Ditch digging

[dittle fart around]

I was reading a post about a furniture restorer. His father had commented on his work as one step above ditch digging. I've got to tell you digging a ditch is a fine art, only perfected by those with a sharp eye for detail and the ability to focus on the task at hand. Ditch digging has earned its bad reputation by the work of people not up to the task. Those looking for the fast buck. Those looking to move up in the world of hard labor. A ditch is something to be proud of, a work of art to be covered at the end of the project.
Like any job, you have to make the work a pleasure to do. A co-worker at the shipyard once told me to not get ******** involved with your job. I think the only way to survive work, that most would consider beneath them, is to take it on with a mind set on making the work a pleasure. Concentrating on the details of everyday work, making improvements to your technique, taking on challenging projects, these are the steps to take. You will find the days passing quicker, with not enough time to do what you have made enjoyable.
My father was a great mentor, he could do any thing. Taking on projects where he had no experience and completing them with, what seamed to me to be, great ease. I can only hope my children see me in the same light. Someone not frightened by new challenges but, willing to take them head on and make things happen.
My oldest son has experience my many projects and understands the joy of accomplishment. He recently completed a handmade oak bow and has made some hunting knives by hand. As a proud father, I share in his joy of a job well done, a ditch well dug.

 

[ansehnlich1]

I will attest to the backhoe operator that dug the trench for my footer recently. That ditch was so level on the bottom, I thought they went in there with shovels and rakes. It was truly a work of art. I bet it wasn't out one inch all around. He went right down to where he needed to be and not a smidge further. I guarantee the footer is poured on undisturbed ground. To the ditch diggers I say

 

[paullie]

my dad made a good living as a "ditch digger" and has a sweet *** retirement that most folks would love to have

 

[c/o say]

Yes there are some who can make digging with a shovel look so freeking easy. Me I don't I look like a Three legged cat trying to cover ****.

 

[dittle fart around]

When I working at the power transmission construction job in The Dalles we were installing 4500 feet of 4inch pvp conduits 12 runs to eight vaults. The vaults are there to make 90 degree turns. The bobcat operator opened up the 500 feet of ditch to the first vault. We (the electricians) ran the bottom layer of conduit while the bobcat worked on the next run. Each of the four layers was back filled with sand and compacted. Once all four layers of conduit were in then a yellow caution tape then back filled to 18 inches below grade. The ground mat was reconnected and back filled then 6 inches of fractured rock installed as insulation. The ditches were perfect the bobcat operator was always 4 steps ahead of us and when finished you couldn't tell the ground had been disturbed.

 

[Zeke]

Well, the first mistake was comparing furniture refinishing to construction. I have done a lot of both. I have to tell you that I have dug some nice holes, but to do furniture nice takes a lot of knowledge and talent. The last thing I refinished was a piano.

Not that it doesn't take both to dig holes. Especially deep ones.

 

[Frank The Plumber]

Unconditional acceptance of what lay at the present, what lay at the rear, what lay at the fore. Unconditional acceptance of the fact that you are the means, the instrument by which today, here, now, that tomorrow the dimension of what was and shall be will shift ever so slightly, due to your efforts, however mundane. Justify in your head in any way that may be required to set forth. Know your place, know your purpose. Ponder upon occasion the thoughts of others as they casually watch you toil. As they make presuppositions, come to judgements upon your value, determine your personal self dignity. Let them under value you and the task which lays at hand, let them and then invite them. To humble themselves in the eyes of all others as they, struggle to achieve this task as thought so common, this deed so undignified, this job so unworthy. Let them toil against their own predescriptions, presuppositions, predeterminations and let them sweat in a nervous dither as they rate themselves and humble their achievements against whom they are against whom they think that you should be.

Let them sulk away, tired, exhausted, sullen, as they try to justify how they so superior could not achieve this task against those so inferior to themselves. Let them think hard about which lies and alibis they shall insert into those moments of description in which they shall compare themselves so reverently against the common vehicle that is you.

