G
Guest
Operating a backhoe is kinda like playing a piano or a video game, the operator watches the bucket while his fingers(s) play the hydraulic controls/joy stick. Hand-eye coordination. Rent a small BH and practice, practice and practice some more until your moves are fluid and smooth. Check out Hertz or other large rental outfits and they quite often will provide some guidance.
As to the pit, a finished layer of 3/4 minus crushed rock, graded level and compacted (rent a plate compactor) to a thickness of 8" to 12" will give a solid base. Dig out 4 holes of 24" x 24" by 12" deep in the compacted gravel, form it above finished grade with 2 x 4's, lay in #4 re-bar, 3 each, both ways and place the concrete. Make sure the Re-bar does not make contact with the soil to avoid rust out and degradation of the concrete AND equally important is insuring the finished pads are on the same plane (level to one another) Locate these 4 pads on center at each corner bearing point of the cargo container.
Burying old railroad ties is not a good choice. Remember that the Road Bed they were salvaged from is an elevated gravel base with excellent drainage. Also the have cancer causing carcinogens in the creosote preservative, which by the way is quite depleted by the time they replace them. My experience with them in the Mojave Desert was that Termites will go to work on the weak points and decay follows, when Buried, as in fence posts and decorative landscape applications. The concrete base pads will prevent settling of the load at the weight bearing points.
Regarding the BH, just tell the folks at the rental outfit you are setting a storage tank and want a BH that is capable of lifting the weight of the container. No need for a ramp. There is a compactor attachment for the Hoe, back fill evenly with the front bucket, in layers, turn the Hoe around and avoiding contact with the container walls evenly compact the dirt. Don't get carried away and crack or buckle the container. Continue this procedure until you have reached the desired fill depth. Before filling in above the container roof lay in a heavy 6mil or so vapor barrier extending at least 5 feet beyond the pit, cover with rock free soil or sand (to avoid tearing the barrier) and use the plate compactor, not the BH attachment for final compaction.. Gently mound the soil to aid in run off and plant some grass.
A BH of the size needed would be site delivered and picked up by the Rental Outfit. Make sure the container is not within view when they deliver, and not exposed when they pick up.
After they are gone dig out to the roof, cut out the roof for a trapdoor ( ii is best if this is already done), install it and fill in. Don't forget to overlap additional vapor barrier before doing so.
Safety is important, hold back on undisturbed soil before setting the out riggers and load the front bucket with dirt to keep the nose down in the event you get a little shakey(sp). A bouncing load is not good, especially when the hoe is extended, the leverage can dump You and the Rig into the work. Buy rental insurance.
When done put a modest sized storage shed over the trapdoor so your comings and goings are not suspicious to prying eyes. This is definitely a case where keeping the lips zipped really has meaning.
I hope this is of help to you Yamaha.
TyStik
As to the pit, a finished layer of 3/4 minus crushed rock, graded level and compacted (rent a plate compactor) to a thickness of 8" to 12" will give a solid base. Dig out 4 holes of 24" x 24" by 12" deep in the compacted gravel, form it above finished grade with 2 x 4's, lay in #4 re-bar, 3 each, both ways and place the concrete. Make sure the Re-bar does not make contact with the soil to avoid rust out and degradation of the concrete AND equally important is insuring the finished pads are on the same plane (level to one another) Locate these 4 pads on center at each corner bearing point of the cargo container.
Burying old railroad ties is not a good choice. Remember that the Road Bed they were salvaged from is an elevated gravel base with excellent drainage. Also the have cancer causing carcinogens in the creosote preservative, which by the way is quite depleted by the time they replace them. My experience with them in the Mojave Desert was that Termites will go to work on the weak points and decay follows, when Buried, as in fence posts and decorative landscape applications. The concrete base pads will prevent settling of the load at the weight bearing points.
Regarding the BH, just tell the folks at the rental outfit you are setting a storage tank and want a BH that is capable of lifting the weight of the container. No need for a ramp. There is a compactor attachment for the Hoe, back fill evenly with the front bucket, in layers, turn the Hoe around and avoiding contact with the container walls evenly compact the dirt. Don't get carried away and crack or buckle the container. Continue this procedure until you have reached the desired fill depth. Before filling in above the container roof lay in a heavy 6mil or so vapor barrier extending at least 5 feet beyond the pit, cover with rock free soil or sand (to avoid tearing the barrier) and use the plate compactor, not the BH attachment for final compaction.. Gently mound the soil to aid in run off and plant some grass.
A BH of the size needed would be site delivered and picked up by the Rental Outfit. Make sure the container is not within view when they deliver, and not exposed when they pick up.
After they are gone dig out to the roof, cut out the roof for a trapdoor ( ii is best if this is already done), install it and fill in. Don't forget to overlap additional vapor barrier before doing so.
Safety is important, hold back on undisturbed soil before setting the out riggers and load the front bucket with dirt to keep the nose down in the event you get a little shakey(sp). A bouncing load is not good, especially when the hoe is extended, the leverage can dump You and the Rig into the work. Buy rental insurance.
When done put a modest sized storage shed over the trapdoor so your comings and goings are not suspicious to prying eyes. This is definitely a case where keeping the lips zipped really has meaning.
I hope this is of help to you Yamaha.
TyStik
Although I imagine maintenance on the chiller unit could be a royal PITA. I wonder how cool the containers would maintain, underground?
. Seriously, though.. make one platform for the back of the container to sit on with wheels. Hook the front up to a big ass backhoe or something of the sort and wheel 'er on into the hole. Dig the hole with ramps on both side so you can get it down the hole, unhook it, then drive the backhoe straight up the other ramp and fill 'er in.
