500 Foot Trench

[scuvnut]

Had to cut a 500 foot trench so I can run water and electric back to a 1/2 acre pond I have as I want to run an aerator and light the pond. Decided the best piece of equipment to do the job would be a ride on trencher (the walk behinds bounce around an awful lot). Here is a couple of pictures of me going at it.

Cut the 500 feet in less than 50 minutes. As I rented it for a full day, I drove around the neighborhood to see if anyone else needed trenches!

 

[Barneyhunts]

I have some shorter trenches to dig, so, how did it handle rocks? roots? How deep did you dig? How deep would the machine dig? Have you had much experience with the walk behind type?
Thanks for posting the pictures. Looks like you had a good day!

 

[scuvnut]

This particular unit handled the rocks without any problem. Roots are a mere afterthough. You can see that I went by a large ceder and it chowed up the roots like nothing. I dug 2 feet deep, but these units generally can go up to 4 feet deep (below the frost line). If you look at the second picture, you'll see the trench is not perfectly straight (and I did use a rope and a can of spray paint to give me a straight line). When you hit a really big rock, it shifts a little, but its pretty inconsequential.

I have rented a trencher three times in the last four years. The first time, I used a walk behind unit and trenched 200 feet. Again, it took down roots and handled rocks quite well, but bounced around alot.

The second time, I rented a ditch witch unit the was a bit bigger - it had tracks instead of wheels and was significantly heavier than the walk behind with wheels (another brand with this setup is a Toro Dingo). This was a great unit, barely bounced around and encountered lots of roots/rocks.

However, I was able to rent the driveable Vermeer unit this time for the same price as the one with tracks. The only differential is that the drive on unit may not work in close quarters.

Hope this info is of some value to you.

 

[Barneyhunts]

Thank you for the info. I t is helpful.
Barney

 

[weldingisfun]

Had to cut a 500 foot trench so I can run water and electric back to a 1/2 acre pond I have as I want to run an aerator and light the pond. Decided the best piece of equipment to do the job would be a ride on trencher (the walk behinds bounce around an awful lot). Here is a couple of pictures of me going at it.

Cut the 500 feet in less than 50 minutes. As I rented it for a full day, I drove around the neighborhood to see if anyone else needed trenches!

You are a good neighbor. Be careful, you are on the endangered species list.

 

[AndyMA]

It's amazing how fast they can trench. Also how neat they are. I have an old walk behind unit that is so heavy that it barely bounces.

Andy

 

[daBear]

Man I wish you lived near me. I am installing a sprinkler system on about 2 acres of grass in my back yard and making the trenches with a sub soiler and middle buster. Works fine, but the trencher would have been perfect. Looks good.

 

[scuvnut]

Wish I could have been there for all of you. This thing was a blast to work with!

 

[sandman2234]

DaBear needs to do what I did, and build a trencher for his tractor. It saved me $40 in rental fees, so I figured it was worth it. The unit you rented for the 500 foot trench probably cost more than the one I would have rented, since spinkler systems usually only go a few inches down, rather than feet.
Rental of a "spinning wheel" type trencher for spinkler systems is probably all that is needed.
Nice of you to offer to trench up the neighborhood!!
David from jax

 

[scuvnut]

Sandman...I did not trench for a sprinkler....this was a trench for water and electric.

I put in a one inch water line, a 1 1/2 inch conduit for 3, #2 aluminum wires and a copper ground (so I can have 30 amp service) and a 1 inch conduit for "future expansion" (maybe a cable line if I put a gazebo back by the pond and want to watch a ballgame).

 

[sandman2234]

Paul,
I caught that about your trench. My statement was for Dabear, as he said he was going to put in some sprinklers on two acres of his back yard. Figured a trencher like I built would be better for him, and they are easier to build than one with a chain that goes as deep as your did.
David from jax

 

[scuvnut]

Agreed. Deeper trenching not needed for sprinklers.

