Whether you’re digging for an extension or a new deck, you can make your job more efficient and safer by learning a few smart tips. The most important tip is to call 811 before you dig so that utilities can mark the location of underground lines. This is a free and simple service that protects you, your family and your neighbors. Call a few days before you dig, and your utility company will send a locator to mark the approximate locations of underground pipes and cables.
Preparation
Digging is a great way to improve your garden soil, and it can be done all year round. However it is most useful in the autumn as this allows the frosts to break up the soil. Before digging a bed it is best to add a top dressing of compost, manure or organic matter. This will help to aerate the soil and improve it for root penetration. Adding organic matter to the soil before you dig will also increase the amount of nutrients that can be found in the soil. This will help your plants grow better and produce more fruit and flowers.
Equipment
Whether you’re digging for landscaping, construction or just digging around your home, you need the right equipment. This can make a big difference in the success of your project. A square shovel is a good tool for digging in hard-packed soil or moving dirt, gravel, mulch or sand. They have flat tips and squared sides that produce smooth trench walls. Trenchers are designed for digging trenches for laying pipes, drainage and cables. They can dig to greater depths and are suitable for all types of terrain. Drain spades have rounded tips and curved sides for scooping debris from a trench. They also work well for shaping the trench after excavation. Pick mattocks have a head with a pickaxe on one side and a chiselled blade on the other. They are excellent for breaking up rocky or hard surfaces and can chop roots. Pinch bars are long crowbars with a smaller blade that can be used for levering and prying. They are great for digging in soft or hard soil and can be used to break up rocks and concrete.
Safety Measures To Take
Trenching and excavations can be dangerous, especially when the job involves a deeper trench. Soil can be unstable, and workers need protective systems to prevent collapses or cave-ins that can cause serious injury or death. Protective systems include sloping, benching or shoring. These systems keep soil from falling into the trench, protecting workers from being crushed or buried by a collapsing wall. A cave-in is the most common reason for worker injuries and fatalities in excavation work, according to OSHA. The agency’s priority goal is to reduce these injuries and deaths by ensuring all workers are protected from collapse.
Reasons To Call 811
Regardless of the size of your project, call 811 a few days before digging to have underground pipes, wires and equipment located and marked. This keeps people safe and avoids damage to buried lines that provide gas, electricity, water and sewage, communications and other essential services. Every six minutes, a buried utility line is damaged because someone digs without calling 811. Hitting a buried line can disrupt critical service for you or your neighbors, cause expensive repairs, and result in costly fines. That’s why a free request to 811 is the first step in any digging project, no matter how small. That includes planting a flower bed, putting in a mailbox or installing a fence.
Excavating is a heavy duty job that requires the right equipment to get the job done. This is why a professional excavation company will invest in top-quality tools. Each tool can handle different types of digging tasks.
Spade
The spade is one of the most common tools used for excavating. It can be used to dig trenches and other deeper holes, as well as for edging lawns or lifting sod. In addition, the spade can be used to bury small weeds and mix in plant matter or compost. This can help soil to loosen and aerate, which in turn increases access for beneficial earth worms. The spade can also be used to divide plants that need it, such as trees that outgrow their space in your garden. This can be done by gently levering them away from the ground, without damaging their roots.
Shovel
A shovel is a simple tool that can be used to lift and dig soil. It can also be used to scoop and move large amounts of material, such as sand or gravel. Shovels are usually made from metal and feature a blade attached to a handle. The blade can be flat or pointed, depending on the type of soil being worked with. The handle of a shovel is usually connected to the blade by a screw or rivet. This can make it easier to replace the handle if it ever breaks down. A shovel may have a kickplate that allows you to put your foot on the upper edge of the blade and add pressure to dig deeper. This can be helpful if you’re working with heavy ground.
Pickaxe
When digging a trench it is important to have all of the appropriate tools on hand. Each tool is designed for a different purpose and works together to dig the trench. A shovel is used to shape the trench and scoop up loose dirt. A pickaxe can be used to soften the ground before you start digging, this is especially useful in cold weather when the top layer of soil is tougher to dig. The pointed side of a pickaxe is great for lodging under rocks or hard ground and prying them free, while the flat head is good for chopping through roots. A 60” bar is also handy for breaking up really hard dirt like caliche.
Mattock
A mattock is a tool that can be used to dig or break up soil. It combines an axe blade on one end with an adze (horizontal blade) on the other. It can be used on both hard and soft ground, as well as rocky terrain. It can be used for a variety of tasks, including digging trenches and cultivating soil in raised beds. To use a mattock, grasp the handle or shaft about halfway through the head and place the other hand at the base. Bend at the waist and flex your knees. You can then swing the mattock downward in an arc, making short chops under the weight of the tool. This helps save energy and reduces the risk of straining your back.
Machine Tools
When it comes to digging, there are a variety of tools available. These vary depending on the project and the materials that will be used. When digging in soft ground, a dragline is the best option. These machines have long booms, and a digging bucket is suspended on a cable that hangs from the top of the boom. They are a great choice for larger excavations such as port construction, pond and canal dredging, and pile driving. They can also be rented for small jobs that require only the use of heavy machinery. If you’re not sure which excavating equipment is right for your job, a professional provider will help you determine the best options.
A lot of time and effort goes into laying concrete structures, but sometimes it is necessary to tear apart those structures for other construction purposes. Tearing apart concrete is no easy task. Builders and contractors often turn to jackhammers to help with this big job.
