Cable trencher/puller

[LD1]

think I am gonna make one to install cabling and invisible dog fence. Plan to start this evening and will post pictures, but I have this idea in my head and though I would ask opinions and thoughts if there is anything to improve. Cant really draw out what I want very well so I will describe and hope you get the visual.

Basically picture a subsoiler with the bottom removed. Just the cross/3ph mount. Now on the bottom, I will weld a 4" x 6" or so plate with the front angled up. Kinda like a snow plow skid shoe. This will control the depth.

Now off the bottom of that, at a 45" angle as looking from the back of the tractor, I will weld a wedge made of 2 1/4" plates. And will be approx 1" wide at the back. On the sharp "business" end, it will be angled as well to dig in. So picture a subsoiler, but where it makes the bend or hook forward, lay that over on a 45* angle.

On the back, I will run pipe down the backbone , follow the wedge/knife, and then 90* backwards into the trench. And will mount a spool of wire up top somewhere.

The idea of laying the business end over to 45* angle is to kinda slice under the sod and lay the wire in place, instead of a vertical trench where it would be more likely for the wire to not stay in the bottom.

Thoughts?

 

[ishiboo]

I think a regular sub-soiled would work fine. You don't need anything on the bottom if you add weight, the shank itself is wide enough for the wire to get in. Without weight, the "foot" will be needed to pull it down into the soil.

Before you spend money on materials/etc., consider how close to the surface invisible fence wire can be installed, how small it is, and how fast it is to do with a small edger/trencher combo that will leave the soil nearly undisturbed by the tractor/sub-soiler/etc.

 

[LD1]

I dont have a regular subsoiler other than the ripper shank I made years ago for ripping out roots. I dont want to rely on weight alone to hold the depth of 4-6" or so. Which is how deep I plan to go. I tend to be hard on the yard driving the tractor or BH on it when too soft. I dont want to catch the wire in the future using the tiller, blade, disc, etc fixing my rough yard. So the plan is somewhere 4-6" depth.

And I am gonna be burying ~2500' or more. At my old house I used the ripper then laid the wire in by hand. It was an all day job to do ~1500'. And dont even own an edger. This project will be built with material I already have on the rack. Just a little time to fab it up.

 

[kennyd]

Here is a good read, including some pics of a simple one I made: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/166757-cable-plow.html?highlight=trencher

You can use the Google search to find some more with the term "cable plow"

 

[LD1]

Nice attachment kenny. If I was going deeper or pulling heavy wire that would be the ticket. But my concern is right wire only a few inches down not wanting to stay in the trench. Thus the angle.

Here is the progress. Still gotta do the tl and hitch pins as well as spool holder.

 

[LD1]

Finished. Might get a chance to try it Thursday or Friday

 

[kennyd]

Wow, great job LD :thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

Wow, great job LD :thumbsup:

Thanks.

Those that read this thread prior to me posting pictures, does it match the image you had in your head after reading just the description?

Only thing I would have liked to have done different is to make the cutting part all one piece. But I didnt have a piece that large or thick enough. So its comprised of several pieces. The edge piece is 1/4" sharpened. Attached to that are two pieces of 1/2" x 4" flat bar, that are touching in the front (where the "knife" is welded) and about 1/2" gap in back to form the wedge to clear the tube. The a short little gusset of 1/2" between it and the bend in the pipe.

I dont forsee having any issues. Only concern would be a tree root, where a vertical one I could lift the 3PH and lice through, cant do that a well with the angled cutter. But I am hoping it will help the wire stay in place better. In my head I picture it working like a moldboard plow. Slicing the sod, and placing the wire under there, but instead of turning the sod, the sod will just settle back into place ontop of the wire.

 

[kennyd]

I can only relate my experience with the one I built and used for a few quick projects, but I'd expect yours to work just as you anticipate LD.

I think it will do just as you said, and a quick drive over will make the small trench all but disappear. I would suggest a "dry run" over your route though, that way any roots, rocks or other obstructions can the cleared before you start actually laying wire.

 

[LD1]

Only area with trees to worry about are right at the starting and stopping point. Everything else is wide open. Hope to try tomorrow and I'll be sure to take some pictures and let everyone know how it works