Help! PHD won't go the distance

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

Well, I have to admit a few mistakes. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gifWhen I got home today and looked at the Auger tip, there was a 4 ft long 1/4 inch steel rod wrapped around the auger. 4 or 5 times around the bit, and all the way up the flights. It was my original corner marker that got flattened into the fill as I box bladed the area flat /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Great, I thought, that could be why I wasn't getting any bite. I unwound it and went back to the scene of the crime.

Before I began to dig again, I jabbed the pinch bar into the holes to see if I was hitting anything large and solid. I wasn't, just the usual tought rocky gravel, but it would give as I continued to jab at it. Maybe I would get these holes dug after all /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Well, after firing up the trusty 'bota, lowering the auger into the hole, and engaging the PTO - nada /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. It just kept bouncing the rocks around in the hole like a frozen dirt margarita in a weak blender /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now I am resigned to using the backhoe, but not until I at least get 2.5 feet of each hole dug in fairly neatly. Well - here's the emabarrasing part - after a few holes, I looked at the PHD frame, and I noticed that it was at the limit of its travel /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. The lift arms would drop no further, even though the auger had at least another foot left.

Now, I believe any first-timer should be forgiven for this oversight, but I planned on this! Several months ago, I purchased the steel tube stock to make an extension, and on Monday of this week, I went to a friend's house to use his drill press and drill the bolt holes in the correct pattern. We spent nearly 2 hours monkeying around with it, since we didn't have the correct vice/clamp setup to hold it in place. But we finally got it finished. You see, I prepared for this, and I still didn't realize when it happened. Shame, shame, shame.

So now I figured out what I needed to do. I started to get the extension hooked up, and I realized that I didn't have enought 1/2 inch x 3.5 inch bolts /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Down to TSC! By this time, I made up my mind to call off the pole-raising and focus tomorrow morning on the holes. It will take a lot of time to place the auger in a hole, attach it to the extension, dig the extra 1.5 feet, detach the auger, move to the next hole, and repeat. Maybe I'll have the holes done by noon if I start at 8 tomorrow, maybe not.

Anyway that is my tale. I am still not 100% sure that I will be able to get the holes dug. but since tomorrow is now officially "hole day" instead of "pole day", I don't feel so much stress, and I will have plenty of time to dig with the backhoe if that is how it ends up. I will keep you all posted on the outcome. Pics also as the barn progresses. Thanks for the support, I am certain that I will encounter many more "oversights" as I progress through this process, even though I have tried to anticipate as many of them as I could. without the advice of those at this site, I would still try these things, but I'd have many more monuments to my stupidity for others to marvel at /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

Okay, I have all of the holes dug, and 4 of the poles up! But not without some further frustration. After using the 18" extension we built, and managing to get the holes down to the correct depth, I realized that the angle the auger moves to if the tractor remains in place is exaggerated by the extension. Consequently, while the tops of my holes were in the right spot, the bottoms (and most important location) on some of them were not. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Oh well, lets fill in a few few holes and start over with the auger, gently moving the tractor forward as I drive deeper in the ground, keeping the angle at 90 degrees. So far, so good. Now I'm nearly to the bottom of my 1st "redug" hole, and the tractor nearly stalls, so I rev it up. The hole is churning rocks madly, and, as I raise the hitch I hear a loud "chang" sound. The sleeve I am using to connect the extension to the auger shears off at the bolt hole. Now I have an auger deeply imbedded in the hole, too deep to connect to the PHD drive head, and sheared and twisted tubing in BOTH the auger and the extension shafts. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif (exit stage left)

(time passes, enter stage right with PHD off, backhoe on)
So now I have the backhoe on, and I dig the holes right where they are supposed to be, and everything is fine. Unless you consider that I now have mounds of gravel everywhere scattered around the worksite. No matter, the holes are done (4PM Sunday) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

LETS GET AT LEAST ONE OF THESE DARN POLES IN THE GROUND!

Before dark we had one corner - 3 posts - standing, plumb and braced. Finally, its starting to look like a building site, rather than a gravel pit.

Monday night, after relocating a pile of lumber that ended up in the way of some bracing stakes, I got a fourth pole in the ground. We are well on our way. One, maybe 2 poles per night, as long as some unsuspecting soul drops over each evening /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Next Saturday I have another crew coming over for the final 4-8 poles (depending on how the evenings go) and the girder/skirting. Then I can backfill, whooha! So far, I am only 3 days behind schedule. Not bad for a first-timer with a goal to have it roofed and sided by 1st snow.

I have some pictures of the progress, which I will post tonight after dark.

 

[Spencer]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

Paul, thanks for sharing your experiences so far. I am looking forward to your pictures.

Spence

 

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

Here are some pictures. This one gives you an idea of how much fill I had to put in to get it up to the road height. I covered an exisitng old barn foundation that is about 2 feet higher than the low end here. All of the rest is fill.

 

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

The last 2 loads of 4 inch minus. A total of 12 of these, and 2 more of 1.5 inch minus yet to come. All together, over 200 cubic yards of fill. But this was the only logical place for the barn!

 

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

The auger with broken extension sleeve, right after I pulled it out of the hole with the backhoe.

 

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

A broader view of the whole lot. Notice the ash tree in the left edge. There is another twice as big (12 inch trunk) just behind it. Both of these had to go before we could continue. Just another distraction in a series of setbacks /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

The crew foreman inspecting the hole depth. Its just over her head /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

My "hired hand" or was that "tired hand". My buddy Rich is the only reason the poles don't fall over. Now don't let go till we get 'em all in the ground /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PaulT]

Re: Help! PHD won\'t go the distance

Pole number 2 going up