Yes, another pond started.....

MotorSeven · Oct 3, 2008

Talked to the County extension agent & he recommended syaying off the bedrock. The reason is that the clay/gumbo on top of the bedrock is the waterproof barrier that plugs the fractures in the rock. So if i scrape everything down to the rock i could cause the pond to leak. Makes sense & maybe i won't need a liner(yea right), so it is worth a try.
RobJ, no trakhoe, so it will be slow going, but i'll get it done. RB, horses...well, i have been watching them & they have investigated the trench extensivly, so i think they know where everything is. Next spring they get trained as trail horses(yes we are gonna ride 'em), so i am trying to expose them to alot of things.
The 3'rd trench started out good, but then i hit some real hard pan clay at a little over a foot down. It just won't scrape worth hoot...kinda like concrete. So tomorrow i will drop the scarifiers on the 7' box blade & use the tractor to break it up, then hit it with the dozer.
RD

Trench-2

Trench 2 done....

Trench 3, note the shiny glass like surface?

MotorSeven · Oct 4, 2008

The rippers worked great on the Box blade. I would have got the third trench done except my neighbor interrupted me. I had to take my truck over to his place so we could pull out the 350 tranny so he could rebuild it for me. Sheesh, some neighbors are such a pain.................

RD

MotorSeven · Oct 5, 2008

New twist today. The Case 350B keeps trying to throw the right track from the front idler wheel, so i had to park it. I had trench-3 about half way done & there was plenty of daylight. Soooo, i used the DK40 to finish the trench. I have to say it did great & the 7' box blade moves alot of dirt. I smoothed the bottom down to the muck & now i will wait for it to dry out so i can scrape some more.

RD

EddieWalker · Oct 5, 2008

Sorry to hear about your track. I've had some track problems too and it was a huge pain to deal with. Hope it's not too serious.

Eddie

MotorSeven · Oct 6, 2008

Eddie, so far a can't figure it out. The first time i heard it climbing the idler i backed up, put some grease to the tensioner & went back to work. Today it started the same thing, more grease, & it is getting worse. Now just traveling forward not touching the brake & it trys to pop off. SO i had to back up all the way to the shop. I did notice the front lower guide wheel mounting bolts are loose, but they are stuck about 1/2 out & will not budge. I think the guide wheel shifting could be the trouble.
I am going to clean off everything & take a long look at everything. Hopefully it will be something obvious. I have thrown the left track, but never had any trouble out of the right.

& rain is forcast for wed/thru.....i better hurry & get waht i want done

RD

EddieWalker · Oct 6, 2008

Are the tracks tightening up when you add the grease? Mine got to a point where they wouldn't tighten up at all and I had to rebuild the cylinders. Each of them have a plate over them that I had to cut off with a torch, which really adds to the fun of a pain in the but job anyway, but it was the only way. The actual cylinders were not that bad to rebuild, espeically compared to some of the bigger ones, but getting to it was the nightmare.

That solved allot of problems for me and my tracks.

Good luck,
Eddie

MotorSeven · Oct 6, 2008

Yes it's tiightening & holding(marked & checked it). It will be a few days before i can get to it. In the mean time i am digging away with the DK40...a little slower but i can get down to the gumbo. The plus is i can move a big bucket of dirt wherever i want once i scoop it up.

RD

3RRL · Oct 6, 2008

Hi Rick,
Great to see you start this thread.
Adding a pond to my property is in the very near future, so I'll be particularly interested on your progress. I wish I had more clay in my area, but I'm afraid I'll have to go the liner route. Mine will be for aesthetic value and to attract wildlife for viewing. It's interesting that you're considering farming your own prawns. I hadn't thought of that. I figured a few fish in mine is all, but after reading your thread, I could make it a small food source like you are doing.
Great idea.

meadowlarkponds · Oct 7, 2008

A couple of comments. I have a Case 450C and have built a few ponds. I had to replace the idler on both sides of mine and haven't had any problems since...my mechanic said they usually never wear out but running the dozer with the tracks too tight can cause excessive wear...may not apply in your case.

Other comment is be very sure that you pack in at least two feet of good clay over any/all bedrock areas....otherwise a leak is very probable. Good luck. I love building my own ponds and especially love raising fish in them for everyone to enjoy.

MotorSeven · Oct 7, 2008

Thanks for the info. I found the problem, my idler wheel is cocked to the outside. It looks like i have a broken tensioner spring on that side. I will be pressure washing it all & tearing into it in a few days.

I do have one dilema i need to solve, this pasture is subject to flood. No flood this year, one the year before, 2 the year before then...etcetc & a wicked monster flood in '93. The pond area has been under 2-4' of water during "normal" floods . So, the plan is to dike the entire pond & install a large culvert at the end where the flood comes in from. A "V" shaped dike, culvert at the apex of the "V", a steel sliding door on the culvert that i can shut prior to a flood. Rip rap on the leading edge of the "V" to help keep the soil from washing away along with some good deep rooting grass. What do y'all think?

Meanwhile i made some progress with the tractor, & here are a few pics:

I "ringed" the futue edge of the pong with dirt...

Drainage/in-flow end of pond