Keeping character, or restoring a pond

[wroughtn_harv]

Hmmmmm, good question James.

There's ten inches of fall in twenty two feet of gate opening. Measuring this out when working by oneself can be a tad bit difficult. So I put the clamps up there to hold the dumber end of the tape.

They did their part just fine. And I haven't removed them yet.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

We're hoping to enclose the whole thing. Our big limiting factor is the weather. Usually in about October we get the rains that will fill the pond systems involved and our work will have to cease until next July. I believe the bulk of this pond will be ten to fifteen feet deep when the water is brought up to level.

I'm pumping down the pond every other day or so to keep the mud level at a manageable point. BTW the rain that's soaked Bird's place and finally affected James hasn't done more than mess up the windshield at mine.

One of the fun things about this project is there's so much that needs to be considered at every stage of the job. This big rock stairs had to be done while I could get the tractor in to lift the rocks into place.

It was a challenge doing that. First we had to build a pad of dirt that enabled the tractor to reach where the rocks had to go. Then the rocks had to be put in place. Sometimes they didn't fit quite right. That meant taking them back down and making adjustments on them. A couple of the rocks weighed close to four hundred pounds or more.

Before there was about a sixteen to eighteen inch ledge to navigate. Now there's about a four and a half foot wide one. There's a confidence difference that's tangible. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RonR]

I'm assuming you will put a guard rail on the rock ledge to keep someone from taking an unexpected plunge if they misstep? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Ron

 

[Larstan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Before there was about a sixteen to eighteen inch ledge to navigate. Now there's about a four and a half foot wide one. There's a confidence difference that's tangible. )</font>

In those early layups I pictured myself, back to the wall, edging around the corner looking into the abyss... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[txdon]

Let me guess...The gate is for the Twin Peaks Restaurant in Lewisville. Right? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Tuesday and Wednesday we were out of town. One of my brother in laws passed away and we attended his funeral.

So today was our first day back since Monday. It was a good day.

We formed up the pathway that's going to run along the south end of the existing wall. If you click on the link I replied to you will see the area as we left it Monday.

This is what it looked like tonight when we left it.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Yes.

Those are four of the five piers that will be holding the floating boulders.

Sixteen inch hole nine feet deep with half of a yard of concrete to get it to the level where we can route the tubing and conduit for boulder enhancing one oh one.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I'm not sure how this picture will download. I hope it's clear enough for those interested to see how we're installing the flat boulders into the concrete.

First we drill the boulder and epoxy in a piece of rebar. Then we tie the rebar to the rebar grid that reinforces the concrete.

Next we lay dense foam against the boulder and then put a masonite fibreboard to act as the form for the concrete.

We follow that with stuff like little rocks and sand to further form the foam around the rock. This saves us time and effort cleaning up when we remove the forms and it means less detail work with the mortar work afterwards too.

I know. Pros would do it different.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Probably one of the most rewarding things about this kind of work is watching one of my ideas become the property of someone who takes it further and better than I ever could.

This is a classic example of what I'm talking about.

Vicente is a day laborer, forty nine years old. He started with us on this job as just a day laborer. It turns out he's done a lot of concrete and masonary work in his life.

It's the nature of these kinds of workplace for expertise to be downplayed in these situations. But I think a little of my enthusiasm and the challenge of the job got him down where it feels good. He's having more fun than a pup with two tails on a sunny day taking my concepts and turning them into works of art.

I'm having as much fun watching him have fun as I am seeing things happen the way I think they could most likely.

I showed him once basically what I wanted. Then I got out of his way.

Sharing the fun is all about sharing fun.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Tomorrow we'll get to remove the forms and see how it turned out.

I can hardly wait.