Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site On Lassig Pond

Looks like good progress for 4.5 hours. I like the slide shows!

Nice looking project. I have one going also. How do you construct the tire pyramids? PVC trees? I am at the point that I need to start placing structure/cover at the 4-6' depths. I am eager to see how it turns out with all the careful planning.

Try this thread http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92463#Post92463

Rain 3 hours yesterday afternoon (1+"), 3 hours this morning (6/10ths), and 8/10 ths of an inch this afternoon in 15 minutes so no progress today. He did bring the trackhoe over yesterday. So now there are two pieces of equipment and too wet to use them. Nerve racking sitting here and no progress being made. I hope the rain goes away and we can get some work done

Got almost a complete day in yesterday even with all the rain we got on Monday. Pictures of day 2 progress are at http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll243/lassig/pond/day2/?albumview=slideshow

Lots of rain predicded for today, I hope it holds off until late this afternoon. Clear skys around here right now

What a great feeling, ain't it Lassig? Looks great!

Thanks its getting there, right now I sore from cutting up the logs in the picture to make lumber from. Got to run back out there and finish up before the dirt guy shows up. I ran out of daylight last night and didn't get them all done. Could be because the sprocket on the end of the chainsaw bar wore out. I don't understand why it is only 21 years old. Figured it would last longer than that (JK)

Looking good. It's amazing what a couple pieces of heavy equipment can do. I like the shot of the fire at night.

My dirt guy showed up with his son yesterday so 2 guys working on it. They where able to work until 2 PM when the sky’s opened up and rained 2.5” in 45 minutes. Just talked to the dirt guy and most likely no work will be done on the pond till Friday afternoon or Saturday. The ground is really wet and just to hard to work. Pictures from day 3 are at http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll243/lassig/pond/day3/?albumview=slideshow

It's looking good.

What are you going to do with the large logs?

In some of the photos it appears as though there is some kind of crop planted, what is that?

The large logs are going to be turned into lumber. I have a guy coming next Friday and Saturday to cut them up. Most of the wood is Oak and Walnut, but there is other mix wood in there. I am going to dry the wood on site and use the mix wood to build the base of the drying stack and the stickers that go between the stacks. There are more logs out there that I need to cut up and stack but it is sooooo wet I cannot get out there yet, maybe tomorrow.

Yes there is a crop planted, it is soybeans. Some of the crop is going to be damage but I worked that our with the farmer that rents my place

lassig - How are you drying the logs? Do you have a kiln or do you plan to air dry them? I tried air drying some sawn white and red oak a few years back and it shrunk and twisted so bad I could not even use it.

Bing

What are stickers?

Dave,
They are the pieces of wood, placed perpendicular, used to divide the stacks to keep, as much as possible, the stacked wood from warping.

We use them to keep the wood off of the ground and to focus the load to selected bearing points.

You probably know them by a different name.

Thanks for the pictures looks like you are having fun.

The fires look like they burned up pretty well.

Thanks Rad. I have never tried to dry lumber. I know zero about it.

Sorry for not responding sooner, I stuck my tractor moving logs around. I know my dirt guy said it was to wet to work I just couldn't listen. He came over this morning and pulled me out with the trackhoe. Still too wet and no work will be done today. Hopefully tomorrow we will get some work done. Isn't August suppose to be dry? 5+" since Sunday, atleast the fall food plots I planted last weekend sure are wet.

If you want to get into the details of drying lumber check out this publication Title: Air drying of lumber.: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/products/publications/specific_pub.php?posting_id=16923

Also, Fine woodworking has done a couple of articles on how to do this. You can sign up for a free 14 day trail subscription to thier website and then download these articles.

Bing,

Air dry on site. Yes I am afraid of that happening to me after I go through all of this work. Did you cover the stack with a top? I plan on sealing the ends to prevent checking and wraping the pile in what is called shade-dri. It is a material that allows wind to penetrate but stops the sun and rain.

Well finally a full day of work was done yesterday, The first since last Wednesday. A lot of dirt was moved yesterday but progress is still slow in coming.

Here are the pictures

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll243/lassig/pond/day4/?albumview=slideshow

The sawyer comes today to start cutting up the logs. Plus there is one guy here pushing dirt. The down side is that track hoe is being moved out today to dig a basement and rain is in the forecast for tomorrow afternoon - Friday. Getting close to closing in the pond and don't want to do tihs with the rain in the forecast.

Can you quickly review the dimensions and depths of the project? That draw is cavernous! As I see it, it appears that the draw will be one heckuva deep hole with the surrounding areas being cleared at a shallower perimeter. What I can't visualize is the dam area, but assume it to be further down the draw.

Thanks for the link Lassig.

Like a lot of other people, I've thought of it but buying a sawmill(er) just isn't justified for my post oak.

Pretty much it. The rought layout of the pond is at the beginning of this thread. I show the north shore as a straight east and west line and it is really SW to NE. The deep draw you see is really deep 40 to 50 feet deep. Today we filled a lot of it in. We are going to keep this area 20 - 30 foot deep. A winter and low water refuge for the fish. We will move the dirt from the east and south ends yet to make the rest of the damm. There is still some brush clearing/tree removal to be done on the north side of the pond but I am trying to keep as many trees as possible there. In this picture I am standing at the south end of the damm facing north



This is another picture where I am standing back a ways from the area but I am facing towards the damm area. It is right where the woods start.



There is a little more brush clearing to be done but that will have to wait some my dirt guy had to big a basement with it today and most likely tomorrow, long story.

A lot of work was done today on both the cutting of lumber and moving dirt. Only one bull dozer working today but he got a lot of dirt moved. We got though about 35 to 40% of the pile of Oak and Walnut. Just to add 5 more logs to it tonight from an oak and walnut removed today. The pictures from today are here; http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll243/lassig/pond/day5/?albumview=slideshow

I understand the cutting lumber is not for everyone but I have a lot of great red oak and walnut and at $0.25 board feet for cutting them I had to try this.

If we can get a lake project off the ground this winter there will be some lumber to cut. Trying to get a pro to cut on the halves. It would be nice to build a cabin out of the wood from the site. It would make a good story for the grandkids.

Thanks for the pictures

From your earlier posts I can tell you are familiar with sawing logs for lumber. I just want to emphasize how important it is to build a level and supported stack for air drying. Good, even dimensioned stickers are important too. Cover the stack and weigh it down to keep everything as flat as possible. Walnut is a fairly easy material to dry. It remains stable and is a delight to work in the shop if only air dried. Oak is a little more difficult. I've cut and dried lots of both. Walnut is my favorite.

R.

I build two platforms that are good and level as shown in the pictures. The problem is that I have more logs to cut up so I will end up with three stacks. Not only will I be adding weight to the top but I plan on putting a rain proof cover and use Shade-dri coth on the sides. I have all ready painted the ends of the logs with anchorseal.