On Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:32:39 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Smitty Two wrote:

I'd like to remove a couple of largish size piles of dirt from under the
house. Maybe 10 good wheelbarrow loads or more, I'm not sure. Hatch is
in the back wall and is about 12" high by 24" wide and there's a drop
down from there of about 12".

I'm thinking of either a kids' wagon, or small plastic toboggan for
transport, a long rope pull, and a plywood ramp up to ground level. So
I'd be down in the hole loading, and she'd be hauling out. Not sure
where'd she'd be dumping, because it'll have to be hauled offsite
eventually. I think I could just put another rope on my end to pull the
empty sled back to me.

Any suggested refinements to this method, or alternatives could be
helpful.

If she isn't too strong, you may want to put a pully somewhere, tie it
around a tree, so you can do the pulling from inside. Or you can
share the pulling. Tell her to wear gloves** Put out a big tarp,
pull the toboggan on to that and let her dump it.


**I needed to lift a cement square from my sidewalk and asked my
neighbor to help. He came back with rubber dishwashing gloves!! I
gave him leather work gloves. He always said yes when I asked him to
help me put the slab back, but never showed up.

Rent a vacuum excavator trailer from United, Nations, etc. Suck the dirt

The United Nations is unreliable, too many votes by a bunch of
dictators including those that support terrorism.

Other than that, your suggestion may be a good one.

out in short order, tow it off to where you will dispose of it, use the
convenient dump feature and return. Probably can do in a half day rental
if you plan well, certainly not more than a day.