Any Groundworkers Or Machine Operators?

[WorkshopChris]

Just a quick question, 3 doors down from us are having a drive and front garden ripped up.

The characters they have employed are breaking drive and walls. They appear to be just banging the machine bucket straight down to smash stuff up.
Haven't heard a breaker all day.

We are a good 40 foot away but sometimes the walls and ground can be felt shaking.

Don't mind the noise as if a job has to be done, then that's acceptable.

But when things on the wall shake what do you call acceptable.

1st is our drive, a hedge, next doors drive then next door and it's the property attached that's having the work done. i can only imaging what it must be like next door.

Surely if its that hard going they need a breaker?

 

[Martylee]

Just abusing the machine by the sound of it..
I'd imagine it's only a small machine and there not man enough to just rip through stuff.. we have a pecker/breaker attachment for ours..and a normal breaker

 

[Welderpaul]

Cowboys.

Machines will deal with a bit of riving and pulling, in a controlled way, but not just bashing the bucket off things.
It damages the buckets, ram seals, hydraulics, and puts the machine under massive stress.

We repair loads of buckets a lot are fair wear and tear, but we get a lot with the ears ripped off, the bottoms all caved in, teeth ripped off, bashed out of shape etc etc.

We've had the odd mini digger and skid steer loader in, all the arm welds cracked, all down to idiots operating them.

Quicker in the long run to break up with a pecker then use the machine for what it was designed for...instead of just killing a 20K bit of kit.

 

[WorkshopChris]

That what i thought, was surprised how far the impact traveled and could be felt.
They don't appear to be very professional.
If it starts again tomorrow might go and have a word.

 

[roofman]

Cowboys.

Machines will deal with a bit of riving and pulling, in a controlled way, but not just bashing the bucket off things.
It damages the buckets, ram seals, hydraulics, and puts the machine under massive stress.

We repair loads of buckets a lot are fair wear and tear, but we get a lot with the ears ripped off, the bottoms all caved in, teeth ripped off, bashed out of shape etc etc.

We've had the odd mini digger and skid steer loader in, all the arm welds cracked, all down to idiots operating them.

Quicker in the long run to break up with a pecker then use the machine for what it was designed for...instead of just killing a 20K bit of kit.

Also kills the bucket and arm pins

 

[WorkshopChris]

Also kills the bucket and arm pins

I have machined up bushes to weld into buckets in the past for people, normally wear from poor maintenance over the years.
I imagine this one wont ever get to be that old.

We've had the odd mini digger and skid steer loader in, all the arm welds cracked, all down to idiots operating them.

When i went out earlier bucket straight down flat out onto a lump of solid brick pillar about 18" square.
Front of machine just bounced on impact.

I imagine this one will end up just the same, just not designed for it.

Just abusing the machine by the sound of it..
I'd imagine it's only a small machine and there not man enough to just rip through stuff

I have a big old kango breaker will munch through 6" concrete no problem, used it at the workshop when the builders hydraulic unit died. it was much heavier but they were surprised how powerful it was.

From the looks of them they don't want any effort.

Thanks all for the replys.

 

[arther dailey]

More to the point the shaking isnt going to do your or closer neighbours foundations /properties any favours is it.Arther

 

[WorkshopChris]

If they carry on tomorrow i am tempted to ask them for details of there public liability insurers incase anyone needs it in the future.

 

[arther dailey]

Well a word to the wise, have some one come with you, not for any physical reason, but as a back up as in who said what should things escalate, so you are covered, as you will find several of them will swear blind what you did/didnt say irrespective of what you actually say, phone in hand to record although inadmissable as evidence unless you state you are recording conversation.
Stay very calm, be polite. you get the picture I am sure, maybe nip around and also have a word with neighbours ,inbetween properties, this evening maybe,put them in the picture, it would be better if they are on side from the get go. Arther

 

[MrFluffy]

I have a jcb but no breaker nor is my machine piped for same. I have used the edge of the bucket and pick under with the bucket teeth to lift something big, then the cam shape of the bucket to wrench bits of it up if I have to. My machine weighs in at just under 8t on the scales, but I dont use the bucket like a impact hammer even on demolition work. Its all crumble, pick, weaken, pull in a controlled way.
When it gets to smashing things with the bucket with a small machine, its either on hire and they dont give a poo and understand how to operate it or its hired hands wanting to destroy the machine and get a early dart. It won't be them fixing the aftermath of their idiocy thats for sure.
How big is the job anyway? They should be done by now. I demolished a house in a day once touching my adjoining house (so very very very carefully...) , starting at pulling the tins off the roof with the 3-in-1 nipping them to ripping up the slab.

 

[rory1]

The only thing on a groundwork machine that will never get broken is the grease gun.

 

[arther dailey]

And theres a man who (Mr Fluffy)knows how to use a machine........

 

[MrFluffy]

The only thing on a groundwork machine that will never get broken is the grease gun.

I'm on my 3rd!

 

[rory1]

You must be using the grease gun for knocking bucket pins in!

 

[colnerov]

If they carry on tomorrow i am tempted to ask them for details of there public liability insurers incase anyone needs it in the future.

You could also ask them for their risk assessment and method statement.

 

[Kent]

Don't go and give them a telling unless you can finish the agro ( still not a great plan if you land in court)
Call the council it's thier job

 

[WorkshopChris]

Don't go and give them a telling unless you can finish the agro ( still not a great plan if you land in court)
Call the council it's thier job

It won't be going that far, but after a whole day of it starting at 7.40 this morning till about 6ish, i will be suggesting they go and get a decent breaker and if the impact and vibration continues i will be requiring their public liability details for any future reference.
Will be firm but polite, with a digital dictaphone in pocket recording.

Just don't see why others need to be bothered just because they can't obtain the correct tool for the job and use it correctly.

 

[Ton-up]

Bet its a hired mini digger!!

 

[brightspark]

Bet its a hired mini digger!!

ihad my back yard dug up and rubble put in the jcb driver pounded the rubble down with the back of his bucket u could see that it had been flattened glad it wasn't mine

 

[Badger1bear]

Our idiots keep me busy, they can shear 70 and 80 mm pins