Backhoe Almost got that backhoe bucket mounted...DONE!

[Charlie_Iliff]

Re: backhoe bucket mounted...UPDATE

Dave:
Sounds like your digger and the project were both great successes. But, only the water and phone lines? It's only a complete job when you also get the main electric service. That's how you find out about those slick expensive epoxy filled permanent underground wire repair kits.

 

[davesisk]

Re: backhoe bucket mounted...UPDATE

He he he, hopefully the main electric service AND gas lines are buried deeper than I can reach! However, this is the second time I've cut the phone line within 1 year, so don't I get some points for that? (I also got the cable TV first time!) /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

This phone cable is difficult to find. It's 5 pair (around 18 gauge or so) with copper sheath, then black insulation. Neither Lowes nor Home Depoot has the same thing, so I'll have to use two sections of underground rated regular phone cable. I used the same thing for my first repair beside the garage.

 

[MossRoad]

Re: backhoe bucket mounted...UPDATE

All cable cutting humor aside, do you have the "call before you dig" service in your area? Around here, if you call it, they have so many days to come out and mark the utilities. If you then cut them, they have to pay for repairs. If you don't call them and cut them, you have to pay for the repairs. Here, they are famous for being incorrect, but they always fix it.

 

[Carpenter]

Re: backhoe bucket mounted...UPDATE

Dave,

Don't count on those gas lines being buried too deep. A couple of years ago, a friend had the utilities marked before digging; on the second bite with the backhoe, he pulled up a nice chunk of plastic gas line! It was only buried 6" deep! I guess their trencher was feeling tired that day. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif You're lucky you don't live here; our water lines are at least 3' deep.

Congrats on the innovative setup; Invention's mother, Necessity, comes through again. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[davesisk]

Re: backhoe bucket mounted...UPDATE

Yup, we do have that service here, but unfortunately the only person who could give me the phone number was the plumber. You have to call 48 hours ahead of time, and I wanted the water fixed this weekend. So, I took the risk. Luckily, phone line isn't too hard to repair.

I'm going to call them a little later this week and get them to mark everything, then I'll add the lines to an AutoCAD drawing of our lot, so I'll know where the stuff is in the future.

Dave

 

[MossRoad]

Re: backhoe bucket mounted...UPDATE

Like Carpenter said, don't count on them being accurate. It is more of a cover your assets type of thing. As long as you call, you're off the hook for blowing up the neighborhood. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

A friend of mine had them come out and mark his property before he put in a fence. They marked his gas, phone and water. The power was overhead. He ended up hitting two unmarked gas lines. One one each side of his back yard. Cut the service to his north neighbor in the morning and his south neighbor in the afternoon. He was not responsible for either. He was very upset that his neighbors gas lines came several feet into his yard on both sides. The neighbors weren't very happy, but realized that it wasn't his fault.

And 48 hours is a long time to go without water, I'll agree. But it is great for future projects.

 

[davesisk]

Re: backhoe bucket mounted...UPDATE

Agreed!

Actually, we wouldn't have went without water for 48 hours. We would just turn it on for a few hours at a time and let her leak. I think the leak started quite a while ago. I was wondering why my front lawn was soooo green when everyone else's was dead! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif