Lots of comments coming in about mats. I guess that the physical stress of being grabbed, moved and carrying the weight of machines is the killer. Moisture and the wood used are just adding to the troubles. Rail ties sound good, but the weight!!! Chris knows his business, hes getting the best he can.

In my opinion this is the best channel on KZfaq. Love the variety and I can relate to most of it. I started working construction back in the 70s and I'm retiring this fall. I'll have lots of time to watch Chris work. Keep up the good work 👍

One of the few channels you can open the video, click thumbs up before you even watch because you know its going to be good.

I'd take working in the mud on this one over the Vet Clinic job any day! That one is haunts me. 🙂👍👍👍

Chris, Matt at Diesel Creek announced today you and Dirt Perfect will be joining him for a Meet and Greet at the Antique Equipment Gathering the end of May in Pennsylvania! What a great opportunity for folks to get to meet you! Looking forward to seeing what all y'all get up to at the event! Please let Everyone know the where-with-all, as they become available. Thanks!!! 👏👍💪😎

The cab cam is a great angle; we are privy to the mastery of your control inputs while witnessing the spectacular results. Thankyou.

I admire you, it's not just income, carpets, diesel, machine maintenance, etc., and then there will be something left over. Again, admiration. Just stay healthy. That's the most important thing in life.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Love how there’s no wasted moves. 👌😎

We kept our wood mats in the watering hold when not in use. wouldn't last forever but many years.

As an ex timber preservation scientist, I suggest that to extend the service life of your mats, I would wash off the mud before storage then stack them with 2" stringers to allow for ventilation and drying, then cover the top with some waterproof tin or something. Do not fully enclose the stack as humidity and moisture are the conditions for fungal growth.

this dirt reminds me of a lava flow love your pond jobs can't wait to click on them thanks for making them .

Man I thought you were a goner for a second Chris. Just pure sludge that was past the mud stage. When I saw the bucket completely disappear and you start talking to the machine it's touch and go. Really will be a beautiful site when full of water. Looking forward to the aerial view of this pond.

The soil is saturated & what's happening is called "liquefaction". Usually happens when soil is vibrated as in a earthquake, but I guess digging/moving it around would create the same process. Awesome work Chris, loving this job site.

You are working in that special stuff that is solid until it suddenly becomes quicksand. Brother & I as kids would walk sandbars in a freshwater creek and if we stomped on the sandbars our boots would almost be lost as we scrambled to climb the bank.

Anyone starting out Chris's vids should be mandatory viewing he explains how he sees it and what he is doing. LOTS of experience here that probably cost him big time when he started out!

The mud is undergoing liquefaction when it’s dropped, the silt and clay particles become supported be the water, which allows it to flow, the more it’s moved the more it flows

The speed that the water is filling up the 1st bay, it will be chasing you down to the head of the dam as you go. I think it was this 220 that worked on the the vet project and that hammered the pins greatly then. Be nice to have a drive by of that project to see how the site has changed.

I work for a company that makes a durabase hard plastic mats that you could probably get double to triple the lifespan over the wooden mates. While not indestructible they do take severe abuse on well pads other gas/oil work environments. Might be something to look into

Looking good Chris. About those mats, here in upstate NY the local power company is changing all the electrical high power structures. They bought a piece of land and hired a company to make mats for them. They run these mats along the right of ways under the structures to replace them. They use hundreds of mats. Not sure how long it will take them to do all the structures.

Yes Bob, i cant get enough of watching Chris work the ponds and moving the mud.

Yep, it's going to be another interesting gig. Looking good so far. 👍👍🙂🇨🇦

Never tire of your videos. Keep em coming!

Just when I thought Chris was done dredging this pond for a while here he is at it again. It's an never ending series us subs love. Everytime I get a notice Chris has posted a new vid It's number one on my click list. Thank God there's no such thing as Smell O Vision. I've smelled muck like that abd it's definitely a lunch upchucker.

KUDOS Chris to you taking the extra time dressing up the edges to this project to make it look nicer. it's always impressive you taking pride in what the project will look like in the end result. Probably one reason your so busy. Keep up the great work my friend.

I think the work around ponds are my favorite videos.

Hello Chris. You have become very good at explaining, even to us who are not diggers. I remember when you only played music in the videos. You have come a long way since that time. One of your funniest videos is the one where you get lost with a dozer. It made me subscribe. I think you just got 1000 subscribers at that time.

got your “ pondeye” working good cuttybones! reason that ground got sinking is your in a…wetland…and probably the creek channel that you filled. great video it’s looking awesome!

Enjoying the update videos on this project bro. Safe travels

Nice job of slicken it up, I like it. Thanks for the ride along.

