# Bucket on Backwards: Footings



## LNG24 (Oct 30, 2005)

OK, I have never seen this before and though I tried, I could not get a pic of it. Might have to drive back there just to see if its still like that. Anyway.

They are digging a footing for a new building and the site is a bit tight, but anyway. The guy had the bucket on the excavator back wards. Teeth facing out. Not a joke or prank :jester:as this was mid day and the crew and he were all working hard.

Only time I had seen this before now was when we rushed a bucket change and when we were all done, realized it was back wards. :blink:So much for rushing. :whistling

So is there something I am missing? They were or just finished digging the footings.


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## RPC470 (May 12, 2008)

Sometimes we do this if we would have to say dig under something such as utilities or maybe the contractor had done this to undermine part of an existing foundation. it isnt the most productive position for the bucket but it is one of the advantages of teh versatile quick coupler. I have attached a pic of one of my guys digging under a bank of electical conduit with a reversed bucket for additional clarity


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Thats pretty neat, I've never seen that before either. I guess you learn someting new everyday!.


Dave


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## Brock (Dec 16, 2007)

Or when the footing comes againt the existing foundation or you are running a water supply under an existing footing, or for a perfect corner and time is not the enemy.


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## TMatt142 (Apr 28, 2006)

Yep, we've done that on more than a few occasions......Works really nice if you have a quick-tatch deal and it allows for reversing the bucket......


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## LNG24 (Oct 30, 2005)

That is interesting. In my cause there were no existing buildings or footings because the old building was completely torn down and removed. There is an excellent chance that there was buried electric, water and sewer on the site already so maybe that was it.


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## woodmagman (Feb 17, 2007)

It does not seem to me that a lot of material is being moved in this location, the time it took to change the bucket would have been better spent on the woody end of a shovel...but that is just me:laughing:


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

woodmagman said:


> It does not seem to me that a lot of material is being moved in this location, the time it took to change the bucket would have been better spent on the woody end of a shovel...but that is just me:laughing:


acutally, if you have a quick tach on your excavator...you can flip it around in about 30 seconds, for going underneath wide footings, conduit runs, etc...it's a HUGE timesaver, especially if it's a hard clay/rocky material.


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## Nac (Apr 16, 2006)

Like this


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## tinner666 (Nov 3, 2004)

Can this be done on any backhoe, or excavator?


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## Poolman (Mar 20, 2007)

We have done this to dig under a 5 foot wide deck down 4 feet. We were runnig spa lines into a basement of a finished house. 

Worked pretty well. 30 srconds to change bucket & a fraction of the digging time compared to men with shovels burrowing.

Scott


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

tinner666 said:


> Can this be done on any backhoe, or excavator?


No. The machine has to be set up with the quick attach sytem that is capable of that configuration.

None of mine can do that. :sad:

It would be handy in lots of situations though. Probably a brain buster to operate it efficiently too. :laughing:


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## Tim Doyka (Jan 4, 2008)

Seen that several years ago on a sewerline project. Operator dug past the lateral then came out around turned the bucket around dug the lateral out wih out pulling dirt back into the ditch, then came back around switched the bucket and kept digging main, thought it was pretty neat my self.


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## Bill (Mar 30, 2006)

woodmagman said:


> It does not seem to me that a lot of material is being moved in this location, the time it took to change the bucket would have been better spent on the woody end of a shovel...but that is just me:laughing:


yes, agreed, but then again, how many people want the woody end of a shovel


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