Best way to get down into the crusher?

[Davidw]

I'm going to cast a couple of foundations and pillars for an upcoming outbuilding, and the ground where this will take place is now compacted macadam and crushed stone, between 0-100 depending on depth.

What is the best way to get through this? Is it digging with a shovel that's required? Where the foundation needs to go, it needs to be exposed on an approximately 60x60 area, at 60 depth, but where regular pillars need to go, it would have been clever to drill, but I assume that's not possible...

 

[D09]

Spade, hacka och spett.... And some sweat but it works.. Quite thankless to dig in 0 -100 just

 

[Davidw]

😩🔨

But is there any clever way to support the edges?

 

[D09]

Build a shaft with studs, OSB boards, etc.

 

[Torpalainen]

If it is packed well, then why dig down?

 

[thomasx]

Rent a core drilling machine with a core drill of suitable dimension, and you'll be down in no time and simply have to dig out what's in the center of the "hole". I did this when I was setting posts for a fence. The earth auger was completely impossible due to a lot of stones and some roots, etc., in the ground. With a core drill, it went like a dance on roses. Probably drilled about 50 holes like that.

 

[Davidw]

If it is packed well, why dig down?

Legitimate question. It is not for all plinths, but for four corners to get the foundation down to the plinth and then pile on gravel to secure the shed UPWARDS in climate-storms.

 

[Davidw]

Rent a kärnborrmaskin.

Kärnborrmaskin! Googling.

 

[frma71]

Old post, but I see you're still active

How deep and large were the holes you drilled? How did you remove the material?

Rent a core drilling machine with a core drill of the appropriate size, and you'll be done in no time and can easily dig out what's in the center of the "hole". I did this when I needed to set a pillar for a fence. The earth drill was completely impossible due to many rocks and some roots, etc., in the ground. With the core drill, it went as smoothly as a dance. I probably drilled about 50 holes this way.

Rent a core drilling machine with a core drill of the appropriate size, and you'll be done in no time and can easily dig out what's in the center of the "hole". I did this when I needed to set a pillar for a fence. The earth drill was completely impossible due to many rocks and some roots, etc., in the ground. With the core drill, it went as smoothly as a dance. I probably drilled about 50 holes this way.