Chris --thanks for the content here--endlessly entertaining .

Great video. Sorry u cannot get new mats, bummer. You really need them on projects like this. It looks amazing and shaping up nicely. God's blessings and stay safe!!!

It's really starting to take shape...I'm starting to see your vision!!

This is gonna be a fun watch. Can’t wait to see the head section fill up. Also Chris, can we get a qwik update on the last pond fill up after the rain?

Wow Chris, you can actually walk on it. This will takes weeks to finish. Great job!

All coming together Chris. It's going to look great !

16:05 you should rent a snowcat /pistenbully - yould save over 2/3 of the entire time if you had the ability to push mud to a colection point and just load truck after truck

Another good day with you Chris. Always, "the man with a plan". Your visions become reality with your talents and operating skills. Just amazing how you make it happen. Thanks for sharing with us.

Glad to see you back in your happy place,mud,mud,mud.looks like nice weather,be bad to start 2nd phase with it raining 🌧.glad to see you finally over the cold.great video,just keep doing what your brain is telling you to do.👍👍👍😎😎😎

I bet the mat manufacturer didn't expect his mats to be moved much and used as a mud sweeper/grading tool🙂. Love the channel and pat the pups.

Thanks for sharing Chris

Great channel. I enjoy the pond projects excellent work. I am curious to see how nice this one turns out.

It could nearly be called liquefaction with the patience of Job. Looks amazing - great to watch.

This is why I likes Chris's videos. Oh this is just going to be a swampy area, it doesn't need to be perfect. Then goes and makes it look perfect.

Chris is beavers nightmare while being turtles and Fish best friend.

The sounds this machine makes are super satisfying!

Hey, been watching this channel since it got recommended to me and I greatly enjoy the videos and conversations had. Keep up the great work operating heavy equipment and keep up the great work for the channel :)

Laid up in the hospital this week, but still enjoying my boy Chris changing the world 1 bucket at a time. Thank you sir for keeping me entertained while getting a tune up. 🤪😜💉🚑🤷🏼‍♂️

What is happening with the mud is a type of soil liquefaction I believe.

Yep if he’s not playing in the fire 🔥 he’s playing in the mud lol 😆

Chris good job on the mud. I’m glad you did not get stuck that would have made some great video but would have been a very big problem. It just looks better and better.

Hi from uk chris👋👍 great start to phase 2 I hope thats the most challenging bit of it over and rest goes smooth for you 👍 nearly on your way out now 👌 and yep we love liquefaction I love playing with cornflour/cornstarch for this and also ( I love the beach me ) when am on sea front and theres the bit sand thats wet but not and if keep tapping foot on that spot the sand turns to water and creats like a void area I think of ld18 playing in the mud but if anyone can liquify mud chris you are that guy👌😂💪 thanks for your time and be safe see you soon👍👋

Love your content. Before I forget, on your "Mats", since you're having to have them custom made you might want to consider having your Contractor build them with used Railroad "Switch Ties" (17 ft long) ... they treated with a creosote protection to ensure a 30-year or longer lifespan and can certainly take the stress of your Excavator. Just glad I'm not the one that would have to line bore them for the steel rods ... hard as a rock they are !!! LOL

thanks for explaining more on mats. keep it up. mats are a tools used but never explained.... Denton TX

This project was pretty sweet, lots of mudd but you and big John handled it no problem awesome video 🇺🇲💪

I just bought a used Deere 160C LC that I will primarily be using to clear some significant storm damage to trees on my farm and clear some additional land. Having never owned an excavator, it is making me even more aware than I already was how talented an operator you are! You make it look so easy and I am discovering just how much I have to learn.

My Uncle was a dragline operator for 65 years doing drainage and dirt work in southwest La.. He had cable loops on each end of his mats. He had a big hook on his drag cable to move them. His mats would last for years and years. Just sharing in case it would help you any

I'm with you Chris, in spirit at least.

Maybe that creek brought in a lot of sand and mixed with the dirt. I think that would make it so gooey.

Jones lumber in Wesson,Ms have a yard full of them and or Beasley forest products in hazelhurst,Ga j/s

Looks great Chris 🇺🇲 another job well done with a plan you are very good

Chris,does Volvo use big o-ring on there pins and bushing to keep the dirt and grime out of the pins?? if not you might try that to see how well it works

At least stage 2 wasn’t as sloppy as stage 1 ,you are doing a great job Chris love all the videos cheers mate

I was thinking the bucket was a tad sloppy in the last video on this project. Now I know why. 👍

the "weird material" is known as a non-newtonian fluid, i.e. its viscosity is not independent of stress. One such well-known fluid is mud, another one is ketchup.

