Digging a Pond with a BX

[Flying MXZ]

If we use the 1500 cubic yards from above and assume full (struck) buckets (0.1815 cubic yards on Kubota's site with the bigger bucket) coming out we come up with 8265 loads. If we assume 5 minutes per bucket (which seems short to me) we are almost at 700 hours just removing material. I would hire it done myself.

 

[paulharvey]

There is middle ground, you could rent a Jd-544 from Sunbelt for a week, for ~$2200, and put some hurting on your pond 3 cubic yards at a time, but any way you look at it, it's a large pond to dig.

Although you mentioned clay, and a loader doesn't do well digging or running in clay, but if you rent a 20 ton hoe (jd-200, komatsu 200, cat 320) you will be limited to just digging and throwing as far as you can reach, a hoe can't really shuttle material.

 

[murphy1244]

If we use the 1500 cubic yards from above and assume full (struck) buckets (0.1815 cubic yards on Kubota's site with the bigger bucket) coming out we come up with 8265 loads. If we assume 5 minutes per bucket (which seems short to me) we are almost at 700 hours just removing material. I would hire it done myself.

When you put it that way I'd say yes you need a bigger bucket..

 

[EddieWalker]

Of course you can and there isn't any reason you shouldn't go for it. Just remember that with all digging, the hard part is getting rid of the dirt. I would start with a plan on where to put it close to the pond to increase the amount of time that you have to dig, then after it's done, you can deal with hauling off and spreading the dirt. I would also make the ramp getting into the pond as shallow as possible. Going over the same ground over and over again will either pack it down real good, or break it up and leave you with traction issues. With a full load in your bucket, your tractor loses a lot of traction in it's rear tires.

Eddie

 

[Ken45101]

Bucket capacity does NOT equal the cu ft in the ground. When figuring how many cubic feet need to be dug, that is hard, compacted soil. By the time you get it in the bucket, it will be loose ground and maybe 1/3rd as dense.

We had a pond about that size dug at a previous home. The contractor used a big excavator and two scrapers ("earthmovers") to move and distribute the soil. Took about a week IIRC and after finishing the last night water started creeping in. No way in the world that pond could have been done with a tractor, much less a small one.

 

[dragoneggs]

Hire the heavy digging. I don't know about you but as much as we don't want to figure it in the equation, your time is worth a lot even if we are not talking money. If we figure 700+ hrs you you talking 4 months full time digging one hole. Sounds pretty boring and I bet you can think of many other more gratifying projects for you and your BX. Git 'er done right. Use your machine to put the finish on.

 

[Ken45101]

5 minutes per load will probably be the minimum time to scrape loose a bucketful and climb out of the hole as it gets deeper. Remember, this is going to be a big hole. Another 5 minutes to take it to it's destination, spread it, (level it) and return? That doubles the 700 hour estimate.

The sides of the pond will be sloped. How will that impact your operation?

I once did a "pond-let", 8 feet wide (just wide enough to operate the tractor), five feet deep and 40' long, just for fun and to get some dirt I needed. It was a very slow process just for something that small. I was using a bigger tractor (M4700).

 

[Danner]

Thanks everybody. You have definitely 'cooled my heels' on this project

 

[Ken45101]

Thanks everybody. You have definitely 'cooled my heels' on this project

Sorry about that!

A pond that big is a major project.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I agree except for the one "there is no reason not to". You can do it, but ........there are hundreds of reasons NOT TO. I've done lots of "projects" but I've also hired experienced people with the proper equipment to do jobs for me in an hour that would take me weeks and on steep hillsides that they could do safely where every minute on my tractors would have been risking life and limb. Fuel and lubrication and filters and wear and tear along with your time costs something. I've actually saved money by hiring some jobs done. An experienced good operator of a track or tired FEL or even heavy duty Skid steer can do a lot of work/dirt moving in a few hours and here they charge is fairly reasonable $65 hour for big bucket skid steer and $85 hour for mid sized tracked front loader and about the same for mid sized dozer.
Get quotes and then decide.