Friends can’t believe I can sit and watch a guy dig holes. It’s mesmerising. Hoping to buy a backhoe for my retirement on a small farm. Lots of boxthorn to remove and to dig footings for a house. I’m a builder by trade and have always wanted to dig my own footings. I have learnt a lot from watching your videos. Thanks.

That's what I call "PROFESSIONAL" operator. Damn fine work ethic and skill. I love seeing that in the tradesman field's. My uncle is a rancher but he is also a great equipment operator. He taught me to do everything in the mindset of being very aware of what your doing and do it well. And to take care of your equipment while operating and the maintenance. And to this day I am what you would call slightly OCD about that stuff lol but I am thankful for it because in the end my vehicles etc. last and are in good shape. My work is always good and it is done in a way to stand the test of time. Don't cut corners or do stuff half assed. Thank you for showing that in your videos.

My boss in the Marine Corps gave me some advice in marksmanship but I think it translates in to almost anything...... He said "Be Brilliant at the Basics" He also preached that "slow is smooth, and smooth is fast" I think it is great advice......to bad I don't use the advice much..... nice video

That's some of the cleanest digging I've seen. You're a good operator and your soil conditions are making me a little jealous.

Great words of wisdom talking about your trade and passing along experience youve learned over the years. You have a steady hand and a lotta patience digging around those obstacles. Thanks for sharing. 👍🇺🇸

I'm a contractor, and getting a guy like you to dig footings is tough. It really saves on concrete waste, and so nice looking. I dig my own footings now. You'll like finish footing digger! Well done!

Truly amazing on how well your footings look. You definitely hit the nail on the head about being patient!!! Thanks for sharing the insight.

The work of an artist! Beautiful footings and beautiful dirt.

Thank you, that was very helpful! Now I just need to go out tomorrow and apply your instructions. I will be going back and watching all your videos. Folks like you who give so much never receive enough thanks. THANK YOU from Statesville NC. home of red clay.

A real pro with a humble and straight forward approach. Thanks for the tips.

An experienced craftsman with the right tool is like a musician with his favorite instrument, the results will always be beautiful. As a new operator I greatly appreciate your advice. I like the way you position your machine and how you align the pivot pin to get those nice straight lines. Thank you.

Love all the pointers and watching your expertise at work!!!

Excellent Lessons in this video, on more than just the machine. Thank You!

Very good training sir. Thank you so much.

That’s a nice looking footing ,I have run backhoes for years and I appreciate good work when I see it.

That is nice digging! I bought some acreage and will buy a used ol' girl for the excavation, grading, and septic. Thanks for the pointers. Cheers from Canada.

Excellent work...and thanks for the advice!

Good evening Frank, thank you for the video and explaining how you dig footings etc 👍😎🇬🇧.

Love the way you move the machine, great job those holes are straight cool. Have a good day. Peace

It's a pleasure to see an expert at work !

What an operator. One of the smoothest controlled boom and bucket I’ve seen.

Nice words of wisdom. As someone who also digs quite a few footings with a mini ex and a backhoe, I totally agree with your advice.

Actually really liked that video. It was relaxing to watch somehow. haha. Definitely smashed the like button for ya. Keep up the good work!

You'r the best. Greatings from Poland.

Hey Frank, great informative video once again.

Pure Joy to watch you operate there. Good lessons for the youngsters.

That was REALLY informative and interesting. It's such a pleasure to watch you performing your art. Thank you so much for sharing this with the rest of us. BTW some of these guys you work with are really good and helpful. They give you hand signals that sometimes I can tell what they're meaning, but not always. Would love to hear you mention what you learn from what they signal. Thank you again!

Thanks for explaining this process. I now see what I was doing wrong. Thanks you!

When it comes to setup time, my dad loved to say that there was always time to do it right the second time around, so take your time and do it right the first time. I wish all operators took their time to dig such nice neat holes. My company was putting in a private fiber network for a country club and the excavation crew that got brought in to put trenches in for us wasn't nearly as neat & careful as you were and it probably added an extra 2-3 days to the whole darn project because of it.

Always love the videos Frank and the backhoe tips are always nice too. I’m still a rookie for sure and always trying to learn what I can.

Trabalho organizado e caprichado. Obrigado pelo vídeo, saudações do Brasil.

