Digging Graves

[atgreene]

Most of them are done by hand around here.

A few years ago a buddy past away in the local FD. I got to the cemetary early, concrete vault was just rolling in. No grave. Driver got out, grabbed a shovel and started digging. He had less than an hour. Fortuneatly it was sand digging. It was his second one of the day. I had my dress uniform on, offered to strip down and help him but he insisted it was no big deal.

He dug the hole, set the vault, laid out the carpet etc and said, I'll be back in a couple hours, have another one to set just up the road and off he went as the hearse and family were pulling in. I was impressed, one a day is enough for me and this guy said 3-4 a day is not uncommon.:notworthy

 

[Bumpsteer]

Winter burials depent on the cemetary, some do, some don't. One of the local cemetaries rents mosuelem space for winter storage. Alway was a pita to have to handle someone twice. My dad is a retired undertaker, usually ended up helping him more than I wanted.

Our local cemetary uses a propane burner, works great, just time consuming.
The sexton uses an old Ford 800 series tractor with loader & hoe. He's never in a rush....does excellent work.

Ed

 

[JS580SL]

Ive only done one once with a friend. Use a 420 cat with a 24inch straight edge swinger bucket and some flat shovels. Cut the sod by hand with the shovels. Dug it with the hoe and squared the edges perfect with the shovel.

One this with frost, pealing it up, loam comes up in big chunks, no way to keep square edges. Could keep a compressor and jack hammer on hand if you have one to use.

Man did I feel bad when they made me wait off in the corner with the machine still in site.

 

[daman]

Man did I feel bad when they made me wait off in the corner with the machine still in site.

Was at a burial once and they had the dang hoe(case)still in plain sight off to the side,how damn inconsiderate was that!

 

[JS580SL]

I was doin what I was told but if it was my machine I would've hit the road for a bit. No reason to have it there while a burial is taking place.

 

[daman]

Sure that would be the proper thing to do just drive down to the corner or something.

 

[CT18fireman]

I was told they want the machine on site. The also want the dump cart to be able to be brought to the hole after the casket is lowered. Their funeral practice is to have the hole completely filled in brfore the service is complete. So I guess difference people have different practices.

Still working on the bid with them. Currently they have services split which they will continue (I will definately get the mowing/plowing etc.) Just seeing if I can bid in the graves for a better price.

 

[watglen]

My father manages a cemetery. I think the biggest problem of all is soft ground spring and fall. Somehow you have to get the machine to the gravesite without destroying the grounds. Something to think about.

One time my neighbour passed away, he was cremated. We had to dig a hole for the urn. Sure enough, we were still digging when the funeral procession arrived! Not a good scene!

I know the dead guy wouldn't have cared.

 

[biggrader]

I used to dig graves for the family business from 1986 t0 1996. about 100/year. we used a little JD backhoe with a 36" bucket with little teeth. cut the sod in about 12" x 36" chunks with the bucket and set off the side of the hole. Lay down plywoods and back in the single axel truck and load out the dirt. my brother now digs most of them with a hitachi EX 60. My dad started in 1967 so been in the family many years. got to tell u a little story if u dont mind. The vault guy and I had completed the setup in a little country cemetary one daay and had about ahour to kill before the ceremony. So we went to town about 2 miles away and grabbed a pop. Came back about 15 minutes later and sat and waited for the hearse. After the service was over the funeral director motioned us over, just like all the other times. when we got up to the gravesite he said we have a little problem. Apparently while we were gone the neighbor's dog down the road came over snoopin around and fell in the hole. While the pastor was giving his speach, I guess, you could here the dog whimpering. After we moved the fake grass away, we found a basset hound in the bottom of the hole. jumped downed and lifted him out. Talk about a happy dog. The funeral director gave us a quick " what for" and then we finished. Strange things happen. Got a chuckle when it was all over.

 

[245dlc]

Lol, that is a good story. I think the way to go with the really "tight" cemetary's is with a small excavator and some kind of dump cart. A loader-backhoe is nice as you can bucket away extra dirt and clear snow with the loader as well you dont need a truck and trailer all the time to go to the next job. But with a small excavator you can sit in spot and not have to worry to much about where to place the machine. I guess different strokes for different folks.