[TowerTalk] Updated: How to dig tower base hole

[Kent Olsen]

I broke a backhoe while digging mine in sand stone. Got to the last foot.
Had to finish with an electric jack hammer. My teeth are still rattling.

73
Kent
NC6B

Thanks
73
Kent
NC6B

On Tue, Sep 13, 2016 at 9:35 AM, Jim Thomson <jim.thom at telus.net> wrote:

> Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 05:48:46 -0400
> From: Mike <w2gr at aol.com>
> To: John Simmons <jasimmons at pinewooddata.com>, Tower Talk
> <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Updated: How to dig tower base hole
> effortlessly
>
>
> That would work if you wanted to install your tower and base on a beach.
> Mike W2GR?
>
> ##  Actually, Erwin Rommel / aka  desert fox, used the high pressure water
> technique to dig all the holes on the beaches of Normandy etc.   Then in
> went
> all the tall steel poles / tubes, and various other tank trap devices.
>
> ##  for most run of the mill clay / normal  soil conditions, a back hoe
> works just fine.
> Having said that, at a previous qth back in 1984, the back hoe operator
> busted his
> real small back hoe clean in half, sheared the  rectangular tubing frame
> in half.   The hole
> was 6 ft square, and 6 ft deep.  Clay down to the 5 ft level, then this
> rock hard blue clay.
> Back hoe would not put a dent on the blue clay.   He even put the scoop on
> the back end,
> face down into the ground, otherwise the back hoe at the front end, when
> pushed into the
> blue clay, would lift the front wheels  right off the ground.   Didnt
> work,  snapped the frame
> in half.   So had to  dig the last 1 ft by hand, what a pita.  Soaked the
> bottom with water, then
> could shovel the muck into a bucket. Then more water, then repeat the
> process, etc.
>
> ##  Gong show trying to get the broken back hoe out of my back yard....all
> held together
> with Giant C Clamps etc.  As is, it barely squeaked through my wide gate.
>
> Jim   VE7RF
>
>
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