[TowerTalk] DIGGING A HOLE WITH A BACKHOE

[K0DAN]

FWIW When I put up my TriEx LM470 I did estimates for backhoe + framing 
versus hiring a well digger & auger. Ended up the auger was less costly and 
less labor/material to build forms and less requirements for backfill and 
soil compression.

The driller used a 4' auger and went down about 9-10'. Yes, the auger 
scattered dirt everywhere, had to get a Bobcat in to gather it up and spread 
it into a berm & swale so water would drain away from the tower base.

I used the factory base & rebar cage, built a rectangular from at & above 
ground level. I computed the volume of the hole and ordered concrete 
accordingly from a Redimix company (the concrete BARELY came to the top of 
the forms (whew)!

The base somewhat exceeds the tower specs, but that's fine by me. Soil is 
about 6-10" of black dirt on top of clay. Can't remember the costs (this was 
back in '99) but while not cheap, costs were not out of line and I ended up 
with a LOT easier job than had I hired a backhoe and built forms.

As always YMMV. GL with your projects.

73

Dan
K0DAN

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jack Brindle" <jackbrindle at me.com>
To: "STEVE LANE" <steve.lane at dishmail.net>
Cc: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 11:49 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] DIGGING A HOLE WITH A BACKHOE


> What kind of quotes are you getting?
>
> This has been a very enlightening (and encouraging) discussion! Perhaps 
> this is the year my Rohn 25 moves from the garage to the back yard and 
> goes vertical...
>
> Jack Brindle, W6FB
>
> On May 6, 2011, at 9:21 PM, STEVE LANE wrote:
>
>> That's why I mentioned it. I have been pricing the rental equipment in my
>> area and think I can do it pretty cheap.
>>
>> On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 8:44 PM, Wes Attaway (N5WA) 
>> <wesattaway at bellsouth.net
>>> wrote:
>>
>>> Well, you will get a 36" diameter hole.  It should be pretty accurate. 
>>> You
>>> will have to spread all the dirt somewhere.
>>>
>>> ------------------- Wes Attaway (N5WA) ------------------
>>> 1138 Waters Edge Circle, Shreveport, LA 71106
>>>   318-797-4972 (Office) - 318-393-3289 (Cell)
>>>       Computer Consulting and Forensics
>>> -------------- EnCase Certified Examiner ---------------
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
>>> [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of STEVE LANE
>>> Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 10:16 PM
>>> To: towertalk at contesting.com
>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] DIGGING A HOLE WITH A BACKHOE
>>>
>>> What about using an auger? I am getting ready to put up my w51 and have
>>> been
>>> thinking about using a 36 inch auger to bore a hole 5-6 feet deep.
>>>
>>> Steve K9SL
>>> \
>>>
>>> On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 5:37 PM, Al Williams <alwilliams at olywa.net> 
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Dick Green WC1M" <wc1m73 at gmail.com>
>>>>
>>>> SNIP
>>>>> As many have noted, it's hard to dig a perfect hole with a backhoe or
>>>>> excavator. The hole always ends up larger than intended, especially
>>> after
>>>>> you get in and square it up with a shovel. The pier wound up closer to
>>>>> 4'x4'x6' and was more trapezoidal than rectangular (i.e., wider at the
>>>>> base.)
>>>>
>>>> 1.     Whys square the hole with a shovel? The only need might be to
>>> square
>>>> up the visible part above the hole!
>>>>
>>>> 2.    "...wider at the base."?  I only have maybe 50 hours using my 
>>>> small
>>>> BX22 backhoe but thats enough to know that the holes are always "wider 
>>>> at
>>>> the top of the hole". This is because most backholes have two arms; the
>>>> first attached to the low base of the tractor the arm then tilts up.
>>>> The second arm attaches to the end of the first arm and tilts down to 
>>>> the
>>>> ground. It is difficult to get the outer arm's bucket deep without the
>>>> inner
>>>> arm hitting the ground
>>>>
>>>> Digging a straight down hole requires a lot of coordinated tractor 
>>>> moving
>>>> toward/away from the hole while also changing both arm angles.
>>>>
>>>> 3.    Readers contemplating having a deep, straight sided hole dug 
>>>> should
>>>> find a contractor with a backhoe that has a telescoping/sliding arm
>>> mounted
>>>> on the second (outer arm). This telescoping arm can dig straight 
>>>> vertical
>>>> holes 8 or more feet deep.
>>>>
>>>> k7puc
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk