Moving some rocks

[npaden]

I've been moving some rocks up around a pond. So far they have all been small enough to pick up with the loader, but the next batch is going to be a little more of a challenge because they are all a little bigger. The heaviest implement I have is the mower so that's why it's on there and I also piled some rocks on the back just for effect.

I think that rock weighed at least 2,000 lbs because I could only pick it up about 6". When I picked it up with the back blade on the rear wheels picked up pretty quick so I switched out for the mower and all was well.

Took a couple pics:

Pretty fun stuff! I couldn't even budge the larger rocks with a prybar once I got them set down.

 

[EddieWalker]

Nathan,

What are you doing moving rocks??? Aren't you supposed to be building a workshop!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Eddie

 

[npaden]

You can actually see the slab for the workshop in those pics if you look hard enough. I'm not building the building, it would take me too long and with my welding skills it would probably fall down with the first high wind. I talked to my builder and he said it was going to go up this week for sure.

 

[jinman]

To have fun with rocks, you really need one of these (see attachment). It doesn't have to be used for rocks either. Yesterday, I was moving crossties. I told my wife that I think that was the first time I ever moved crossties that I didn't need gloves. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Nice job with the rocks. Sometimes yuu just have to work with what you have to do these jobs. You made your bucket work very well. Heck, even if you couldn't lift it, you could have gone in reverse and used the bucket as a skid. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Npaden,
Well, that is one gig rock /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I see you kind of use the same method as I do, which isnt the best method by the way /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Find yourself some steel boilerplate and make yourself a stoneboat, its much easier to drag those big bones than go through all that wrestlin around, think youll find it a liitle easier /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

scotty

 

[npaden]

Okay, I took some more pictures today.

I ended up having to move the rocks because I ended up having to do some more work getting the pond leveled out and sized correctly for the liner that I bought 2 years ago but haven't ever got around to putting in.

I went ahead and threw the liner in there and started filling it up today. I should have taken a picture of it before the liner, but I was already filling it up before I remember to take a picture. Underneath the liner there is a layer of felt to help protect the liner from tearing.

Oh well, here are a couple pics. This is looking at the pond with the canyon in the background and this years christmas tree planted beside it.

You can see the house in this picture. This is a wildlife pond for my CRP land so it had to be on the CRP property which is why it is so far from the house. I got bonus points on my CRP application because there is no other water source for wildlife within 1/2 mile in any direction.

I think I'm going to do a little more modifications to the actual pond on the lower right corner to allow more area for wildlife to get a drink in a shallow pool in the corner about 6" deep.

Here is a picture with one of our 4-wheelers in the background. The pond isn't really as big as it looks in the picture, the 4-wheeler just looks really small because of depth perception. I was using the 4-wheeler to haul medium sized rocks to put around the edges of the pond.

The hose has been running filling it up since around 6:30 tonight. At about 8:00 it started getting air in the line because it sucked the well dry and so I closed it down some and kept filling. I don't think it will be full by morning. I calculated it out at between 3,000 and 4,000 gallons.

Just thought I would share my project with everyone. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Nothing like the other "ponds" several of the others have been showing but it should serve it's purpose. Hopefully it will end up being a nice spot for wildlife and I might put a fish or two in there as well. I've already got some pumps and filters to use on it.

 

[Egon]

Nice looking job. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now for a simple question: In Texas would not the granular material in the pictures be considered Pea Gravel? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[tinsnip]

Nice work on the pond!

As for moving rocks with a stoneboat, I saw a very inexpensive homemade job at a local fair. The guy took the hood (trunk?) of an old VW bug and folded the front edges over a little. Kind of like you would do on a paper airplane, but just the first 6 inches or so. He drove a couple holes (not drilled, maybe he hammered a prybar through it or something) and threaded some chain through it. Claims he can skid the thing along with almost anything in it, even with his 4-wheeler! Looked ugly, but I bet it worked great.

 

[Egon]

Please note:

When skidding heavy objects on a slipery slide with no sides or hold downs hills and slopes can make strange things happen!

Don't park your truck downhill of where you are working.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[npaden]

Today's progress:

I filled in a bunch more dirt around the lower edge to slope it out better and changed up the shallow corner like I wanted. Now I just have to get it full and put the rocks around and setup the plumbing.

Here's another pic that shows the shallow drinking area better. I'm going to put pea gravel in the shallow areas.

I'm going to make it where it continually overflows that corner so there will be nice thick grass so the bugs will really bring in the birds.

More pics in this directory - http://padens.com/files/pond/