Need to dig a hole. small BH or larger FEL?

[montelatici]

I need to bury a bunch of material I have cleared. Burning is not an option where I live, particularly the 30x10 foot pile I have collected. The hole would have to be about the size of the pile.

I can use the L3700SUs FEL which they say can dig to about 4 feet, which would be fine or I can use the BH on my BX24. I think it would be faster with the FEL, but I don't have much experience digging holes with an FEL (with toothbar). It is mostly clay, no rocks.

Any hints on technique with the FEL digging?

 

[DiezNutz]

If the rocks are small and you have a toothbar you will be OK. I've dug up 80-100 yards with mine, up to ~ 6' deep. The only real problem you're going to run into is if you have large rocks... this will be hard on your entire FEL. You don't want to hit one going fast, so use L, or M only with caution. You would be forever and a day trying to dig this up with your BX BH, but it will come in handy for removing the larger stones - don't try that with your FEL or you will just tear it up/wear it out quickly.

It's better to take a small slice over a large area than trying to take a big bite all at once.
Your bucket is only as level (left to right) as the ground your back tires is sitting on.
Plan ahead for where you put your spoil piles to make backfilling easier.

The rest is fairly intuitive. If you have any doubt about where the utilities are on your property, you'd better call MissUtility a couple days ahead of time.

That's funny, you're trying to bury garbage, and I'm doing just the opposite... replacing garbage that somebody buried years ago with good fill :mur:

 

[rekees4300]

FELs are designed to lift and backhoes are designed to dig. Using the proper tool for a task is always prudent.

 

[TalonDancer]

....Using the proper tool for a task is always prudent.

And the proper tool for this job is a CHIPPER

Talon Dancer

 

[DiezNutz]

And the proper tool for this job is a CHIPPER
Talon Dancer

Well, I do agree but I was merely trying to answer his question without commenting on his choice of implementation.

My local landfill is close by and takes brush, etc. free of charge, so I usually throw it all in the dump trailer as I'm clearing and cart it off. Even easier. :thumbsup:

 

[montelatici]

And the proper tool for this job is a CHIPPER

Talon Dancer

Unfortunately, this "material" also includes old fencing, some metal gates, pallets etc. If it were just brush I would probably rent a chipper.

 

[radioman]

Hmmm- got a kid around or grandkids ? put one of them to work with the BH! If one of you use BH to break up soil with BH and move it to aside, and you use the L to move dirt out off the way and help dig too. :thumbsup: more fun that way!

 

[montelatici]

Hmmm- got a kid around or grandkids ? put one of them to work with the BH! If one of you use BH to break up soil with BH and move it to aside, and you use the L to move dirt out off the way and help dig too. :thumbsup: more fun that way!

Kids are too old (20 something) and no grand kids. But you have given me an idea. Maybe the best technique might be to dig about a bucket down with the BH for the whole area of the hole then attack it with the FEL for the rest of the depth.

The manual for the FEL has digging instructions so I don't think it is so way out there to consider digging with the FEL, notwithstanding some of the comments.

 

[638]

I've buried rubble several times. This is the way I do it. Dig a long trench with the FEL four foot wide x four foot deep. Layer your trash two foot thick and then back fill by pushing in the sides and covering with one foot of earth. I like to compact by driving over each layer of back fill. Add more back fill, smooth by back dragging and compact again. Keep doing this until all of the excavated earth is on top of the trash. It will settle some over the years depending on the location of the dump and how well you compact.

 

[montelatici]

I've buried rubble several times. This is the way I do it. Dig a long trench with the FEL four foot wide x four foot deep. Layer your trash two foot thick and then back fill by pushing in the sides and covering with one foot of earth. I like to compact by driving over each layer of back fill. Add more back fill, smooth by back dragging and compact again. Keep doing this until all of the excavated earth is on top of the trash. It will settle some over the years depending on the location of the dump and how well you compact.

Well, my L3700's FEL is 5 foot wide but I get it.