Author Topic: Moving lots of earth by hand (Read 9875 times)

rustyme · « **on:** September 26, 2008, 01:13:49 pm »

hello all,
as I write I am moving rather gingerly , as I have done my back . It is going into violent spasm if I move to fast or sometimes just move!!!! It is my own fault really as I have been moving loads (and I mean loads ) of earth. I am moving the earth for a turn round area at the end of my track, and somwhere to store a couple of balers and other bits and bobs. It was meant to have been done by someone with a jcb type thingy but, what he did was a disaster. Plus he only did less than a quarter of what he was meant to do. So after he went (after an afternoon of total chaos ) I had to work out what I could do to put right what he had done. Anyway , Tuesday before last I started to work with the pick axe and shovel and wheelbarrow. All went reasonably well till two days ago ......I had filled the wheelbarrow and had to move it backwards for an inch or so , when POP my back went . It has gone really good .....as it allows me to do my Groucho Marx walk without even trying ( although not without crying ) So I will be giving it (the digging) a rest for the weekend and see how it is next week. I have put a link to the album in photobucket where I have put some pictures and video clips of the area, in some of the videos I am not a happy teddybear , as it was only just after the jcb work had been done, so there may be some swearing on them (although it is mild by my standards

). I will add photos to the album as more work is done and then to show the finished job. I have to go and do some more crying now ....

http://s218.photobucket.com/albums/cc21/rustyme57/The%20track%20turn%20around%20area/

cheers Russ

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #1 on:** September 26, 2008, 02:06:10 pm »

sorry your not feeling to good with your back, Not suffered to bad with my back before but my husband have suffered it really bad

.
You surposes to be the best thing to keep yourself moving but not sure if this is the case for you.

rustyme · « **Reply #2 on:** September 26, 2008, 02:18:57 pm »

cheers Linz,
although my back is really painfull at the moment , I am used to this sort of thing . I broke my back and neck in 1983, and have had 25 years of near permanent pain since. I will keep moving about and try to keep it flexible, but will have to leave the heavy work till it heals . Lots more digging still to do , as well as sort the veggie plot and get the wheat bed dug.......phew it hurts even more just thinking about it all ...lol

Russ

garden cottage · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2008, 06:13:53 am »

Hi rusty, just a thought im assuming youve got a tractor as the area is for storing machinery, have you got a ferguson earth scoop or could borrow one to save your back or cobble up something to go on the tractor to move the ground? cheers neil

rustyme · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2008, 01:26:05 pm »

Hello Neil,
you are right I do have a tractor , but it is out of action at the moment !!!! No spare money means it will stay that way for some time yet (Sadly). I have had nearly a week off from digging now and although I think it may be risking things , as soon as the monsoons pass over here ,I will have a go at shifting some more, needs must and all that . The really annoying thing is , is it was a silly mistake that made my back pop. I had placed the wheelbarrow facing the wrong way but filled it up anyway and then had to pull it back a few feet to turn it round. The problem was, it was an uphill pull , and as soon as I pulled it went POP . I won't do that again...lol.
I thought that if it plays up again I could call the area 'Lovers Lane' and get a few couples to park up for a while and see if the earth moves that way!!!! ...well maybe not ...

cheers anyway ...
Russ

garden cottage · « **Reply #5 on:** October 04, 2008, 01:10:33 pm »

hey rusty what parts do you need, have a few tractorheads down here what make is it and model, ive used agriline in the past for vintage stuff, very good for mail order weve got a 35 fergy and fordson major cheers neil

rustyme · « **Reply #6 on:** October 04, 2008, 01:40:04 pm »

Hello Neil,
it is an eary 1980's Ursus 4x4 100hp, a biggy...lol. It is something gone pop in the gearbox ,most likely nothing that costly to get repaired or a new bit made . However it is the mechanics hourly rate that puts the stop on things , it always seems to be the wrong time of year for spare cash. I may have a swap for it though , a young shire filly !. Cheaper to run , I can do basic maintenance , and I can breed a new one each year from her. There is no real rush though , I am used to doing everything by hand. Thanks for the help though .....

cheers

Russ

rustyme · « **Reply #7 on:** October 04, 2008, 04:28:13 pm »

I managed to do some soil moving today ,at last !!!. I only did 6 w/barrow loads , but it was something , and the back held up ok ( touch wood ). I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can just keep going like this now (weather permitting !) as I have lots of digging to do , both up by the track (the turn round area ) and on the veggie plot . The digging up by the track, is really pick axing and shoveling , then w/barrowing 30 feet or so to the tippoff spot. The veggie plot is turning over the whole plot (70'x30') , and digging fresh ground(60'x20') for some wheat. Keeps you fit I suppose ?? or should that be kill or cure

? lol

Russ

garden cottage · « **Reply #8 on:** October 04, 2008, 04:32:32 pm »

hmmmm may have to cut your losses and shift it if its not economicle to repair, you might be interested in add ive come across all zetor &ursus tractors bought any condition michael on 02088876709 cheers neil

rustyme · « **Reply #9 on:** October 04, 2008, 05:05:26 pm »

Hello Neil,
thanks for the number mate..... but it can just sit there for now ,as it is an economical repair £200-£400 depending on whats gone wrong , but it is just the fact I am really utterly and completely broke. Once I have all the digging done I will have somewhere to split it and do it myself , but that will be next summer in the dry weather ( now thats a bl**dy joke ) .

I just did some calculations , the jcb moved about 16-20 tons of earth, I have shifted about 40 tons now. JCB 0 ME 1, hehehe.....Only another 60 tons or so to go !!!!

Russ

rustyme · « **Reply #10 on:** October 23, 2008, 12:05:36 am »

just an update on earth moving. Still doing it everyday, I have to limit the amount I do , but it is getting there as they say . Just thought of another little project to do when this is done.....digging a mill pond !!!!! only a little one , about 30ft x 90ft x 6ft deep

Just got to work out the logistics of digging out the side of the hill and shifting the soil. Most of it willl be forming the wall on the lower side of the hill , but there will be plenty left for filling in the gaps in the banks under the hedges around the smallholding etc. As long as the soil, gravel, clay and stone mix is roughly the same as where I am digging now, there will be plenty of clay to make a puddle clay base to the pond. Although a pond 30' x 90' x 6' is big , and lots of digging , the area I have dug now is 15' x 25' x 8', plus lots of re-landscaping the turn round area. So it isn't impossible

Still , back to the turn round area, lots of rain on the way for a day or so , so may be not that much digging to do till it goes. Oh and a pond that size should hold plenty of trout too !!! I am not a big fish eater , but if they are free ?

Russ