Finally getting close to time to dig ponds. I basically just need to cut them for fill dirt for privacy berms. The berms will be approx 20ft wide and 6ft tall and about 2000 linear feet of them plus some other shaping work. Need to move soil approx 500-1200ft.
There will be probably 2 ponds just to reduce the cycle times but that is subject to change or accept advice. I don't care how deep they are, I just don't want 2 acres of pond that is 3ft deep.
I have:
Cat D7E, power shift, solid machine with new cut edge on blade no remotes but I think fab that up.
Case 1170, 130hp tractor, have duals for it, 2 rear remotes.
Cat 225 excavator, a few bucket sizes.
I am not above buying anything but im on a budget on this work. I know some have mentioned before about the use of a pull pad behind the dozer. i think the Case might be a little light? There is always the excavator with haul trucks but that seems very inefficient due to the travel distance. Some have also mentioned just pushing the dirt wtih the dozer. That also seems slow and inefficient? Not even sure how much soil it will move for rough calculations.
I have looked at motor scrapers, specifically elevating due to the auto loading, but I know they are harder to keep running. We see a LOT of open bowls on ag tractors here in our loamy soils. We have sandy to clayey loam soils, no rock and such to deal with.
My plan, subject to review, was to push off the topsoil on the pond sites with the dozer and probably push directly to some of the closer areas, right next to where the berms will go, so I can use the dozer later to push this material back over the berms. I may want to use a scraper for the further sites.
Then get into the subsoil and start the process of making long and tall strips of soil where I want them. I figured I would keep them mostly level or whatev and use the dozer to do some shaping on them, followed by a lighter dozer with a 6 way.
Throw me your thoughts of how you might get this job done wtih 1-2 guys, limited budget, but not wanting to take 500hrs to complete the job. I know you guys will have some good ideas.
There will be probably 2 ponds just to reduce the cycle times but that is subject to change or accept advice. I don't care how deep they are, I just don't want 2 acres of pond that is 3ft deep.
I have:
Cat D7E, power shift, solid machine with new cut edge on blade no remotes but I think fab that up.
Case 1170, 130hp tractor, have duals for it, 2 rear remotes.
Cat 225 excavator, a few bucket sizes.
I am not above buying anything but im on a budget on this work. I know some have mentioned before about the use of a pull pad behind the dozer. i think the Case might be a little light? There is always the excavator with haul trucks but that seems very inefficient due to the travel distance. Some have also mentioned just pushing the dirt wtih the dozer. That also seems slow and inefficient? Not even sure how much soil it will move for rough calculations.
I have looked at motor scrapers, specifically elevating due to the auto loading, but I know they are harder to keep running. We see a LOT of open bowls on ag tractors here in our loamy soils. We have sandy to clayey loam soils, no rock and such to deal with.
My plan, subject to review, was to push off the topsoil on the pond sites with the dozer and probably push directly to some of the closer areas, right next to where the berms will go, so I can use the dozer later to push this material back over the berms. I may want to use a scraper for the further sites.
Then get into the subsoil and start the process of making long and tall strips of soil where I want them. I figured I would keep them mostly level or whatev and use the dozer to do some shaping on them, followed by a lighter dozer with a 6 way.
Throw me your thoughts of how you might get this job done wtih 1-2 guys, limited budget, but not wanting to take 500hrs to complete the job. I know you guys will have some good ideas.
