The gully to pond project

[jinman]

Jim,
I came across an interesting post in the New Holland group.
Your dash in Sep 06.
How many hours have you added since then on your blue tractor?
I bet it is a bunch:thumbsup:
Ron

Nah! I wanted new tractor, but couldn't afford it. So, I just bought a new instrument panel with zero hours.:cool2:

. . . just kiddin'. :laughing:

I think it has about 1725 on the hour meter now. Its use has really slowed down since I bought my LB75B TLB.

 

[pacerron]

Nah! I wanted new tractor, but couldn't afford it. So, I just bought a new instrument panel with zero hours.:cool2:

. . . just kiddin'. :laughing:

I think it has about 1725 on the hour meter now. Its use has really slowed down since I bought my LB75B TLB.

That makes sense! When you get your Dozer there will be less hour buildup on your blue and your yellow New Hollands as long as you are a one man operation.
The dozer will use more fuel than either of the others per hour but for certain jobs it will save you man hours so it all evens out to some extent. Of course the maintenance, repair, and battery replacement will increase by possibly 33% or more. Getting your grandson operating one piece of equipment while you operate another, as a team, will make any hassle worth it.:thumbsup:

Geez.. I guess I should have asked how many man hours you have spent on TBN since 2006. That would beat your blue tractor time:laughing::laughing:

 

[jinman]

Geez.. I guess I should have asked how many man hours you have spent on TBN since 2006. That would beat your blue tractor time:laughing::laughing:

I thought TBN WAS considered seat time. Isn't TBN like a flight simulator for tractors?

Somebody somewhere has probably already built a tractor or dozer simulator. When the cost of learning on the machine makes it cost-effective to build a simulator, they'll be everywhere. However, we don't need another FAA to regulate us and certainly no Tractor Security Administration (TSA).:confused2:

 

[pacerron]

I thought TBN WAS considered seat time. Isn't TBN like a flight simulator for tractors?

Somebody somewhere has probably already built a tractor or dozer simulator. When the cost of learning on the machine makes it cost-effective to build a simulator, they'll be everywhere. However, we don't need another FAA to regulate us and certainly no Tractor Security Administration (TSA).:confused2:

If you could run a realistic dozer simulator with a real seat under your butt, trac vibration, heat, and real lever controls you might decide not to buy a dozer. You'll dig some holes that were intended to be flat for a while.

Have you considered a used rubber wheeled 4WD articulated loader. They are fun to operate and the bucket on a small one could be twice the capacity of your yellow tractor. They dig, doze, haul, compact, and squirm into tight places like dam building. You already have the feel for bucket operations. Might find one in your price range.

 

[beppington]

I thought TBN WAS considered seat time. Isn't TBN like a flight simulator for tractors?

Somebody somewhere has probably already built a tractor or dozer simulator. When the cost of learning on the machine makes it cost-effective to build a simulator, they'll be everywhere. However, we don't need another FAA to regulate us and certainly no Tractor Security Administration (TSA).:confused2:

Seat-time Simulator :thumbsup:

 

[jinman]

Have you considered a used rubber wheeled 4WD articulated loader. They are fun to operate and the bucket on a small one could be twice the capacity of your yellow tractor. They dig, doze, haul, compact, and squirm into tight places like dam building. You already have the feel for bucket operations. Might find one in your price range.

The CG on a rubber tire loader is very high compared to a dozer, especially when the bucket is full. They aren't cheap either, to buy or to fix. I can move dirt fine now with my dump trailer. I wouldn't even consider putting a rubber tire loader down in my gullies. I've seen them used many times, but never in terrain like mine or for my purpose. I probably won't buy another machine, but if I do, it'll be a dozer.

 

[jinman]

This morning, I'm heading to TSC to buy a semi-trash pump. I'm going to have to drain the small pond and repair leaks before continuing. I thought I had the leaks slowed, but with added water in the pond they began to leak through the "sand pipe" and into the 2nd pond again at an increased rate. My wife asked me if the 2nd pond being full would stop the leaks, but I told her that the 2nd pond would never be as deep as the sand layer, plus the layer is leaking out in many directions with only a small amount of the leakage going into the 2nd pond. For every gallon I see appear in the 2nd pond, there's probably 100 gallons that go underground and disappear. The first picture below illustrates what is happening. I sealed the red portion of the dam, but the sand layer continues and water is bypassing my clay seal.

The final straw this week was seeing a seep appear at the opposite end of my new dam where it ties in with the slope. Even though I have a key trench notched well into the slope, the water is just going around that notch in the sand pipe and then showing up as a seep as shown in the 2nd photo.

I'm going to drain the pond and fix the leaks with a thick clay layer. I may even add some bentonite clay since I have a source nearby. I want to get it fixed right so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

On a positive note, I've completed the final level of the 1st pond to include spreading sod filled clay soil on top to get grass going. The 2nd dam is also in the finishing stages. I can now start working of the final cleanup. I have lots more to do, but this is a major milestone. I'll post photos of the dams soon.

