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Read articles →This video follows a real drainage problem on an active homestead build: water pooling where a future pole barn floor will sit and washing out a driveway. Tony uses a laser level and a TYM T474 backhoe to plan and dig an 80-foot drainage ditch with engineered grade, explaining the logic as he goes. Best for homesteaders tackling similar grading challenges who want to see the laser-level planning process alongside actual backhoe work.
An owner-operator documenting ongoing homestead development, so the perspective is hands-on and practical rather than sales-oriented.
Tony sets the laser level at the lowest point, four foot eleven inches, then measures grade at each section, dropping about one foot every twenty feet to the final drain point.
Tony says it makes sense for frequent small projects since renting adds up over time and you avoid worrying about availability, letting you dig right away.
The ditch dropped roughly eighteen inches over eighty feet, using the laser level to confirm grade from the high corner to the final drain point.
