Excavation curiosity

[beenthere]

Start slow and at the point you marked. Decide if you want to stay on the edge and go the full 6' down before backing up to take the next bite. That should keep you "on the level".
Or if you want take less than the full depth and back up the full width, but know this will entail getting on the slope with the excavator to take the next course off.
You will need to access the risk of the edge holding the excavator, and not crumbling down and thus not supporting the weight of the excavator. Rolling the ex isn't something you want on your "to do" list.

Once you get started, you will likely figure out the method that works best for you and hope you enjoy the seat time. It looks like fun. Not sure if the excavator will be large enough to empty into a dump truck, but may a dump trailer.

A pic of the area to be landscaped would help a lot. And some info about the soil you are going to dig up as well.

 

[captaincrab55]

Start slow and at the point you marked. Decide if you want to stay on the edge and go the full 6' down before backing up to take the next bite. That should keep you "on the level".
Or if you want take less than the full depth and back up the full width, but know this will entail getting on the slope with the excavator to take the next course off.
You will need to access the risk of the edge holding the excavator, and not crumbling down and thus not supporting the weight of the excavator. Rolling the ex isn't something you want on your "to do" list.

Once you get started, you will likely figure out the method that works best for you and hope you enjoy the seat time. It looks like fun. Not sure if the excavator will be large enough to empty into a dump truck, but may a dump trailer.

A pic of the area to be landscaped would help a lot. And some info about the soil you are going to dig up as well.

beenthere, Good Advice.... One needs to get rid of the spoil sooner than latter... One should dig a shelf till they get to Grade as beenthere touched on...

Do you have an Instrument (not musical / lol) to aid in obtaining Grade ????

 

[Craig Clayton]

I dug up part of my driveway 2 years ago to loose some stone rubble in the bottom of it. I used a 6' 6" BH on a Kubota of which I own the whole lot. I trenched 40' in length by 5' wide at 3' in depth. The gravel was piled 18" deep on oneside of the drive and the subsoil was kept in the pit so as not to spoil the gravel or lawn. The stone rubble was moved by being pulled and dumped in the pit, the subsoil was moved from one side of the pit to the other side . I did not want the subsoil out as it would have been as mess.
The hardest part was putting the gravel back in the hole with a BH. It was very easy to dig it out. You need to get a bucket load and put it straight in a dump trailer/or thing to haul it to the new location, handle it only once.
Craig Clayton

 

[Craig Clayton]

I went to do some dishes left in the sink, it helps with domestic bliss, started doing some mental math. Wiped my hands off,and picked up the plastic brain.
A triangle area 1/2 base x height
24 div 2 =12
12x6x200 = 14400
14400 div 27= 533.3 yd.
15,000 was stated correct before.
Assume 2.5 cu ft bucket
14400 div 2.5 = 5760 scoops.

You could be there for awhile.
I only dug up 600 cu ft or 22 cu yds.
Craig Clayton

 

[HiTechTed]

First let me thank you guys for your input, I appreciate the tips and welcome any more that you have. I realize my situation isn't ideal but it's kind of what I have to work with. Thankfully it's not a critical job and I don't have to be perfect!

The soil is fairly sandy, with no clay or any rocks to speak of. When I get a chance to go back there I'll take a picture or two of what I'm talking about.

Captain asked if I had any way of measuring the grade...I currently don't but it will probably be 3 months before I can do anything due to the weather, so between now and then I'll try to come up with a solution. Right now I'm just planning projects, trying to get myself lined up for things to come.