Simply the best!!! Greatings from Romania!!!

Thanks for the wisdom! I'm digging some footer drains this weekend (video to follow up hopefully) and I'll keep your words in mind.

Thank you for all the tips

That's some serious experience on digging. Great work.

Great instructional video . I am a rookie operator and I can already see there is a science to it .

Dude you’re awesome. Music is cool. Keep up the good work

How many guys watch you closely bringing that machine to dig on site, then change their attitude when they see your skill? Seriously awesome job. I just got into doing small excavation with my mini that I just bought. Brand new yanmar sv40. I'll have to get some video to post!

That is some fine looking work! Nice job 👍🏻

Listening to him talk, as you read the captioning is hilarious!!! I can't get enough!....lol. Waaaay off!

A good layout guy helps a lot too. I was never around someone digging footings a lot but its a lot like anything else in construction you can sure see the good from the bad. I was always around utilities digging and the majority was repair where we didn't care if the ditch looked good it was mostly not wanting the Cowboys tearing a 2 thousand pair phone line out trying to fix a 3/4 in water line. We mostly fixed water, sewer and gas. You can sure see the quality in your work.

My dad always said “Perfect practice makes you better”; VERY nice video!

Skip to 8:45 for the good stuff. This guy cuts some damn clean holes!

Very good advice ! Thank's for posting !

Your very good with the old girl and I can watch and listen to you for ages my friend.

I thought this was a great vid. Im an opperatior of backhoes & I learnt a lot here. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

I watched this video years ago, I used your tips and now I earn a good living from driving an excavator. Thanks!

Looks like an older machine but it sure looks tight, you must keep her well maintained. Very impressed with your skill and attention to detail.

Hi if you have a quick hitch it's quicker to change buckets as you pointed out but also you don't have to grease your pins so much as they are not incontact with the soil as much that's what I found out when I fitted one on my JCB 3cx some years ago great vid

Great insight, I agree with what you have said here. Pride in your work is key, if you don't care on how it looks or take pride in a job well done its going to show in the end result, maybe not receive that return call as well. Great job!

Thank you Sr, great video!!👍🏽

Excellent info! Thanks More videos on repositioning a backhoe efficiently would be good too. You gave one about positioning over a ditch before which was helpful for me. I have a little Kubota that I use as basically a handyman with a tractor. I was working on a job a few days ago, a small yard maybe 30x30 and I had to dig a perimeter around it but only 4 feet wide so I couldn’t be digging it dead on, I had to be setup 90 degrees to it. Anyway it was a huge pain due to reposting and space to dump. In hindsight maybe I should have setup parallel to it to give for dump space and I did tell the owner upfront a miniex would be quicker. Anyway don’t need a reply but again repositioning info would be great 👍

Nice work Frank, and very good advise. My biggest problem is I get in a hurry, always want a full bucket. I need to take Dirty Dug's advise, " slow is smooth and smooth is fast"

Thanks for the advice!

IIm inexperienced and have to dig a lot of footing. soon. Very helpful you even have the exact same backhoe i have! Thanks

All the advice about work ethic and here is great. Because it applies to any vocation. If you're not working the hardest you don't stand a chance at being the best. I couldn't agree more

Love your style of diggin👏👏👏😃 Prescott,Arizona here🌵 🌟New Subscriber🌟

Thank you for making this video.

Thank you for the advise!

Very neat work. 😃 I have a mini excavator and use that same trick to check my layout before digging

An artist with his favorite paint brush!! And awesome advice Frank! And I couldn't agree more, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast!

3" off the dirt for rebar typically. Dobes are three inches, and they do have smaller ones for drive ways.

Holy crap that's a bunch of conduit. I've never been around a job that size. Great job, as usual. Must have learned how to do that from Brandon. :)

Top notch digging mate.Greetings from down under

Excellent.

Excellent!

Great explanation! Great advice! Great video! Thanks for another fantastic video! Keep making them backhoes great!

Frank you have easy listening voice and do a real nice job on these videos. Real advantage in having good work ethics you can be proud of the work that you do top notch. Thanks for the video and if you think you’re an old man what does that make me 😔 bummer

Wonderful control (from Australia).

Great video Frank! Always pick up some tips to help me improve digging footings, thank you! Even though I run an excavator lol!

