Working in caliche?

Bob, I did not knowabout caliche.  But it sounds vaguely similar to the predominant rock in my part of the world, sedimentary limestone.  It does make good building facing material, but its structural properties are nowhere close to that of, say, granite.  So I am now a little wiser.

On the other hand, my previous life consisted of working in a muskeg swamp basin roughly 100-150 miles in diameter.  The US Army used to do manoeuvres there.  I do believe the Sherman tank ultimately got recovered….

Mike 

Growing up in the southwest I have had more up close and personal contact with caliche than I care to mention.  It is just like a layer of concrete.  Many times blasting was the only way to get through it.  

You got that right!  When I had the sign shop in Phoenix I dreaded having to install signs for new subdivisions – they were always in areas that were solid caliche.  The stuff was everywhere.  Most times I subcontracted the holes to a guy with a powerful auger machine.  Well worth the money!  Digging a post hole with a bar and clamshell could take all day for one hole.  In 120 degree heat that was a killer, to say nothing of what it did to the profit margin.

We have lots of caliche down here in the islands, too.  They build houses with it.  When I bought land last year I made sure I was up high enough that there wouldn't be any damn caliche.  I hate that stuff!