A jackhammer is a serious piece of heavy equipment, and jackhammer operators must understand a few important rules before working with this tool. This quick guide will provide you with some important tips on how to operate a jackhammer.
Is a Jackhammer Easy To Operate?
The short answer is, no. A jackhammer is a major piece of heavy equipment. It takes practice to learn how to operate this equipment safely and effectively. Although a jackhammer can greatly speed up a concrete demo job when used correctly, it can actually slow down operations and endanger the team when it is not used correctly, making it a liability rather than an asset. This is why you should pay special attention to the following considerations before operating a jackhammer.
Proper Safety Equipment
There is specific safety equipment that will need to be used before you can safely operate this equipment. You will need to use the following types of safety equipment to avoid serious injuries:
Earmuff or buds
Hat
Goggles
Respirator
Visibility vest
Work gloves
Steel toed shoes
Proper Training
Do not attempt to use a jackhammer until you have had proper training on safe operation. If you are using the jackhammer at work, your employer must provide this training. If you are using a jackhammer at home, it is your responsibility to get the proper training before operating the equipment. Your safety and the safety of those around you depend on your proper training.
Proper Placement
Jackhammers are used along with an air compressor to reduce noise. Be sure to place the compressor far from the worksite. This can help keep your ears safe and make the job run more smoothly.
Proper Inspection
You should take some time prior to the operation to inspect the jackhammer. You need to check for any defects or damage that could affect the operation of the equipment.
Proper Self Position
It is also very important that you position yourself properly as well while operating the jackhammer. It should be placed at an angle leaning back toward you. This will give you more control over the tool.
Be sure to lift with your thighs. This will decrease the instance of back strain.
Proper Point Usage
Jackhammers come with different points to be used on different materials. Choosing the correct point for the material will ensure a safe job that runs smoothly and effectively. Be sure to study the points and their different applications so that you can choose the proper one for your project.
Proper Work Area
The area you will be working in should be cleared prior to operation. All bystanders should be cleared as well as animals. If you notice someone entering the job area, shut down the machine.
Any job can be done correctly with the right equipment. Renting the right equipment comes down to organizing ahead of time, familiarizing yourself with where you stand, and focusing on the details. There are several dos and don’ts when it comes to rental equipment. Here is what to know about renting equipment.
Do’s & Don’ts of Rental Equipment
If you are wondering how to rent equipment, here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind.
Make sure you put some time aside to do research before you rent any equipment. Try to find at least three different rental companies to compare. Check their quality, pricing, and other things, including deposits, delivery, and pick-up times. Once this information has been gathered, you can head to the facility to meet in person. When meeting in person, grade their customer service. Even though rental equipment should not be expensive, you should obtain high-quality equipment backed by excellent customer service. If you are not receiving that, you will probably be better off purchasing the equipment on your own.
Make sure that you not only do your research but put down a deposit. This guarantees that you will be able to cater to your guests in the best way possible on your big day. The best parties or events were planned early, and plenty of time was left to make any necessary changes.
Make sure that you ask as many questions as needed. If you don’t understand something, ask. Knowing where you stand and the task that needs to be completed is essential. This will help you better understand how long you need your rental equipment and how much equipment you need to rent. For example, you know that your job will take four hours to complete, but there is only a limit of three hours on the equipment. This means you must make some adjustments and plan accordingly.
Do know what your budget is, so you can accurately choose the option that is most affordable for you.
Don’t walk away from the rental company until you understand what’s expected of you as the customer and from the rental company. This is where many issues occur. This is why checking the terms and conditions box is an absolute must, but you should understand what those terms and conditions actually mean.
Avoid renting alone. Instead, try to find a friend or neighbor to rent with to help save yourself some money. It is already hectic enough for you to spend additional money on your event and rent the equipment needed.
When it comes to the world of power tools, there are so many different models and varieties out there. A rotary drill is a tool that not all people are going to need or are going to benefit from, but it is a tool that certainly has a place. So, what is a rotary hammer, and what might it be used for? Keep reading to find out.
What Is a Roto Hammer?
A rotary hammer is also referred to as a rotary hammer drill, and it is used to help chip away or hammer hard materials. It is not a traditional drill in that it does not make holes necessarily or does not drill holes. Instead, it works to hammer or chip holes and chip away at very hard surfaces. You can think of it as a super mini jackhammer that is hand held.
A roto hammer is a tool that is part of most work sites that use larger tools like jackhammers. You can use a roto hammer at home; you do not have to use them at work sites only, but they are a very common tool at most construction sites.
How To Use a Rotary Hammer
A rotary hammer uses the hammering motion to chip away and make a hole so that the flutes of the drill bit can take away the pieces of whatever hard material it is that the rotary hammer is working to drill. You can use a ton of different drill bits to get a different size hole or to get a different overall effect.
When it comes to a rotary hammer drills, they are often used to drill holes in very hard material like concrete so that things like rebar can be put in to help support a structure that is being built. Depending on the material you are hammering or the overall purpose of your hammering, you can choose a ton of different bits that will get you the effect and end result you are looking for.
Plenty of different bits can be used to take care of just about any job you have and just about any overall end you are trying to achieve. Now, this is not a tool that most people tend to have in their tool kit, but they are rather useful for bigger jobs.
Contact Ram Rent-All for quality equipment rentals for a range of jobs.