Truth lies in the fact that you are equal and yet superior due to the fact that you accept unconditionally the who of who you are, the what of what you do, the where of where you do it. You do not concern yourself with the petty nuance of self dignity, humility and shame. You are,you are here, this is now, and you accept this and progress, for yourself and for others. You seek not a commendation, a pat on the shoulder, a head rub, yours is satisfaction taken from the knowledge that this is how you provide, this is how you care, nourish, those whom you affect. Yours is a true and sustainable dignity. Find your pace brother, the world she is short of the noble man such as yourself in these modern days. Find your pace brother...and toil forth.

 

[1320stang]

I once had to dig a ditch by hand for around 100' (had help of two other guys). It was about 4' wide and 4'-5' deep. Thank God it was rich black, sandy soil. It was at an AFB sewer treatment plant, there were a lot of lines running underground and they wouldn't let it be done mechanically.

After that was done, they filled the concrete clarifying tank (think big round sh!# stirrer) that had been sandblasted and painted with some $140/gal epoxy paint with some well water. Made sure that all the replaced equipment worked, then went to drain the tank. They then discovered that they had tied into an abandoned 20" line. When they replaced the center stand pipe, they filled the hole with concrete. Guess who had to jackhammer thru about 10' of solid concrete? I went thru 3 Mexicans in two weeks, me and one other guy that they had to keep replacing.

 

[dittle fart around]

My greatest ditch achievement was across the width of my back yard. When we moved in there were 90ft pine trees about a foot behind the property line. The subdivision contractor said no one would ever build on the forested 10 acres behind our house. Anyway the second owner of the two story house that was built, 15ft behind the our fence, took out all 6 of the pine trees but left the stumps and root system. To block their view into the back of our house I planted bamboo. In order to keep control of the bamboo I dug done 24 inches into the root balls of those 6 trees and installed 1/8 thick plastic roll sheathing. The ditch was 24 inches wide 24 inches deep and 70 feet long. It took 3 weeks and burnt out my reciprocating saw. I put in 15 - 3 ft tall plants now we have a solid 30 ft tall wall of bamboo.

 

[rogsmart]

You're gettin a little metaphysical there Frank. We don't want anybody to start posting Zen Koans about the value of labor or (god forbid) Haiku's wherein the author proclaims he is the shovel.

I think we can all agree that nicely dug ditch is a thing of beauty and just let it go at that.


The shovel wields me
I am it’s instrument of
Expressing the ditch

The above is the kind of thing we really wanna stay away from.

 

[Vinny]

On a related note, there was a small graveyard on Long Island I used to live by. Guy did everything by hand. Locals called him the stud, because he was built and incredible shape. But digging holes for a living does that to you.
This guy used to pay us kids to start holes for him. Nothing much, just dig down a couple feet, make it wide and long. He'd then come in and finish the hole PERFECT. It looked like some aliens used a ray gun to cut perfect flat sides all around. Was amazed at what he could do with a shovel. I always wanted his job. Hell, still do.

 

[Frank The Plumber]

You're gettin a little metaphysical there Frank. We don't want anybody to start posting Zen Koans about the value of labor or (god forbid) Haiku's wherein the author proclaims he is the shovel.

I think we can all agree that nicely dug ditch is a thing of beauty and just let it go at that.


The shovel wields me
I am it’s instrument of
Expressing the ditch

The above is the kind of thing we really wanna stay away from.

Metaphylosophical

 

[rogsmart]

Yeah, what he said...

 

[Lippyp]

I dug out the small stream that runs across my property in France, it had badly silted up where it goes down and through a concrete pipe that used to be our crossing before we had the road put in, dug out about two and a half foot of silt, got it running and then widened and deepened the channel below the pipe until the point it leaves my land. I'm gradually widening and deepening it to keep it from spreading out, nasty smelly work as its full of rotting leaves as its under a laod of chestnut trees and you're guaranteed to come back covered in mosquito bites.

Dumb hard laboutr like that is very satisfying though, nothing like taking your boots off afterwards and sitting watching the sun go down with a cold beer and an aching back.

