The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:47 pm**

Hi all, I'm a newbie so please go easy. My problem is that I have 300 sq m of 8-12 inch thick rock hard concrete to excavate. I have hired a 1.5t minidigger with 3 different buckets and a pecker.
I'm having a nightmare, its taken me all day to remove 5 tonnes. I don't think I'm a total clown regarding the driving of the beast.???
I use the pecker at about 12-18" intervals and then use the big bucket to scoop( should I use a smaller bucket?). I'm only getting 1 or 2 lumps at a time.
Also is it best practice to hire a dumper aswell as admittedly it takes some time driving to my rubbish pile with my meagre load.
Any advice to speed up the process would be extremely welcome. Cheers.

Posted: **Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:03 pm**

Start at an edge, concrete breaks easier there than in the middle. A dumper would be advisable, i reckon a 1 ton dumper should do you. I take it you have a 1 foot bucket with teeth, 2 foot bucket with teeth and a wide bucket thats smooth ( ditching bucket ). The 2 foot bucket with teeth works best for me.

Perseverance is what it takes.

Posted: **Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:18 pm**

A pecker on a 1.5t machine is never really man enough (12" thickness 'crete?) in my experience.

Dumper is a definate advantage though.

Posted: **Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:03 am**

hire a 3 tonner with a pecker ,like a knife through butter,or even better a hymac and just rip the lot out
it will cost more in the short term but will speed the job up no end
cheers LLL

Posted: **Fri Oct 27, 2006 7:10 pm**

ever used an auger on a 1.5 t machine? 5 foot deep holes for old telegraph poles for posts. Bloody nightmare so it was heh

Posted: **Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:22 pm**

Thanks everyone for the advice, how quick! Progress has been much quicker today, I'm using the 2ft bucket like Stuarty advised and I've also got myself a dumper. Fortunately it looks like its not all mega thick (only about 50m2). I'll crack on again in the morning. Thanks again for the rapid response.

The Brew Cabin

Minidigger vs concrete - Excavating advice