Mows4three 826 #1 Posted December 11, 2018 Our area of Pennsylvania is 27" ahead of the average annual rainfall. This has raised the water table and caused major flooding. In our town, two homes suffered collaped basement walls when the water column pressure built up on the outside concrete block wall, buckling the mortar joints inward and cascading mud and water into their homes. Behind our house, the subsoil on the sloped hillside became saturated and every time it rained this summer water would sheet down the hill and inundate our backyard. At times we had a full 3" of water streaming around our garage and running over our driveway. I took a round shovel and began ditching drain gutters in our orchard to divert water around the garage and driveway. Digging a full scale diversionary system would have meant bringing in a small rubber tracked excavator. Even the smallest excavator I could rent would have required removing at least one row of heirloom apple trees that I planted when we moved into our home 20 years ago. The solution was to come up with a scaled down trenching solution using the tools I already have - a White GT1855 tractor equipped with a 3-point hitch and a welder. The end product is a guttering tool that I can attach to my tractor and use to plow or scrape a channel behind it. I can use it between the rows of apple trees and under the existing branches. The first pass will remove between 2-3" of turf and soil. Multiple passes will remove more soil. The top layer of turf can be used replace turf in other areas of our yard where the rains this year ruined the grass. i am in the process of laying out my grade elevations with a builders level on 5' intervals so I know how deep to gutter the soil as I traverse through the orchard and around the garage. I'll let you know how it goes. Cheers! Dave This is the "Silver Spade." An homage to the dragline that worked the hills of Ohio for coal years ago. 3 10 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,493 #2 Posted December 11, 2018 Excellent idea! Regarding the actual gutters... 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Razorback 1,035 #3 Posted December 12, 2018 Sorry for your troubles, Dave.... but that is a nice tool you made! 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elcamino/wheelhorse 9,296 #4 Posted December 12, 2018 I would like to see more pictures , how did you bend or shape the spade ? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #5 Posted December 12, 2018 Agree with all the above. Nice job and would love to see it at work.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mows4three 826 #6 Posted December 12, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said: shape Ok, here's the rest of the back story... I recently bought a 6' category 0, 3-point back blade for the White GT1855 I got this summer from a buddy. The intent was to cant the blade lower on the right side (facing the tractor from the back) and use it to clean out the side of the road drainage ditches at my camp and at our farm. The left side of the blade would basically hang in the air and just be along for the ride. To lessen the weight of the entire blade (after all it is only a cat 0 hitch), I cut off 16" of the left side, square to the top and bottom of the blade. One night I was trying to figure out how to solve my problem with the backyard drainage. I have a Brinly turning plow that could do the job, but the sides of the gutter would still require profiling by hand and the turned soil would be broken up by the action of the turning plow, making cleanup a PITA. I started to think about making something similar to a round tipped shovel towed behind a tractor like an old fashioned horse drawn plow. That's when I remembered the section of the back blade that I had cut off. The curved shape was already in the blade and it was 1/4" thick so it could withstand the torque, shearing and frictional forces that I am sure it will be subjected to. Once I got the tool built, I decided to also go the extra mile by purchasing some Blue Demon 7000 hard facing electrodes. I already applied a bead to the leading edge of the shovel point, but I'll probably put down two more beads on the underside of the cutting edge for good measure before I grind the whole edge to a shallow profile. The shortened back blade will someday have some 14" deep x 12" high x 1/4" thick ends welded to it, turning it into a box blade. I'll reinforce the leading edge of the ends by tying them together and into the main hitch members with a piece of 2" x 2" square tubing. I added some additional photos for you guys below. You can see in one of the photos that I had planned to use four pieces of 3" x 12" x 1/4" plate to secure the blade to the carrier arms. I changed my mind and decided to use a solid 10" x 12" x 1/4" plate for the rigidity it would add and the ability to discharge soil in one ribbon out the back of the spade. I like the altered design better. Now, to get the Silver Spade painted and then take some action shots. It's supposed to rain for three days at the end of the week. Timing couldn't be better. Cheers! Dave Edited December 12, 2018 by Mows4three 2 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #7 Posted December 12, 2018 I do believe it's time to get serious... