# Best way 2 dig small footer?



## Burgerbuilders (Oct 17, 2013)

Hey guys, I'm searching for the best way (economically) to dig a 36" deep footer hole, for a 4'x4' project.


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## dielectricunion (Feb 27, 2013)

Eat a few items from dollar menu for calories, take a shovel and start digging


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

Ibufrofen, before starting to dig. Continue 3 gel caps every 6-8 hours or as needed for next 2-3 days.

I would highly recomend large amounts of beer, the evening after... to compensate for the calorie losses.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

A laborer & a shovel...:thumbsup::thumbup:


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## B.D.R. (May 22, 2007)

Gloves for sure


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

I'm with Grizzly and Texas Wax. Get a laborer and hand him a shovel. Then just pull up a lawn chair and grab some beer. By the time you finish a 12-pack, he should be done.

What are the soil conditions? Might take 2 12-packs if hard packed and rocky😎


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## Bearded Wonder (Jan 21, 2011)

Rent a mini ex.

Half day if you can swing it.


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## Dan_Watson (Mar 1, 2008)

Who digs footings anymore?


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

Dan_Watson said:


> Who digs footings anymore?


I do.

And a 4'x4' hole 36" deep is a cake walk. Shovel, pick, spud bar, 6 hours tops.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Get two guys and a radio


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Also this is what I own for bigger digs












And I'm getting this in a the near future for the smaller ones


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## mstrat (Jul 10, 2013)

Yeah...get a shovel...that's nothing to hand dig...a mini ex? seriously? 4'x4'x36"? I suppose if you could, but a half a day with a shovel will get that thing dug, and to top it off the yard isn't torn up at all.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Shovel and digging bar. If there's a bunch of roots and crap at the surface, start with a cutting mattock, then shovel it up.

4X4 is actually a little tight to dig in once you get down a ways


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## mako1 (Sep 1, 2013)

I dug a hole with a shovel bigger than that the other day to burry a dog.About 1.5 hours and plenty of beer .I'm 57.


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## pegasush (Jan 7, 2008)

Shoot, thats hardly bigger than a goose hunting pit. Dig those under the truck headlites, done by midnight, and sitting inside waiting for the geese by 6.

And it was 'fun'


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## Brian Peters (Feb 2, 2011)

Definitely makes a difference what soil type and if it's wet, dry, frozen....etc..around here in the middle of summer it would be some tough going. I like Calideks idea of using a demolition hammer. I've used my Bosch Bulldog with a chisel before on a dig, but it's on the small side for that..


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## Brian Peters (Feb 2, 2011)

Californiadecks said:


> And I'm getting this in a the near future for the smaller ones


Not far to go man...hang in there!


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## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

Depends on where you are

out east shovel no problem

out west here, shovel and a jack hammer


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## jaydee (Mar 20, 2014)

depending on the soil.

I've used a shop vac.

loosen the dirt and suck it up.

works good, except for rocky gravel


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

mstrat said:


> Yeah...get a shovel...that's nothing to hand dig...a mini ex? seriously? 4'x4'x36"? I suppose if you could, but a half a day with a shovel will get that thing dug, and to top it off the yard isn't torn up at all.


A mini ex costs 200 dollars to rent for one day, a 10 min drive to pick up, and a few bucks in diesel. Why would I touch a shovel?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Around here, I could dig that hole in way under half a day. That includes getting rocks out with a digging bar, and tearing up roots with a cutting mattock. By the time I went over to a rental agency, did all the paperwork, trailered it over, drove it off the trailer, loaded it back up, went back over to the rental place, did the final paper work and drove back, I would have been done with the hole.

Younger guys should be able to do it faster than me, I'm old and slow now.


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

A few weeks ago, I dug this hole in my back yard to install a sump pump. 









By the time I was done, I wanted to throw every digging tool I own right in the trash. 

There is time when everyone realizes they can't do everything they used to do. That time has come. Hire a laborer.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Inner10 said:


> A mini ex costs 200 dollars to rent for one day, a 10 min drive to pick up, and a few bucks in diesel. Why would I touch a shovel?


 Doesn't it all depend on access? 90% of my jobs are in a backyard in some tract of homes with a 32" gate to get through.


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

Inner10 said:


> A mini ex costs 200 dollars to rent for one day, a 10 min drive to pick up, and a few bucks in diesel. Why would I touch a shovel?


A laborer and a shovel cost about $150, and you help out a working man instead of help a rental company pay for a machine.

Then again, some guys aren't worth it and I'd rather get to play with the mini-ex :laughing:


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## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

How about a hole auger, & then finish with a shovel. The rental would be cheap, & would make shovel work way easier.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

smalpierre said:


> A laborer and a shovel cost about $150, and you help out a working man instead of help a rental company pay for a machine.
> 
> Then again, some guys aren't worth it and I'd rather get to play with the mini-ex :laughing:


Depends how rocky the dig is.

First time I rented an excavator I thought "wtf did I get myself into" but after a few hours it was just like playing Atari.


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

Inner10 said:


> Depends how rocky the dig is.
> 
> First time I rented an excavator I thought "wtf did I get myself into" but after a few hours it was just like playing Atari.


Atari HAHAHA!!! Wait, I remember playing those ... :whistling

We actually broke out an old Atari 2600 a few years ago. This gamer guy that relishes being a jerk about me not playing the new games well (no practice) - well I kicked his A$$ time and time again playing Combat :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Frustrated him to death. I thought he was going to break stuff.

I would like to get to play with a mini-ex - so maybe I'll try that next time! I want to get to play with a track loader too ...

I've heard some things about the Toro Dingo too.


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

http://www.toro.com/en-us/professio...ity/dingo/Pages/Series.aspx?sid=Dingo-Tracked


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> A mini ex costs 200 dollars to rent for one day, a 10 min drive to pick up, and a few bucks in diesel. Why would I touch a shovel?


A P1 techno post costs me $150 installed. Why would I do anything else?


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## Dan_Watson (Mar 1, 2008)

EricBrancard said:


> A P1 techno post costs me $150 installed. Why would I do anything else?


Dont forget access is not an issue. 32" gate, no problem.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

smalpierre said:


> Atari HAHAHA!!! Wait, I remember playing those ... :whistling
> 
> We actually broke out an old Atari 2600 a few years ago. This gamer guy that relishes being a jerk about me not playing the new games well (no practice) - well I kicked his A$$ time and time again playing Combat :laughing::laughing::laughing:
> 
> ...


Hilarious! I can't play games on the newer systems...but I can kick your a$$ on tecmo super bowl.


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

EricBrancard said:


> A P1 techno post costs me $150 installed. Why would I do anything else?


Something about steel below grade maybe? Concrete doesn't rust.

Or maybe they have cathodic protection? Dan - how do they hold up over time?


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

overanalyze said:


> Hilarious! I can't play games on the newer systems...but I can kick your a$$ on tecmo super bowl.


Don't challenge me to Super Mario 1 or 2 ...


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