Yesterday, I did a job for a guy, he needed four holes dug to a depth of over 40 inches. He had rented a trailer post hole digger, but due to the underground rocks (looked like gravel) and the clay, the rented tool would only dig around six inches. I had walked the neighborhood (took a few hours a day for three days), handing out flyers. He called and I told him I would give it a whirl.
The first hole took the longest and ended up having the largest opening. My BH experience is pretty limited. I have used it to remove a stump, remove some plants, and did a job helping to remove a 16'x16'ish concrete slab. Other than that, I'm pretty good at getting it on and off.
The second hole went pretty good. The third went really well, compared to the first. The last hole was the most difficult, for a couple of reasons. I was contending with a slope that didn't allow the best leverage. Another issue was the hydraulic fluid was very hot. Everything was hot. I could feel the heat emanating from the lower parts of the tractor.
I was able to get the first twenty inches with the RPM's around 2,600-2,700. For the deeper, tougher digging, i had to ramp up the RPM's to 3,000. For the last hole, to combat the bad angle, I had to bump it up to 3,200 RPM. I have read, several times, that more RPM doesn't get more power, but I wouldn't have made it past three feet, without the last few hundred RPM.
How I did the holes was to start digging to around 22-26 inches. I then moved the tractor to the other side of the hole to dig at the same angle (of the opening), but to dig the opposite side of the hole. If I stayed on one side, I found I was digging a crescent shape. Going to the other side, I was able to make it a rectangle. The deepest hole was around 42 inches deep. Several times, I had the rear of the tractor off the ground.
Overall, I was pretty impressed. I had some doubts and even told the customer I would try, but if it didn't work, I would just go home, with my tail between my legs.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures as it was evening and we were already losing light.
In the end, it took me two hours and fifteen minutes. This time was from initial breaking ground to final dirt moved. It includes all the moving the tractor and repositioning. I think I could have shaved the fifteen minutes off, if I dug the first and last hole like I did the second and third. I also could have shaved off a bit of time, with moving the tractor, but not much. A few more good backhoe jobs, and I think I could have shaved off a full thirty minutes. I don't think I'll get any more time than that shaved off, with this equipment, in theses conditions.
The dirt we have has a lot of clay in it and it hasn't rained in a week. Every day since then has been in the high 90*F's. Digging conditions were not ideal.
So, How deep have you dug with your Kubota BXxx backhoe?
The first hole took the longest and ended up having the largest opening. My BH experience is pretty limited. I have used it to remove a stump, remove some plants, and did a job helping to remove a 16'x16'ish concrete slab. Other than that, I'm pretty good at getting it on and off.
The second hole went pretty good. The third went really well, compared to the first. The last hole was the most difficult, for a couple of reasons. I was contending with a slope that didn't allow the best leverage. Another issue was the hydraulic fluid was very hot. Everything was hot. I could feel the heat emanating from the lower parts of the tractor.
I was able to get the first twenty inches with the RPM's around 2,600-2,700. For the deeper, tougher digging, i had to ramp up the RPM's to 3,000. For the last hole, to combat the bad angle, I had to bump it up to 3,200 RPM. I have read, several times, that more RPM doesn't get more power, but I wouldn't have made it past three feet, without the last few hundred RPM.
How I did the holes was to start digging to around 22-26 inches. I then moved the tractor to the other side of the hole to dig at the same angle (of the opening), but to dig the opposite side of the hole. If I stayed on one side, I found I was digging a crescent shape. Going to the other side, I was able to make it a rectangle. The deepest hole was around 42 inches deep. Several times, I had the rear of the tractor off the ground.
Overall, I was pretty impressed. I had some doubts and even told the customer I would try, but if it didn't work, I would just go home, with my tail between my legs.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures as it was evening and we were already losing light.
In the end, it took me two hours and fifteen minutes. This time was from initial breaking ground to final dirt moved. It includes all the moving the tractor and repositioning. I think I could have shaved the fifteen minutes off, if I dug the first and last hole like I did the second and third. I also could have shaved off a bit of time, with moving the tractor, but not much. A few more good backhoe jobs, and I think I could have shaved off a full thirty minutes. I don't think I'll get any more time than that shaved off, with this equipment, in theses conditions.
The dirt we have has a lot of clay in it and it hasn't rained in a week. Every day since then has been in the high 90*F's. Digging conditions were not ideal.
So, How deep have you dug with your Kubota BXxx backhoe?