Creating a Lake

[beppington]

Whoops, I missed your mention of sliding them across the grass - That's a good idea :thumbsup:

As an alternative the sharp corners of my table's feet could be jigsaw'd so it could be slid ... In fact I might just do that, but I don't think it'll slide nearly as well as those metal frame tables you're considering. Those look smooooother.

BTW I don't believe anyone's gonna accuse you of bein' lazy, with all the stuff you've posted. And, it takes time & energy to keep getting on & off a tractor, & if a task can be done differently, why not. I'd rather get stuff done efficiently while on the seat, rather than stopping & jumpin' off & back on it.

 

[tommu56]

That's a really nice table, and I like how detailed the plans are. I saw some wooden tables similar to yours at Lowes that were already done for under $100, but doubt they are as well put together as yours. My concern with wood is two fold. They tend to wobble after a few years, and I need to be moving it around all the time because it will be sitting on my dam. To mow, I plan to just drive into it, and push it to an area that I've already mowed, then mow where it was. Then the next time I mow, push it back to where it was, and keep doing this every time I mow. Getting off the mower, or tractor to do this goes against my desire to be lazy and not have to get off the seat.

I still might build some wooden ones later on, and appreicate this plan to make it easier. Its such a classic look that if I had a place to put them where they were not needed to be shoved around once a week, I think they would last for a very long time.

Eddie

Use the wooden ones and just put a PT runner on the bottom between the legs if the ground is flat.
Cut the ends at a 45 and it will slide along,


Are you getting any rain to fill the lake back up ?

tom

 

[bindian]

That's my biggest worry with the small pond I'm working on; will I have enough clay. It will get a lot more expensive if I have to have some hauled in. The old pond (over 20 years old) right across the road from me holds water pretty well so I think I'll be alright but I won't know till the actual digging starts. I'm still taking out trees and moving dirt (topsoil) where I need it elsewhere on my property. I'm almost through taking out the trees so the real fun should begin soon.

Judging other local ponds helps you decide if you are losing water from a leak or evaporation. I keep a keen eye on all local ponds. I had a seep on my dam and could tell from the softness under foot in that area. I added about 6 inches of clay to the dam to stop the leak and more importantly, add mass to the dam to hold the pressure of the water on the dam.

hugs, Brandi

 

[radioman]

eddie- I think you should go to a local campground-esp a state park campground and take notes of the tables there. All the wooden ones have carving vandalism left behind and they weigh a ton to move. The ones that takes 3-4 good size guys seems to be there for 10 yrs or so. The ones that can be moved by 2 people without saying it hurts thier back seems to be wobbly and fall apart. I am thinking if you got metal ones, and if you get alot of people there, its gonna rust no matter what and you will end up with an eyesore.

I am not saying get wooden ones nor metal. Its all about how much you willing to invest for 5 years and hope for best. Do you want to replace the tables every 5 years so it always looks new and modern or have something that lasts and have lots of memories?

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

1 more thing Eddie, if you design it right, you can move it while mowing real easy. Put your tractor's FEL bucket edge just under the top and kinda wedge it between the top and the seat board and just roll back the bucket a little. Then you don't have to get off the tractor while mowing. You see, laziness is truly the mother of invention and just another reason to have a FEL on your tractor.

Don't ask me how big of snake I killed last week and I won't tell.

 

[weldingisfun]

Another approach to the picnic table challenge would be to put each table on a pad made up of 3" of pea gravel and just mow around it. Be sure to put a barrier under the gravel to keep the weeds and grass from growing up through it. Then build tables like the one Beppington suggested.
Eddie, I seem to recall one time a long while back, you were pondering building tables out of concrete, or am I mistaken?

 

[dcyrilc]

Another option is to poar concrete pads for the tables to sit on and mow around the pads. if poared to grade, the mower can run right over the edge of them for a clean finish.

 

[WM75Guy]

Eddie,

Here is the Red River website. They are the one in Coleman. They may powder coat the frame if you contact them.

Red River Portable Arenas Horse Fencing and Livestock Equipment and Aluminum Roping Arena

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks everyone. I've gone back and fourth about pouring pads, laying pavers or even flagstones, but for now, just want to keep it simple. Every time I get to planning something unique or fancy, I get carried away, then start to think about it and realize it's just a mess. I don't want to focus on the tables, but on the scenery around them. I need lots of tables, so strong, durable and functional is what I like. Concrete will do all of that and then some, but I don't want to put the time into actually building them. I can buy them, but they are very pricey, and to be honest, I like the look of wood a lot better.