 

[1320stang]

On a related note, there was a small graveyard on Long Island I used to live by. Guy did everything by hand. Locals called him the stud, because he was built and incredible shape. But digging holes for a living does that to you.
This guy used to pay us kids to start holes for him. Nothing much, just dig down a couple feet, make it wide and long. He'd then come in and finish the hole PERFECT. It looked like some aliens used a ray gun to cut perfect flat sides all around. Was amazed at what he could do with a shovel. I always wanted his job. Hell, still do.

The funny thing about that ditch I dug, we had to square it off, sides and floor were flat, sorta like the graves you talked about. I was never sure why though.

 

[W650Mike]

You may never get a chance to meet the man who deftly wields a shovel.
Yet is unaware of the intrinsic worth of proper shoring.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

My next door neighbor was putting in an ornamental garden with some small retaining walls. The stone mason hired 2 South American gentlemen to dig the footing for probably 40' of wall - 2' deep and 3' wide.

They labored for 2 or 3 days and then the stone mason arrived to inspect the finished job. He whipped out the laser level and the trench was within an inch of level across the whole length. Perfectly square and ready to go! Done with batter boards, mason twine, shovels and pickaxes.

He was raving about what a nice job they had done. Being able to do something like that has to instill some pride.

Cheers

Jim

 

[burleymike]

We have been putting in an interior perimeter drain in our basement. I was amazed to find that the floor was 3" thick on one end of the basement and 4" on the other. In the late 1950's I don't think they had laser anything, yet they got the hole for the basement that level. Not to mention the floor did not have one single crack in it.

 

[ForceFed70]

My grandfather was a backhoe opperator his whole life. He owned his own machines and got very good with them. Always straight, flat, and level ditches.

I never truely appreciated his skill until one day when he came over to dig irigation ditches for the farm.

He would suddenly stop and yell to me "there's something under there". I would jump into the ditch and start pointing with the shovel. He'd guide me to the spot and usually within the 1st couple of shovelsfull I'd find an 8" long piece of old plastic piping, or a piece of ancient fencing wire, or something like that. Never once was it a rock or a root, it was always something that wasn't natural. It literally blew me away... he could have told me he was pyschic or something and I would have believed him. But when I asked he said he could "feel it through the machine".

 

[SwampCat]

My grandfather was a backhoe opperator his whole life. He owned his own machines and got very good with them. Always straight, flat, and level ditches.

I never truely appreciated his skill until one day when he came over to dig irigation ditches for the farm.

He would suddenly stop and yell to me "there's something under there". I would jump into the ditch and start pointing with the shovel. He'd guide me to the spot and usually within the 1st couple of shovelsfull I'd find an 8" long piece of old plastic piping, or a piece of ancient fencing wire, or something like that. Never once was it a rock or a root, it was always something that wasn't natural. It literally blew me away... he could have told me he was pyschic or something and I would have believed him. But when I asked he said he could "feel it through the machine".

FUNNY- I tell people ,I am an artist. Dirt is the medium, Caterpillar makes the brush, and the earth is my canvas. My daughter tells me I am just a kid with BIG Tonka TOYS.

 

[Frank The Plumber]

We have been putting in an interior perimeter drain in our basement. I was amazed to find that the floor was 3" thick on one end of the basement and 4" on the other. In the late 1950's I don't think they had laser anything, yet they got the hole for the basement that level. Not to mention the floor did not have one single crack in it.

They would have used a transit, which is a better tool over all. It travels further has no optical distortion and can set a straighter line. The only reason people love the laser is because it is fast and cheaper than a quality transit.

I hear stories of how the early settlers marked lines and now when we go back with our satelite lasers we find out that they were only off by 6" in a 100 miles, well ********, they were right on and our modern **** is off by the 6".

 

[Az Scooter]

You guys have never dug a ditch through caliche. It is sort of like digging through endless cement, but harder.

 

[dittle fart around]

OK I'll bite, what's caliche?

