Pond dreaming is over

irwin · Jun 21, 2007

Hi Phil great project, I past this thread over many times before reading it through, thanks for sharing it with us..

Would be interested in how you'll put a hitch ball on the taylor way 766. Seen here is mine, it looks a lot bigger on my little jd than it does on your MF1260...

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EddieWalker · Jun 21, 2007

Phil,

Water temps here can be in the 80's for most of the summer. It's cooler then the mid 90's to low hundreds, but also good for growing alge.

Eddie

philbuilt · Jun 22, 2007

Irwin,
Thank you!
How do you like that taylor-way? I find mine to be strong for it's size. Are you using the 3-pt setup or do you have a sub frame?

Eddie,
That is some warm water. Do you swim in that? My girls won't go in the pond because they say it to dirty for them. I find it very nice on the hot days. The bottom has silty type mud with no weeds so it feel nice to walk in.
Phil

irwin · Jun 22, 2007

philbuilt said:
Irwin,
Thank you!
How do you like that taylor-way? I find mine to be strong for it's size. Are you using the 3-pt setup or do you have a sub frame?

Like it !! YES ! very strong for it's size, dug some quick holes in very rocky soil. Think eastern ct and thousands of miles of stone walls, pulled some big stumps..I did have a problem with leaks. See this post..http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...s-leaking.html?highlight=relief+valve+backhoe ... all better now except I needed to get use to the touchy controls, I'm better with it, but there is always need for improvement....Years ago (early 70's) I used a Ford backhoe, either I was smoother then or the smaller hoe is less forgiving.. I just take it nice and easy and all is fine.

I welded up a 200lb subframe, not the prettiest or easiest to attach or remove, but for now (til I modify it) it keeps the forces spread out from drawbar mount to FEL mounts and have no concerns about normal uses damaging the tractor................................................................................

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philbuilt · Jun 23, 2007

Irwin,
Nice post on the BH. I have put abut 16 hour s on mine and only had to tighten 1 hose. Last fall when I bought the unit I built a quick sub-frame. I am currently building a new one to make it easier to change and not have to remove the 3pt arms. I have about 10 more hours to finish. But the honey-do list keep growing so no time for the sub-frame.
Phil

EddieWalker · Jun 23, 2007

Phil,

The kids and I enjoy swimming in the pond, but my wife wont. She refuses to get into any pond water for a variety of reasons, but snakes is right at the top of the list. The brown color of the water just suports her decision.

On Wednesday, my 6 year old talked me into going swimming with him. It was in the mid 90's outside with high humidity and I'd just put in a few fence posts. I was wringing wet with sweat from the heat and high humidty.

We were in the water for about half an hour and I actually got a chil. I'd cooled off to the point that I was wanting to get out and warm up. hahaha Water temps are not quite in the 80's yet, but they will be in another month or so. We're just having a weird year with all the rains.

Eddie

philbuilt · Jul 7, 2007

Hi all here is an update on the happenings at the pond. Last week I found 2 dead fish and can only assume that it was temp related we were in the high 90's. The water level is now down about 10" but no more loss of fish. I have completed the tractor sub frame and install the BH

. My nephew from Tucson was here and we moved 40yds of dirt from down at the pond to upfront of the garage. I also completed the 300 hr. service.

New sub frame on the tractor.

Brandon digging

Brandon driving the tractor up to spread the dirt we hauled.

For those concerned about the folded ROPS. I put it up when on the road or mowing my hill. Most of the other work is flat land. This allows me to work around my trees.
Phil

irwin · Jul 7, 2007

Great Phil, glad ya finished another project (bh subframe) the picture doesn't show how the bh mounts to frame, but what I can see the frame looks very professional. How did ya get the bh top pin mount to connect to frame?.

BTW your post has got me thinking about a runoff area, that stays soggy for months, about 300 feet behind my barn...wonder if it would hold water if dug out..

philbuilt · Jul 7, 2007

irwn,
Thank you
I hope these pics will tell you what you would like to know.

This one has the BH frame attached to the new sub frame prior to welding it to to BH.

As you can see I design it to lift the tractor off the ground by going under the rear axle. It attaches with 3 pins. 1 top link and the 2 that you can see in the picture. Those are the 3pt pins that came with the Tayloy-way BH.

Phil

irwin · Jul 12, 2007

Very nice... I like the way the frame hooks up to the drawbar, nice touch.

philbuilt · Jul 14, 2007

Iwin,
Thanks I did that because it allows me to support and slide the Bh forward and then pin.
Phil

philbuilt · Jul 22, 2007

A few updates at the pond. I started digging again around the edges and found this wonderful spring about 3' above the pond water level. I think this will now become a smaller pond that will trickle into the pond over some flat rocks.

Irwin,
These pics are of the trailer ball that I added to the taylor-way bh.

I put one on each side. After using it I now think that I will lower them about 10" to make it have a little more clearance.

irwin · Jul 22, 2007

philbuilt said:
Irwin,
These pics are of the trailer ball that I added to the taylor-way bh.View attachment 81808
I put one on each side. After using it I now think that I will lower them about 10" to make it have a little more clearance.View attachment 81807
View attachment 81809

Phil: Thanks for posting that, like many other great ideas it goes on my list..

philbuilt · Dec 10, 2007

Hi all,
Sorry that I haven't posted as the summer and fall months were CRAzy

There have been a few changes. The little time that I had off we worked on the house. I Finnished the siding and soffet work on my garage as well.
the tractor and trailer worked well together. I believed that I relocated about 200 yds. of dirt.

I can't seem to get the pictures to post so I will have to reboot and try again.
Phil

philbuilt · Dec 10, 2007

I opened a photo bucket account per my daughters suggestion.
The first pic is looking from my back yard. I have done some digging on this end with a rental track hoe mini. The job site work was 45 min and the pond work 7 hrs . This added about 400 more sq ft. and a back line river through the woods to the other end of the pond.

Here's the mini NICE

philbuilt · Dec 10, 2007

Here is a rock that I dug out of the drive.

The Massey had to drag the rock it was too heavy to lift.

This rock will be added to the ponds edge in the spring.

EddieWalker · Dec 10, 2007

Phil,

Nice to see you're still digging!!!

What is the purpose for the line through the woods? It looks like a great place to build a bridge!!!

Eddie

Tororider · Dec 11, 2007

Wow, just read it first post to last. Great project. We are hoping to have a pond dug for us by professionals this winter, having a guy come out to give us a quote soon. Love the fish, why did you decide trout instead of bass? Just curious? Looks great, keep up the good work.

philbuilt · Dec 11, 2007

Eddie,
The water way through the woods is to create an alternate and scenic path with the paddle boat. The Pond is small and can be quite boring for the kids. I also hope to capture water from the far back corner of the wood that drains away. We will be having 2 bridges one will cross this path and the other will be much larger out to the island.

Tororider,
Thank you! The state of Maine will only allow stocking of trout. Bass would have been my first choice. Well the fish did not fare so well

. Towards the end of the summer months we had another visitor a large blue heron

. He/she is a very well feed bird.

So here's the question for the group. From what I read Blue Heron will only eat and hunt alone.
So if I put a Blue heron decoy out there will it stay away?

Phil