Hey Chrissy do a good job man don't be so harsh on yourself I like your videos and you do a good job of doing things and explain things as well thank you so much buddy hope you had a good Easter

Do you know how they will be doing the waterfall and swimming hole? You would think they would use a liner for that part then a filtration system basically with the pondless blocks and rocks etc than the water will go into the waterfall

Given the slop you had to work with, I think it came out amazing. I love watching it take shape! :-)

Great upload once again Chris 👍🏻

Burying trees and shrubs in that bank fill ought to help hold it in place long enough to maybe dry out so it can support itself. Of course, it will readily wash back into the pond with every rain, so thick grass growing on it will help hold it a bit longer.

No FUN having to CARRY the ROAD with ya, Chris. 😳 Hope the diversion dries it out some. 🤞 Gotta do...what ya gotta do! 😉

How many yards does that bucket hold when you have it full. Amazing work, enjoy watching an have learned things to use at my job. Thanks

put 4x4's between your mats when you stack them, Air gets thru, and they last longer

Driving southbound on Louisburg Rd/401 last week and passed a heavy duty low boy with several stacked mats made out of rubber tires. Looked like they were bolted together like your wood mats? Have you used these and are they made to last longer than those made of timbers? Thought it was a good way to use old tires rather than being a breeding pond for mosquitoes.

In being in business 40 plus years clearing an excavating I always dig a key ditch around the pond then dewatering drying in the work area :: WHEN POSSIBLE :: Making it so much easier with dryer dirt. ,what you have is a mud hole ,, an you have no place to put the dirt thus making a shallow pond,, don't worry about the debris just cover over it . The more u stir it the worse it gets lol,, a long boom machine would be ideal

It's like trying to stack fresh cow patties

I can remember having a tiny buldozer (Dinky) when I was going on four and dug a massive hole in the side alley where we lived in Town. Yeah, it was actually about a foot deep and uncovered the husk of a tortoise shell me family had buried, maybe the year before. But seriouly, as a wannabe digger operator still, I think for me the fascination is that Chris put's you in the daily driving seat. I wince ecologically at some of the projects he does but realise, ultimately the land of North Carolina is in safe hands

Random technical question. Is your thumb plumbed into the aux piping or is it separate? I just wonder if you have to uncouple it to use your grading bucket.

I'd love to see pictures and video of what your work looks like around the pond a year or two from now.

In fact, engineered timber is stronger than a natural plank? I don't know whether the laminations would come apart? I imagine there will be a resin you could use, and use replaceable wood for grip?

You did fabulous at not getting stuck.

Thx god the weather is excellent now!

Looking good Chris👍👍👍👍

Wow PA has loads of mats left from the marinier 1 and 2 pipelines. There are multiple 10 acre lots with 10 thousand mats sitting within 15 miles of my house

1965 I've I worked for Raymond concrete power company And we had to have giant Mac giant mats like yours yours a little bigger though 02 to put underneath the pile driver It's awesome buddy ground in Washington DC, Thanks for the memory.🇺🇸🏗 Your channel is one of the best!!!

Glad to see you back in the mud! Head section came out pretty good. Wondering if you found your lost mat out there? Lots of mud still to be moved. Enjoyed!

Up here in Wisconsin the Power Companies have mats !! Have you checked them out ??

Going to need boots from the link you shared to get out of that mud.

I was wondering about that! I thought this was the 10 acre mudhole you had been working on!

This looks a very interesting project.

Been wondering about the bucket rattle. Glad to see you're back on the ball and feeling better. Question I have us why would they allow an area to go swampy?

Looking awesome Chris

Hey does the thought of sink holes every creep into your mind? I know they are a problem in Florida (I think it’s because of limestone base there?) is that a issue in NC? Well I wrote this first part before you ever mentioned “sink holes”😳

I guess there must be a line between this soil and quick sand, but where is that line to be drawn? Is some of this stuff in the early stage of heading over the line into a full on nightmare? I never had to wonder about stuff like that before. It feels odd for sure. Keep going Chris, looks like being a while before it's done. ;) Be well.

This job is quite large. Really interesting to watch your prep work as well. Take care & cheers🐨🦘🥰

Another wonderful video.👍

Seem's like the never ending dredge job, been following since day 1, how many acre's not including the dam, do you think you mucked mud in the dredging alone? And as alway's awesome job!👊💪

Would it be worth buying a planking mill for your chainsaw and making your own bog mats? After all you do knock a lot of trees down.

Hey, did you hear DP got a haul truck like Barney? He's still working on it, but Mrs Dirt named it for him. "BUBBA DUMPER!" 😆 🤣 😂

There is a bunch of them mats here in N.Y., they are upgrading the main power lines !!!

Great operator