Another use for that shop vacuum

[JDgreen227]

Had a broken corner post for the fence around my garden that needed to be removed, and it was set in concrete. Rather than dig all the way around it using a PHD to the 3 foot depth, I did the first foot that way, then kept loosening the remaining 2 feet deep soil around it with a long prybar, and used my oldest shop vacuum to suck out the loosened soil. Don't laugh, but this method saved a lot of digging, and the replacement post and concrete went into a hole that wasn't way oversized. In the past, I have used this method to remove loose material from postholes the PHD wasn't able to grip.

 

[ultrarunner]

Works for me too...

My grandmother shared a common fence with a neighbor and the posts were starting to go after 40+ years...

I agreed to work with the neighbor to get it done... a few days ahead of time, I brought in the posts for Saturday's project.

Saturday morning I arrived and the neighbor had set two of them... took him a day to do each one as he removed all of the concrete that had wire in it...

I told him I was planning on pulling the posts and using my shop vac to clean the holes and this is why I didn't buy and sack concrete.

Did all the rest in 4 hours and the posts have not moved... he said I was pretty smart for a kid...

 

[bcp]

replace a fence post using a vacuum cleaner

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A8i6mouohw]replace a fence post using a vacuum cleaner - YouTube[/ame]

Bruce

 

[creekbend]

Innovative. :thumbsup: Thanks for posting.

 

[gonegreen]

After building a new home I needed to install a mail box. I wanted to cement a 4x4 in the ground but was worried about the replacement of the post. I had a 7 foot piece of vinyl porch post sleeve that I cemented in the hole. Then I mounted my mail box to a 7 foot 4x4 post, dropped the 4x4 into the vinyl sleeve and put a screw through the back. The vinyl cover protects the wooden post from rotting and looks nice too. If the mail box needs replaced, just remove the screw and lift it back out of the sleeve.

As for "another use for that shop vac". After plowing snow in the winter, I use mine in the spring to pick up the gravel out of the yard (before the grass starts to grow). This is much easier than raking..........the only drawback is the neighbors may think you've gone looney when they drive by and see you vacuuming the front yard.

 

[SHORT KID]

gonegreen
I did the same thing , while the ground is frozen use a rake to loosen the stone and suck it up. My neighbors already know I am looney so all they have to figure out is HOW DID HE KNOW TO DO THAT ?

 

[JDgreen227]

gonegreen
I did the same thing , while the ground is frozen use a rake to loosen the stone and suck it up. My neighbors already know I am looney so all they have to figure out is HOW DID HE KNOW TO DO THAT ?

Did you have to run 350 feet of #10 cord out as I would have had to, or use a generator on a yard trailer to power your vacuum?

 

[orezok]

Quite often we have to run new utilities on our school sites, some of which are 50 years old. we need to know the exact location of the utility including exact depth. Locator services only give you and approximate location and no depth.

We hire a company who has a large vacuum truck similar to the ones used to clean septic tanks.

They come out after the locator and will give us exact location and depth up to about 8'. They do it with a hole that's only a foot in diameter.

When you are working on sites that have 4160 power, you don't want to guess where it's at!