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mows4three 826 #8 Posted December 12, 2018 You bet it is. It's SHOW TIME! Cheers! Dave 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ohiofarmer 3,265 #9 Posted December 12, 2018 Great minds think alike. Here is a little known attachment for the venerable Bobcat skid steer loader. It can be pushed or pulled in forward or reverse to dig like crazy. Very close in design concept to your machine. My compliments to you! https://www.bobcat.com/attachments/digger/features 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mows4three 826 #10 Posted December 12, 2018 3 hours ago, ohiofarmer said: Great minds think alike. Here is a little known attachment for the venerable Bobcat skid steer loader. It can be pushed or pulled in forward or reverse to dig like crazy. Very close in design concept to your machine. My compliments to you! Ohiofarmer: Very close? Dang it! I'd say someone was looking over my shoulder. I need a patent attorney.....! LOL...! Thanks for forwarding. As soon as I get the inside and outside weights and chains mounted on the White GT1855, I'll nose the Silver Spade into the dirt. Keep tuned in for further developments. Thanks again! Cheers, Dave 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ohiofarmer 3,265 #11 Posted December 12, 2018 (edited) Until you get it in the ground, i found this video... You could scoop shallow to remove the sod and topsoil, pile it neatly on one side of the trench, and then dig the trench for drain or septic linesand pile the subsoil on the other side. Then backfill and cap off the trench with the topsoil. Pretty outstanding Edited December 12, 2018 by ohiofarmer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 16,985 #12 Posted December 12, 2018 Nice work building that tool !!! Should make for some quick work of it. If you haven't already, running a thick weld bead on the front digging edge will leave a much harder surface so it doesn't wear down near as fast. Then add a new bead when it does wear. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mows4three 826 #13 Posted December 12, 2018 4 hours ago, ohiofarmer said: You could scoop shallow to remove the sod and topsoil, pile it neatly on one side of the trench, and then dig the trench for drain or septic linesand pile the subsoil on the other side. Then backfill and cap off the trench with the topsoil. That's exactly how I envisioned it could work, only on a much smaller scale. I'm warming up the paint now so I can brush it on later tonight when I get home. Cheers! Dave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mows4three 826 #14 Posted December 12, 2018 4 hours ago, wallfish said: If you haven't already, running a thick weld bead on the front digging edge will leave a much harder surface so it doesn't wear down near as fast. Then add a new bead when it does wear. Hey there Wallfish, I already have applied one bead of hard face rod on the leading edge. I'm going to back up that bead with two more beads run on the bottom of the spade behind the leading edge and then grind a shallow and steep knife edge profile to help keep the base material from wearing too quickly. We only have, at a maximum, 400' of gutters to cut. Our back yard is 100' x 200' and I'll just be taking 3-4" on each approach. Less if I break traction. Will see see if I can get some footage on video. Guarantee there will be some still shots. Thanks! Dave 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mows4three 826 #15 Posted December 19, 2018 (edited) Hello and good afternoon. Let me set the stage. The ground is saturated. Today was only the second day in a row in which it hasn't rained in who knows how long. I have 30 year old tires with no chains or wheel weights on the White GT. Yes, I weigh ALMOST as much as EB in Maine, but this rig still lacks traction. I'm also still trying to fine tune the angle of ground engagement and I'll need to sharpen the side walls on the spade to reduce drag and get a cleaner cut on the sod. All-in-all I think I got close to the mark on proof of concept for this guttering tool. Cheers and enjoy the photos and the video. My son added the music for the Hollywood effect. Dave IMG_4824.mov Edited December 19, 2018 by Mows4three 1 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 16,985 #16 Posted December 19, 2018 Your son's a comedian, that's funny!!! You're right, proof of concept is achieved. Nice job! Add some traction with weight, chains or Ag tires and you'll be in business. Maybe add something to fold it out of the trench like a moldboard does? or a S shaped chute to set it along side? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mows4three 826 #17 Posted December 19, 2018 4 minutes ago, wallfish said: Maybe add something to fold it out of the trench like a moldboard does? or a S shaped chute to set it along side? Wallfish: I have been thinking that it might be easier for my purposes to just lay the cut sod back down in the gutter, then I could cut it with a shovel to manageable lengths and lift the sod with a fork on to a trailer. By keeping the sod in the gutter I felt it might better contain the mess. I have a Brinley plow that could do exactly what you're suggesting, but hey, where would the fun be in reinventing that wheel, right? Anyway, thanks for your comments! You are spot on, my son is a card! Merry Christmas! Dave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