Vandalism is always a concern with any table, but wood is easy to replace if it gets too bad, and sometimes, fun to see what others carve or write onto a table. I'm not against a little character on a table. If I buy the molded plastc tables, I don't know how well they will hold up to a dedicated teenager with nothing to do and a creative mind.

Randy,

Thank you for the link. That is the frame that I'm leaning towards buying.

Eddie

 

[beppington]

Eddie,

Here is the Red River website. They are the one in Coleman. They may powder coat the frame if you contact them.

Red River Portable Arenas Horse Fencing and Livestock Equipment and Aluminum Roping Arena

...

Randy,

Thank you for the link. That is the frame that I'm leaning towards buying.

Eddie

I see you can buy the frame only for $100 less & provide the boards yourself. Should be under $200 per table that way.

Here a treated 2"x8"x12' is $10.97, & a treated 2"x10"x12' is $13.97. You'd need two 2"x8"x12's & one 2"x8"x12', all 3 cut in half ... so ~$36 + tax for the boards ... Maybe $190 total.

 

[EddieWalker]

It's twice what a wood table will cost, but willit last twice as long? or be twice as good? The commercial ones seem to start around $600 plus shipping. For that, you get a basic table, with prices jumping up from there.

My fear is that in saving money, I'm wasting money. I've done it so many times before that I question myself.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[RadarTech]

It's twice what a wood table will cost, but willit last twice as long? or be twice as good? The commercial ones seem to start around $600 plus shipping. For that, you get a basic table, with prices jumping up from there.

My fear is that in saving money, I'm wasting money. I've done it so many times before that I question myself.

Thanks,
Eddie

I've done the same... spend less up front and cost twice as much in the end....

 

[bindian]

Groundcover,
We are not near any of the big fires. We do get small brush fires here. The big fire is on the other side of Texas near Fort Davis. Where the wind howls. That is the fire that took out about 40 homes. It is a full day's drive from me. I am an hour north of Houston.

The new joke here is if we get a forecast of 20% rain...........the weather folks mean 20 drops.:laughing:

Please send us Y'alls rain. I think Eddie got dumped on again last night. I barely had any "wetness" in the bottom of the rain guage, but the leaves on the ground are damp.:licking:
hugs, Brandi

Seems now the wild fires are close to home. A few days ago, 40 acres burned just off loop around Conroe, about 8 miles from me. It took about 3 hours to put out. Now, 200 acres in Walker County near Huntsville burnt and was thought to have been started by lightning. All over East Texas fires are breaking out. We got 5/8ths inch of rain Monday night, but the cloudless skies have what didn't soak into the ground, evaporated.
hugs, Brandi

 

[EddieWalker]

It's getting scary with the fires and how dry it is everywhere. Especially that its spring time. What is it going to be like in August?

I received 3 inches of rain and Lake Marabou with up a foot. This is the best, rain to water level results that Ive had yet. I've been working on increasing my drainage, and I'm starting to see results!!!!

Eddie

 

[radioman]

you can have my water and rain. We are getting record breaking rain here in NYS and usually this is the timee I can start mowing and tilling the garden with my tractor. I am unable to do so still!!

 

[groundcover]

Turns out Mother nature is the ultimate terrorist , between wild land fires, tornadoes and floods , about time for a little good news !

Eddie do you have anyone nearby that could mill the table wood for you and leave the natural edges? Kind of a more natural look.

 

[EddieWalker]

I was mowing a little too close to the edge and one tire filled up with mud. Once that happens, it just spins. Good thing that I have the backhoe. I just back it up, hook a chain to the bucket and the mower, and out it comes. It realy is the ultimate tool for getting things unstuck!!!!

Eddie

 

[groundcover]

Now that's my kind of fishing ! That looks like a keeper , don't toss it back in !:laughing:

Looks like I'll have to fire up the Skag pretty soon now that the snow is gone.

 

[bindian]

I was mowing a little too close to the edge and one tire filled up with mud. Once that happens, it just spins. Good thing that I have the backhoe. I just back it up, hook a chain to the bucket and the mower, and out it comes. It realy is the ultimate tool for getting things unstuck!!!!

Eddie

Eddie,
I have the same problem, but use the loader bucket. I can buy Chevron tires for my Hustler Fastrac, but have not yet. I can chain it out of the mud numerous times for $180 for 2 new tires.
hugs, Brandi

 

[jinman]

I was mowing a little too close to the edge and one tire filled up with mud. Once that happens, it just spins. Good thing that I have the backhoe. I just back it up, hook a chain to the bucket and the mower, and out it comes. It realy is the ultimate tool for getting things unstuck!!!!

Eddie

Yep! ...and you have plenty of time to kick yourself in the behind while you walk back to the house to get the backhoe. :laughing: