New shop build, beginning stages with questions
- Thread starter rangerfredbob
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
If you dig the holes now, be sure to cover them up so rain doesn't fill them up.
truckdiagnostics
Platinum Member
So, you have to punch 14 holes, then wait for an inspection? Leaving post holes open always makes me nervous. My guess is they are looking for depth, before you install the poles. We don't have anything like that here. Guess a lot would depend on the soil and time of year? Like Eddie says cover the holes.
GSVette
Gold Member
At least where my pole barn inspections were concerned-the inspector was verifying diameter, depth and that the post holes were in undisturbed soil.
LD1
Epic Contributor
Soil around my area, unless you covered 20' in all directions from the hole.....if it rains it will fill with water
OP
rangerfredbob
Veteran Member
No pictures yet, maybe tomorrow... was busy all day, didn't stop for much, lunch was around 6pm I think, I found some water at some point...
Anywho, the last dirt pile from making the flat spot got moved, the winter did a number on it, it was HARD... got my equipment pile out of the way (you know, the rare use stuff or stuff that didn't work out right so you shoved it in one spot... that got in the way) then we measured out the holes and drilled them to about 3' deep since the digger didn't have the reach when we started...
On the 9th hole out of 14 we ran into some junk, apparently the previous owner had a burn pile and had been getting scrap wood from the truss manufacturer down the road, we hit truss parts, nail plates, 2x4's, 2x6's, nails, staples etc... The plans call for no organic matter, how does this mess play in? I had no idea it was there, the flat spot starts about 1' below normal surface, about 6" below that we hit wood and metal, I think we're to the bottom at 3' deep but haven't gotten further...
The post hole digger didn't appreciate the job it did and the arms bent down, we had to rig it up a bit to get it to dig a 4' hole but it's good now but we finished fixing it after dark... Of course the auger is an auction find, I think we have around $200 in it and the 2' bit, but it's a Rears brand probably from the 60's or 70's since it apparently has a Mopar 8.25" rear diff for a gear box from the casting number...
A couple of the holes have water in them so far so I apparently found the water table...
Anywho, the last dirt pile from making the flat spot got moved, the winter did a number on it, it was HARD... got my equipment pile out of the way (you know, the rare use stuff or stuff that didn't work out right so you shoved it in one spot... that got in the way) then we measured out the holes and drilled them to about 3' deep since the digger didn't have the reach when we started...
On the 9th hole out of 14 we ran into some junk, apparently the previous owner had a burn pile and had been getting scrap wood from the truss manufacturer down the road, we hit truss parts, nail plates, 2x4's, 2x6's, nails, staples etc... The plans call for no organic matter, how does this mess play in? I had no idea it was there, the flat spot starts about 1' below normal surface, about 6" below that we hit wood and metal, I think we're to the bottom at 3' deep but haven't gotten further...
The post hole digger didn't appreciate the job it did and the arms bent down, we had to rig it up a bit to get it to dig a 4' hole but it's good now but we finished fixing it after dark... Of course the auger is an auction find, I think we have around $200 in it and the 2' bit, but it's a Rears brand probably from the 60's or 70's since it apparently has a Mopar 8.25" rear diff for a gear box from the casting number...
A couple of the holes have water in them so far so I apparently found the water table...
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
If the hole with junk in it is solid on the bottom, then filling in the post with concrete and it will be fine. I would consider it similar to hitting gravel or sand. If it's not solid, then keep digging until it is solid.
truckdiagnostics
Platinum Member
I found water in a lot of my holes when i punched them. There is a concrete patio block on the bottom, with 6 x 6 nailed around the outside. I have no problems with those. In the corner of the building there is the top of one of those right at about 3 1/2 feet that corner lifts every year, settles back down a little, just a little less every year. Have not figured out what or if I am going to do anything. Issue I have found with water is it under mines the hole then they cave in. Then you have to dig it out with the hoe, then the hole gets large. Had a couple do that. Putting the poles in was rather difficult. We would hit smaller rocks also and by the time you where done might as well have dug it with the hoe.
OP
rangerfredbob
Veteran Member
I called an inspector today to check and he said like Eddie said, dig til it's solid then concrete til the level of the other holes so that's what I'll do...
Got the dirt off of all but the junk hole moved tonight before my tractor got tired and wants it's pickup screen cleaned again... at least that's what I'm hoping since it's acting starved for fuel with half a tank like it has the other two times it's done this... Hopefully its not like last time where I had to drain the tank out of the site tube since it took 3 hours to get 2 gallons out of the tank outlet... I need a shop for those projects, which makes building a shop harder... it's complicated
Got the dirt off of all but the junk hole moved tonight before my tractor got tired and wants it's pickup screen cleaned again... at least that's what I'm hoping since it's acting starved for fuel with half a tank like it has the other two times it's done this... Hopefully its not like last time where I had to drain the tank out of the site tube since it took 3 hours to get 2 gallons out of the tank outlet... I need a shop for those projects, which makes building a shop harder... it's complicated
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
My tractor has been giving me power issues and I thought it was junk plugging up the fuel lines, but after cleaning and replacing the filter without any improvement, and also testing the fuel pump, I found it to be an air block where the fule went into the injector pump. I blead it and my tractor has more power now then I remember it having when it was brand new.
My backhoe has a metal fuel tank and the inside walls are scaling debri, rust and whatever else comes off of the inside of a metal tank. My dealer suggested switching the intake line with the return line. Apparantly on my model, there is an inch difference in height and this brings my line off of the bottom of the take enough to help. I replaced my fuel lines, and found a screen at the front of my fuel pump that I wasn't aware of that was clogged up. I also have two fuel filters and another screen inside my fuel pump glass bowl that plugs up with a black slime that needs cleaning once a year. All of those things add up to a significant power loss.
Don't worry about water getting into the holes after you dig them. That's just the table water flowing into an area of lease resistance. Once you fill the hole with concrete, it will stop all the water and act like a plug. If you drilled the holes in August, odds are very good that they would be dry because the water table would be significantly lower. This is how springs work. Your hole has created a spring.
Water from rain is your biggest concern. The more that gets into your holes, the more material that you will have to remove before setting your posts.
My backhoe has a metal fuel tank and the inside walls are scaling debri, rust and whatever else comes off of the inside of a metal tank. My dealer suggested switching the intake line with the return line. Apparantly on my model, there is an inch difference in height and this brings my line off of the bottom of the take enough to help. I replaced my fuel lines, and found a screen at the front of my fuel pump that I wasn't aware of that was clogged up. I also have two fuel filters and another screen inside my fuel pump glass bowl that plugs up with a black slime that needs cleaning once a year. All of those things add up to a significant power loss.
Don't worry about water getting into the holes after you dig them. That's just the table water flowing into an area of lease resistance. Once you fill the hole with concrete, it will stop all the water and act like a plug. If you drilled the holes in August, odds are very good that they would be dry because the water table would be significantly lower. This is how springs work. Your hole has created a spring.
Water from rain is your biggest concern. The more that gets into your holes, the more material that you will have to remove before setting your posts.