Leveling an area for an AG pool.

[bloody_peasant]

I've got to level an area for a circular above ground pool (26' diam) and the only tool I've got (other than hand tools ) is a rear blade.

The area has sod on it and a gentle slope mostly in one direction. Still being a nOOb I need some good advice on how to attack this. I've yet to successfully use my rear blade, I think I don't have it set at an aggressive enough cut as it just seems to ride over the dirt and rarely bite in.

So here is my plan of attack:
1. Lengthen the top link to create a more aggressive cut, but not too much.
2. Go over the entire area to cut off mainly just the sod, if I get a little dirt that's ok.
3. Remove the cut off sod with the tried and true shovel and wheel barrel and put it in my compost pit.
4. Maybe lengthen the top link a little more to make it a little more aggressive.
5. Start trying to level it.

Now what's the best way to accomplish #5 with a rear blade? I would be happy just getting it close then I can finish it with a shovel. This is pretty hard clay by the way. Should I wet it first?

 

[randy41]

i had to do this years ago...i used a shovel and dug by hand. my pool was 18' diameter.

 

[Wood_Butcher_Dav]

I don't think your going to have much luck removing dirt with a rear blade, as you said it just ride over the top. A box blade that has rippers that could be lowered to break up the clay would be better. How about tilling the area and then use rear blade to remove dirt. The sod will need to be removed first. Will you be back filling with sand? Do you have a loader for your tractor?

Dave

 

[dirtworksequip]

If you have access to a roto tiller you can till up the area you want to remove the dirt from and the go at it with the back blade. Otherwise you will have a hard row to hoe if the soil is not loose first.

 

[bloody_peasant]

Sorry no tiller nor front loader, nor a box blade. I read a post on here where people were talking about digging ditches with a rear blade, but I won't be able to do this?

I started it last night, but I don't think I had the blade set aggressively enough as it just skipped over the top. I did wet it first. It was removing the sod though, but slowly.

I will be back filling with sand in the middle of the pool (the liner sits on the sand, but the outer wall will not).

If I were to get ahold of a tiller, I would have to be careful, I can't break it up and then fill it back in. It needs to be hard packed dirt.

I guess I'll keep trying with the blade and my trusty old shovel

 

[cyberknight]

Hi,
I did the same project a few yeays back with an 18 foot ag pool on slanted ground. I drove a pipe in the ground where I wanted the center of the pool. Then I measured out 20 foot and connected a cable from the pipe to my tiller. Then I just tilled a circle and tilled the ground all up. I found my high spot ( was about 10 inches to high) and dug it out and removed the dirt (clay and shale). The tiller worked very good for breaking up the ground so I could shovel it. I did not fill the lows just brought the highs down so I had stable ground an d level. Put up pool frame and walls, put some sand in bottom and leveled. I also made a border at the high slope to keep the dirt off the pool walls. It has been up for about 4 years now and has not changed since I put it in . Good Luck.
Glenn

 

[Paddy]

Well I think you have justified a box blade! They are cheep and very usefull. They have adjustable ripper teeth that will make your shovel work a pc of cake.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I have this same problem coming up soon.
I want to put an AG pool in the back yard.
The yard slopes a bit away from the house.
I was thinking of adjusting one side of the blade down with the leveling box.
Then just go around the high side to knock it down.
The more I knock down the more I can bring the blade back to level.

Might even angle the cutting side of the blade forward a little
to give it a more aggressive angle of attack.

Pooh Bear

 

[Farwell]

I set my rear blade at the maximum angle and drive around in a circle that is the size you want. One of the edges of the rear blade cuts aggressively, I think that it is the outside edge but not sure, this should help cut down on shovel time quite a bit.
I also use this method to move cut brush into a pile that I can pick up with my FEL.
Farwell

 

[wilkesland]

Well, if you have brick quality clay that I've had to contend with most of my adult life, then your blade isn't going to do much. If your blade will adjust to a pretty steep tilt from the horizontal, you might want to try that, also adjust it to the sharpest angle you can horizontally. This will have the effect of the end of the blade pointing in the ground sorta like a plow. But I'm not optimistic. If you own some of North Carolina's finest clay, it doesn't even yield to a tiller all that easily. I am so glad to be rid of that stuff. I still have clay at our new location,but thankfully, not like in the eastern piedmont around Raleigh and Sanford.

Good luck!