For several days now, I've been trying to take out a metal pole in my back yard. I THINK it's half of an old clothes line. It's a steel pipe probably 3" in diameter that stands probably 6 1/2" feet off the ground(I'm a bit over 6'2", and the top is a couple of inches over my head).
When I first started, without doing anything, it was "loose" in the relatively soft ground. I started digging a bit and using an 8lb sledge to break up the cement around it. I got the easy part, but now I'm seemingly stuck.
I keep digging but I can't seem to really even find the bottom of the cement. I'd guess I'm down about 2 1/2 feet all around the cement, and it still feels like I'm hitting it as I keep going down.
It's looser still, but is defying all my attempts at budging or falling over. I seem to have hit the end of the cement that will break up easily, as hitting it now only will seem to knock a few flakes or some dust off.
BTW, this may or may not be a great idea, but I've also tried striking way up the pole in hopes that that might move it around and break it loose a little better, but that doesn't seem to accomplish anything beyond starting every dog in the neighborhood barking and deafening me.
I've tried a crow bar, but first of all can't seem to get under it, and second when I do try to pry the dirt around is soft enough that the crow bar sinks into it rather than moving the pole.
I'm wondering if, first of all, I should be using something heavier than 8lbs to break it up, or if that's the best I can hope for. Alternatively, is there something other than a sledgehammer that might be more effective at breaking it?
Second, I'm wondering if there are any other "brute force" ways to get it out. I've thought of using a tow strap on a truck, but again the ground is soft enough that I don't want to drive back there, and it's far enough back from the street that I'm not sure how great of an idea that is.
Can anyone give me some insight/suggestions?
When I first started, without doing anything, it was "loose" in the relatively soft ground. I started digging a bit and using an 8lb sledge to break up the cement around it. I got the easy part, but now I'm seemingly stuck.
I keep digging but I can't seem to really even find the bottom of the cement. I'd guess I'm down about 2 1/2 feet all around the cement, and it still feels like I'm hitting it as I keep going down.
It's looser still, but is defying all my attempts at budging or falling over. I seem to have hit the end of the cement that will break up easily, as hitting it now only will seem to knock a few flakes or some dust off.
BTW, this may or may not be a great idea, but I've also tried striking way up the pole in hopes that that might move it around and break it loose a little better, but that doesn't seem to accomplish anything beyond starting every dog in the neighborhood barking and deafening me.
I've tried a crow bar, but first of all can't seem to get under it, and second when I do try to pry the dirt around is soft enough that the crow bar sinks into it rather than moving the pole.
I'm wondering if, first of all, I should be using something heavier than 8lbs to break it up, or if that's the best I can hope for. Alternatively, is there something other than a sledgehammer that might be more effective at breaking it?
Second, I'm wondering if there are any other "brute force" ways to get it out. I've thought of using a tow strap on a truck, but again the ground is soft enough that I don't want to drive back there, and it's far enough back from the street that I'm not sure how great of an idea that is.
Can anyone give me some insight/suggestions?