt with a dozer.

The trick is to start your trench where you want your spoils to end up, then dig it to the depth you want. Then you just keep going further back each time, digging out a load of dirt and pushing it through the trench.

Each trench is supposed to be half a blade apart, then you go back and knock in the spacer dirt into the trench, and push it up the trench.

I found that the spacer trench is allot easier to take out if it's only about 2 feet wide. Six feet still takes quite a bit of effort.

This technique seems to work really well. The dirt is kept on the blade from the sides of the trench and the spacer cleans up rean nice.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

This picture shows the spacer better than I can describe it.

My blade is 12 feet wide and rated at 3 yards. This way I get the full 3 yards every time.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

This area that I'm digging out is to be the deepest part of the lake and until I'm done, it will aslo act as my collection area for rain water.

When it rains, the water will come to this point, which is the lowest in the lake site. Then it will exit the trench I dug earlier. The last thing I'll do is seal off the trench when I close off the dam at this point.

This pic gives you an idea of the inside slope of the dam. Everything I've read says to have it at a 3:1 slope. I'm just guessing, but it looks pretty close.

The height isn't set yet. I need to get my lazer level out and start marking the height of the water when the lake is full. For now I'm just piling up the dirt to get it out of the way. The excess will just get added to the back of the dam.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

This shows my view of the blade as I cut away the spacer. It just falls apart being so thin. When I first did it at six feet, it was a battle to get it apart.

Eddie

 

[RobS]

You're having way too much fun down there EddieWalker! You don't know how tempted I am to cash in some frequent flyer miles and give you a hand. If things weren't so crazy at work and home, I'd be there in a heartbeat. Things seem to be coming along very nicely for you. Is this a dry season for you, or is it unusually dry? Do you have to line the lake with betonite or anything? Got an ariel photo or a layout showing your whole project?

Thanks for taking the time to post your pics. It sure is fascinating watching from the cold north /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I was thinking the same thing. Eddie needs someone to run the backhoe and another to run the dump truck. Plus, someone can take over the dozer so Eddie can finish his house /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

You guys are killing me. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Today the high temp was 45 degrees. It was raining off and on, but it never got muddy. I have two pairs of socks on and boots. The cold comes right through the pedals into my feet, which were half numb.

Two sweatshirts a heavy jacket, face mask, sweat pants and gloves round out what I was wearing. I also have ear plugs in the entire time.

I stoped three times for pee breaks and pics. I never ate anything and had two water bottles that I sipped on.

Otherwise, I was on the dozer for just over 8 hours today.

It took about an hour inside the house to loose the chill and stop shivering. It was over two hours until my hearing to clear up. Everything else is just sore and tired.

Any of you guys want to join me for some of this "fun" let me know. I got thousands of yard of dirt to move. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Eddie

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Well then, I will tell you about my day, woke up this morning, it was 21 degrees not counting the wind chill. Wind was 15-20 mph. Walked half a mile thru 2 feet of snow to go hunt in a swamp. Shot a doe 15 minutes later. Had to cut a new path back thru the snow as the wind drifted snow over my original path. Felt like I was going to have a heart attack by the time I got back to the truck. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Now what were you saying about 45 degree temps /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif We had to move our deer into the house garage just so they would thaw out so we can butcher them. The house garage is 40 degrees today and we got that cold front coming up from your way now so things are going to cool down.

Honestly though, if I lived closer I would come over and give you a hand. Its been a while since I got to play with a big dirt pile.