10th November 2006, 07:14 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by mesolithic viking
About to embark on an excavation that is going to involve a lot of dust, some of it potentially hazardous, which I want gone as soon as poss. Has anyone ever used industrial vacuum equipment to excavate, I have been told it has been tried in Germany. I know that use of the airlift is mandatory in underwater archaeology but what about using it on land, under a standing building?
Have used industrial vacuum cleaner during Roman bath house excavation in London and it works fine (but then we did have a Roman concrete floor to clean to). That site was inside a modern standing building. Not so sure how it might work on an earthen floor, but can't see any harm in experimenting.
I may also have been one of the persons who used the equipment on cleaning up the floors of post-medieval brick buildings in Germany. (Never dis a good idea!!). That site was outdoors and I think the biggest problem was the length of the extension lead!!.