 

[SwampCat]

Some super STICKEY clay, down Texas and Louisanna way. Just ask a CAJUN. P.S. dont question THEIR spelling

 

[dittle fart around]

In spring every year a major construction company in town allows kids to climb over their equipment and play with the back hoes. The event has turned out to be a big draw for kids of all ages and added a lot of positive advertisement for the company. The owner's kids played little league when my kids were there and did lots of free bee work around the fields.

 

[cactiki]

http://arlingtoncemetery.net/digging-grave-an-honor.htm
Interesting story
I have dug caliche, we have it in the Mojave desert in California. I literally had to buy a jackhammer to be able to dig in my yard. I added on to my leach field, 25' x5' deep x 18" wide. I actually enjoyed it!

 

[1wheeldrive]

In spring every year a major construction company in town allows kids to climb over their equipment and play with the back hoes. The event has turned out to be a big draw for kids of all ages and added a lot of positive advertisement for the company. The owner's kids played little league when my kids were there and did lots of free bee work around the fields.

Ahh dozer days, my kids (4 & 5 now) love it! We've gone the last 2 years and will keep going. Always packed. Draws an amazing crowd and is a great time.

And I can relate to this thread as I am digging (by hand) a 2 ft deep 100ft long ditch for a drain pipe. Can't run heavy equipment and watch toddlers at the same time, so shovels it is. I've also dug up tree stumps, hand dug down for a 900sq ft patio, Neighbors think I've lost my mind! My back hates me lol!

 

[bgarrett]

I think the only way to survive work, that most would consider beneath them,.

Interesting concept, Work that is beneath you.
I am curious what that might be.
I stuck my hand down a drain full of cowsh*t all the way to my shoulder. I got the short 2X4 that was stopping it up too! never thought the work was unreasonable.
Another time a sub-human scum female sprayed the restroom walls with diarrhea. I got the mop after it.
I've dug many ditches. Its cleaner work.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I used to pick my kids up from elementary school in my old 4x4 extendahoe back in the day,the boys thought it was cool but daughter hated it!
My dad told me one time about 20 years ago that Id never be nothing but a damn ditch digger,after paying off my first extendahoe in 6 months I told him I wished Id learned to dig ditches earlier in life!

 

[bgarrett]

I used to pick my kids up from elementary school in my old 4x4 extendahoe back in the day,the boys thought it was cool but daughter hated it!

I took my daughter to school every day on my restored 1946 Harley, She hated it and was an adult before she realized how cool it was.

 

[darkk]

My 2 brothers and I dug a ditch once, 4' wide 6' deep, 15' long. It wasn't to awful hard. The hard part was digging the hole at the end of that ditch. The friggin hole was 10'wide, 10'long 10' deep and that sucked. I hated shovels after that. Actually I still don't like shovels. My hats off to anyone the digs by hand for a living......

 

[sberry]

I really don't mind digging all that much, sometimes its cheaper, sometimes you got to do it. I remember some real dandy spots, clay, rocks, think it would never end.

I encourage young guys to learn a shove, the sparkies will lay off kid wonder with the bender and keep mr steady on with the shovel and a kid willing to do that often gets treated very well. I seen a lot of them work for a couple hrs and the old times tell him to take a break.

I had to fig something a while back, equipment wasn't handy and 3 of us went, one a master plumber. He put his head down and went on auto pilot, you could just tell. He said one of the best jobs he ever had involved a couple hrs of digging on most days, the rest of it was easy. 3 yrs of it and never missed a paycheck.

 

[nit2wn]

Had a boss that could literally feel with the bucket on the backhoe in the water dept. He could usually feel the pipe before hitting it or doing more damage. Came in handily when digging up an old water meter 3' down to raise it back to a normal level at a high school. The gas company didn't mark a 4'' main too well, he felt it before we broke it. Same guy did split the bucket on a ditch witch digging up a water line in some tough rocky soil. He just had a feel for it. Learned a lot in those days. The man on the equipment can make or break the guy on a shovel. A good operator will rarely need a shovel guy to do more than to go 'there it is'. Don't miss the pay, but I enjoyed the work and playing in the mud.