 

[bindian]

This morning, I'm heading to TSC to buy a semi-trash pump. I'm going to have to drain the small pond and repair leaks before continuing. I thought I had the leaks slowed, but with added water in the pond they began to leak through the "sand pipe" and into the 2nd pond again at an increased rate. My wife asked me if the 2nd pond being full would stop the leaks, but I told her that the 2nd pond would never be as deep as the sand layer, plus the layer is leaking out in many directions with only a small amount of the leakage going into the 2nd pond. For every gallon I see appear in the 2nd pond, there's probably 100 gallons that go underground and disappear. The first picture below illustrates what is happening. I sealed the red portion of the dam, but the sand layer continues and water is bypassing my clay seal.

The final straw this week was seeing a seep appear at the opposite end of my new dam where it ties in with the slope. Even though I have a key trench notched well into the slope, the water is just going around that notch in the sand pipe and then showing up as a seep as shown in the 2nd photo.

I'm going to drain the pond and fix the leaks with a thick clay layer. I may even add some bentonite clay since I have a source nearby. I want to get it fixed right so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

On a positive note, I've completed the final level of the 1st pond to include spreading sod filled clay soil on top to get grass going. The 2nd dam is also in the finishing stages. I can now start working of the final cleanup. I have lots more to do, but this is a major milestone. I'll post photos of the dams soon.

Jim,
Mix the Bentonite in with your fill material. That is how the experts do it.
hugs, Brandi

 

[pacerron]

This morning, I'm heading to TSC to buy a semi-trash pump. I'm going to have to drain the small pond and repair leaks before continuing. I thought I had the leaks slowed, but with added water in the pond they began to leak through the "sand pipe" and into the 2nd pond again at an increased rate. My wife asked me if the 2nd pond being full would stop the leaks, but I told her that the 2nd pond would never be as deep as the sand layer, plus the layer is leaking out in many directions with only a small amount of the leakage going into the 2nd pond. For every gallon I see appear in the 2nd pond, there's probably 100 gallons that go underground and disappear. The first picture below illustrates what is happening. I sealed the red portion of the dam, but the sand layer continues and water is bypassing my clay seal.

The final straw this week was seeing a seep appear at the opposite end of my new dam where it ties in with the slope. Even though I have a key trench notched well into the slope, the water is just going around that notch in the sand pipe and then showing up as a seep as shown in the 2nd photo.

I'm going to drain the pond and fix the leaks with a thick clay layer. I may even add some bentonite clay since I have a source nearby. I want to get it fixed right so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

On a positive note, I've completed the final level of the 1st pond to include spreading sod filled clay soil on top to get grass going. The 2nd dam is also in the finishing stages. I can now start working of the final cleanup. I have lots more to do, but this is a major milestone. I'll post photos of the dams soon.

Hope you will be careful about driving equipment over the dam that is being undermined with water leakage. You can't see what is really happening underground. You and the top layer above the sand might end up in pond#2..
Draining and drying #1 before starting the repair of the dam makes sense to me. I had my expensive near dunk experience on my dam already, as I think I mentioned before.
Ron
before

 

[jinman]

Hope you will be careful about driving equipment over the dam that is being undermined with water leakage.

This is a seep, Ron, not water undermined. I DO know what is going on because I know exactly where the sand layer is and see the water seeping through it. For there to be danger, you have to have material removed by the leaking water. I have none of that. This leak is about 2" or 3" at most per week including evaporation. The dam I built is solid as a rock. This is going through the native soil. I understand your concern and how dams can fail with leaks. I could actually live with this seep if the 2nd pond was full and I could pump back into the 1st pond. This is a 6" layer of sand directly below clay and on top of hard caliche. I've observed it on a daily basis now for over a month and no erosion or undermining of the dam is happening. Even so, I appreciate your concern and know that with your experience, you want to give me your best caution.:thumbsup:

I bought the 2" semi-trash pump at TSC today with a hose kit and additional 25' of outlet hose. Because of what I read online in reviews, I bought the 1 year extended warranty that allows me to bring in the unit directly to the store for repair/replacement. The pump was only $179 and the hose kit was
$149 with the additional 25' being $32.99. So, I spent more for the hoses than the pump.:confused3: The extended warranty was $29.99, so I spent a total of $419.97 after sales tax.

I looked at a Honda engine pump that was identical except for the engine and it was $499 just for the pump. If this pump holds up well, I'm way ahead of the game. It has a fuel shutoff that allows me to run the engine/carb dry before shutdown, so old fuel problems will be minimum. It does require the first oil change at 5 hours use. Of course, I had to add the initial oil, but I read everything for warranty requirements and noticed the 5-hour requirement. I'll do that right on schedule to ensure I'm following all warranty requirements.

I let the pump run on the first tank of gas until the engine quit. It took 2-1/4 hr to use the gallon of gas in the tank. It pumped my pond down over a foot in that first 2 hours. So far, everything works exactly as advertised and I'm a happy camper. I'm taking some photos and will post them tomorrow.