Glad to support your channel, I'm sure alot of people don't know what its like to have thousands of hours of seat time! Lol easy job! Good info here!

Excellent excavating, thanks for the valuable insight i appreciate your kindly sharing.

perfect job bro

18 minutes in learned two good pointers fresh teeth and minni x curl on short ditch is difficult.But I like the minni x with sand bucket mostly because for the last year I have been digging at a airport with live wires popo pipes telecommunications you name it.I really like being able to dig and pile dirt 360. This gentleman is very good second generation I could hear and see he had the motor revved down.Thanks great tutorial

Damn fine work there sir .

Digging around all those obstacles would make me more nervous than a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs. You make it look too easy. I enjoy watching you work.

Great tips, thanks from hobby mini digger guy in uk

Good video. In every job you have people who take pride in their work and themselves yet are humble and those that are just there for the paycheck. Quality work is being sacrificed in the name of production. Too many steering wheel holders is part of the reason I don't drive otr anymore.

Nice job....!

I still like a backhoe great information about digging. I try to tell my students don't blow out the dirt and don't be a bottom digger. I am differently am going to use this video in my classroom. Thank you for sharing.

Smooth.

Nice skills, im not quite there yet but always welcome pointers

You’re slick on that backhoe sir. You make it look easy. I can never get use to the blind spot of the boom in my face. I’m going to dig out a footer on Monday so I’m looking for some pointers and I can honestly say my dig out won’t look nearly as clean as yours lol.

Nice video thanks !

Experienced operators use the boom and stick to load bucket; bucket stays flat; and bottom of the ditch is smooth and maintains grade;beginners tend to hog and curl the bucket to load it; you can get grade doing that but it takes a lot more time to make bottom of the ditch smooth ; and its a lot harder to fill for an obstacle curling the bucket to load it; i know some will disagree but a well experienced operator could dang near dig a hole blind doing it by feal and could stop as soon as they felt something not right Thanks for the pointers frank another good video as always

Clean work....

Very good

Good stuff mate. I was hearing two voices in the cab and thinking, "Why didn't he just remove the other sound track?", and then I realised I had another one of your videos open at the same time. :D Thanks for sharing your tips. They will come in handy.

Wow you're good!

Wow, u can run a backhoe quite good. Though a mini excavator can't move piles of dirt like the loader can, they sure spoil a guy for quick positioning and ease of maneuvering. My first machine was a Cat 426b x-hoe. Still have it and i still use it a little, but, man, for the last 2 years I've primarily used, and LOVE using, my Yanmar Vio35-6A with it's thumb and i really like the wide 38 inch flat edge bucket. It's great for square holes and retaining wall footers.

Like that video, even learned something I'll be incorporating into my digging with lining up the pin. Just wondering why you dug the bigger footings and then came back and dug the connecting trenches afterwords?

That's a lot of good advice. That one foot bucket is still driving me nuts and I'm sure it ain't do it anymore for your sanity

WHAT A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU PAINT BEFORE YOU DIG. NICE JOB THX.

THANKS! Just bought mini-X for personal use.

Great talk through on doing trenches, thanks for sharing Stay safe Dwayne

What's the best technique to dig when you get to the required elevation to keep excavated surface leveled? I dip very often when digging for footings.

Wow,You got a new sub.👍

Intended on watching the video, ended up trying to learn the guitar part. Thanks? lol

It adds interest knowing what area you operate in so we can look up the weather forecast. I mention this because of how wrapped up your man with the laser stick was. I expected to find it was close to freezing, but Google tells me it is 85° (24° in real money) in the Mulhal ok area, so your man must really fell the cold. I've heard you give tips on digging neat footings before, but this was more comprehensive, and interesting as all heck. I almost feel that I could get on a backhoe and have half a chance of digging a half tidy ditch, which is completely ridiculous, but testifies to your skills as a teacher. With apologies for putting you on the spot, is it fair to say you are highly respected at what you do? By the guys with the hard hats I mean. We've seen a few different people checking grade for you, and they all seem to have complete confidence in you. Today's grade checker was a bit stingy with his feedback. It looked like a quarter inch movement of a finger tip was supposed to give you a picture of the bottom of that blind hole.

You say what Ron Pratt at Midwest Truck says about wrecker operation "small slow increments " is safer for him and more accurate for you. Thanks.