Is there any information on the site about the one you built? I'd be interested in seeing it.

 

[GaryCrowell]

It may not be "safety conscious" but to tame the walk behind trenchers I've taken a pair of vice grips and used them to hold the bail to the handle. That way you don't have to hold on to the trencher at all, just point it in the right direction and let it go. Much less work than holding on to it and letting it beat you to death.

 

[Rara Avis]

Sandman...I did not trench for a sprinkler....this was a trench for water and electric.

I put in a one inch water line, a 1 1/2 inch conduit for 3, #2 aluminum wires and a copper ground (so I can have 30 amp service) and a 1 inch conduit for "future expansion" (maybe a cable line if I put a gazebo back by the pond and want to watch a ballgame).

WATER LINE BURIAL REQUIREMENTS 2007 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE (CPC)
All water service yard piping shall be at least twelve (12) inches below grade.
The water line shall be approved for potable water use. Copper, PEX, or CPVC water line may be used within a building or structure. PVC water line may be
used up to the building or structure foundation and transition to approved pipe. The use of PEX must be approved by the use of an é„*lternate Material Form?
Water piping shall not be ran or laid in the same trench as the sewer line unless all requirements of 2007 CPC Section 720.0 are met.
Water piping can be ran in the same trench as the electrical line with the water piping below the electrical lines with a twelve (12) inch earth separation.
Water line crossing sewer shall have a min9imum of 12 earth separation. Water line shall be laid on clean compacted soil and covered with a layer of sand. All
rocks shall be removed.

 

[scuvnut]

California codes, eh? About 3000 miles from me! All kidding aside, everything was installed safely and within acceptable parameters. I even placed an plastic warning strip four inches below the surface.

 

[Rara Avis]

California codes, eh? About 3000 miles from me! All kidding aside, everything was installed safely and within acceptable parameters. I even placed an plastic warning strip four inches below the surface.

Nice touch...using the warning strip...

Don't worry...CA Codes are coming to a neighborhood near you Real Soon Now... ...like everything that seems to come out a LALA Land...

 

[mjncad]

I have some shorter trenches to dig, so, how did it handle rocks? roots? How deep did you dig? How deep would the machine dig? Have you had much experience with the walk behind type?
Thanks for posting the pictures. Looks like you had a good day!

If you have the room for a riding trencher, rent it and save your back. A walk behind will tear you up pretty quick. We used a walk behind at my Mom's place for a sprinkler system since the yard was too small for a rider. At the end of the day, my Brother-in-Law and I agreed that walk behind trenchers suck because they beat you up.

 

[daBear]

Paul,
I caught that about your trench. My statement was for Dabear, as he said he was going to put in some sprinklers on two acres of his back yard. Figured a trencher like I built would be better for him, and they are easier to build than one with a chain that goes as deep as your did.
David from jax

Sure would like to see a photo of the trencher you built. Please.

 

[sandman2234]

I am not going to repost that picture. How about just going and looking at it in it's original thread? Here is the link...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...boys-stump-grinder-5.html?highlight=poorboy's

Pictures of the trencher are on the first page. Plenty of good reading in those five pages.


David from jax

 

[scuvnut]

Sandman....thanks for pointing me to that thread. I really enjoyed reading through it.

Sounds like you may have a market - crank out 10 or 12 and I think you have alot of us interested!

On another note, on Wednesday afternoon, I used my york rake to pull all the soil back into the trench, then had to hand rake out the rocks. Took down a 45 foot Birch and then received 20 yards of topsoil. Started around 12 and had a couple of friends join the party at 5. We worked like heck, spread all the topsoil and at 8:30 pm, had all the prepwork done. One of my friends bought his commercial hydro seeder along (big, towable unit). We fired it up and seeded everything. The job is nearly complete. I'll try to get some pictures if it stops raining tomorrow. Used plenty of tactifying agent so it can't wash away!