Backhoe Small Backhoe...Feet per Hour???

[Henro]

I have to tie into a new sewer and this requires about 240 feet of trench. I got started on it yesterday, and a bit today until the rain started.

Now I am wondering...how fast does one normall dig a trench with a small backhoe? I have a Kubota B2910 with a BL4690A, which has I think a 7.5 foot 2-foot-bottom digging capacity.

I did not time anything, but it seems like if I were to dig a 4' deep trench my pace would be about 20 linear feet per hour. Does this seem realistic? Maybe I do more than that, I did not measure so I don't really know. My trench is roughly 42 inches deep (or a little more). Seems like 20 feet per hour is really slow, but that is my guess as far as my progress is going, maybe a little more as I am only going down 42 inches.

So...how fast can you dig a 4' deep trench with your small backhoe? I am using a 16" bucket, by the way. Mabye that is a consideration too...I don't know...

I should say I mean digging a trench where one does not have to worry about existing pipes that may be in there.

Funny thing is that when I was digging close to the house I had no problem until I actuall found where my existing pipe out to the septic tank was. After I could see where it was, I promptly poked a hole in it!!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Henro]

Here is a pic of the repaired OPPS... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Pipe was cracked and had a hole in the top half...aluminum flashing and some hose clamps should hold it until I have to cut it off and tie the new pipe into the undamaged part on the right side of the repair... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Henro]

Man...I don't know why but when I look at the first picture I posted I just see the dreaded red X...but the second picture posts fine.

From past experience I bet the first pic will be there later...not sure why this happens...I used to post a second picture and then both would be here...this time I will wait and see if the picture becomes visable later... which I expect it will...anyway, it was just a picture of a ditch...not that interesting... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[SacandagaBrad]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I don't know why but when I look at the first picture I posted I just see the dreaded red X. )</font>

When I clicked on it, I got a message that the image contains errors. The software must know that hitting the sewer line is an error!

Nice repair job.

Brad

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I don't know why but when I look at the first picture I posted I just see the dreaded red X...but the second picture posts fine )</font>

Me, too.

 

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Now I am wondering...how fast does one normall dig a trench with a small backhoe? I have a Kubota B2910 with a BL4690A, which has I think a 7.5 foot 2-foot-bottom digging capacity.

I did not time anything, but it seems like if I were to dig a 4' deep trench my pace would be about 20 linear feet per hour. Does this seem realistic? )</font>

Henro,

I own a small Bobcat trackhoe that has a 13 hp engine on it. The bucket is a 20" bucket and I can do a trench 36" deep and do about 60 feet in an hour. But that is moving along and usually in sand as we use it in basements of house's and typically the footing has been filled with sand.

Now I know of a job where one of the big boys had a trench of about 100 feet and it took three days as it was all shale and rock. I am sure the times he stoppoed to watch the girls walk by didn't help him none either.

murph

 

[Henro]

Just for the sake of it, I am going to post the picture a second time.

If history repeats itself, this picture may be viewable, and the original picture my suddenly appear also.

A minute ago I tried to edit the original post, but the result was the same...red x...

Wonder if this time it will work? The image remains the same...

Not an iteresting image at all...just doing this more out of curiosity... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Edit: Hummmm...works this time...I did not change the image...guess I will remain... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[PineRidge]

Henro all of your pictures are viewable to me.

I can't answer your question about the BH as I never clocked myself while ditching. Besides mine is a 12" bucket so I disturb less soil and maybe move faster? I don't know myself thats why I used the question mark. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Besides all seat time is good anyway isn't it?

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> Besides all seat time is good anyway isn't it?
</font>

Pineridge...I still can't see the first one... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I agree that all seat time is good time...but...funny enough...my daughter observed that after a lot of hours on the tractor my " perma grin" seems to turn to "perma grimace"... not sure what that means... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

The grimace still feels pretty good though...when I look over at the shovel... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bczoom]

Henro

All pics worked fine for me as well.

As for the trenching, I'm going to have to say there's so many variables that dictate what can be done per hour.

Looking at your pics, I'm not seeing anything that would really slow you down. No curves, corners, rocks, hills, pipes (oops, except the existing line), electric lines, cable, tele... (you get my point).

I had a 75hp Cat skidsteer over a few weeks ago putting in public water to my place. Trench was only 80-90' long but took 3 hours. We had all the aforementioned (curves, rocks, hills, pipes...) to deal with. Looking at the 2 jobs, his machine was a lot bigger but only accomplished about the same as what you did.

As for "Perma-grimace". I've encountered that. It's having seat time but doing the same thing for so long that you're just getting bored and want to just do something else in the seat for awhile.

 

[Henro]

Murph,

Now I am really curious. I guess I should draw a line on the ground and start a stop watch...

Excavators are made to excavate...but I would have expected that I could do about half as well as what your excavator does...maybe I actually can... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

But being the guy I am...I probably won't worry too much about making an exact time measurement... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

When I think about it and remember the past...my little backhoe is so much faster than the pick and shovel I used to use that I really don't care exactly how long it takes...i'm at lest a hundred time faster now... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Still curious in hearing others experience though...keep them coming!

 

[theonlybull]

couple years ago, i ran a new water line for my grandfather. 410', crossed 2 ditches, a 40' wide driveway, and had to hook into the house, and a rocked up dug well. that took about 4 hours, with a '70 580 case tlb.
course, that was mid aug. dry, with a 24" bucket. the 40' driveway took over an hour, it was so compacted from 60 years of heavey traffic....

 

[MossRoad]

Don't know about a back hoe, but I can dig out my septic tank lids in about 10 minutes with a shovel. The hole is about 3 feet wide, 6 feet long and 2 feet deep. That's 36 cubic feet in 10 minutes, or 216 qubic feet per hour.

Your 4' deep trench by 20 feet long is only 104 cubic feet per hour. Shades of John Henry, here. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

(I suppose I should mention that our septic tanks lids are covered with sand and I am about ready to faint after that 10 minutes /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

 

[rdln]

I dug the electric and water to the barn 48-60in with 9in bucket 275ft in about 12hrs total so I would say that you couldnt be going a 'hole' lot faster. If it helps break out the shovel for about 2 minutes to regain your appreciation of the tractor.

 

[pifan]

i recently dug a trench 18 inches deep 50 ft long with a shovel it took me three hours i wish i had a trailer to haul my backhoe it probablu would have took me longer with that i havent used it much so i am not that good on it but it would have been alot more fun and i also would havehad to fix a septic pipe and a gas line

 

[GregJ]

Henro,
Like you, I really haven't taken a stop watch, but I have a rough idea on a few projects. The ditches I have dug have been closer to 3ft and our soil is mostly sandy and very few rocks. I recently ran a ditch for irrigation and power and my estimate on that project was around 50' per hour, on the straight part of the run. I also ran power and water at a neighbors place, slightly less than 3', mostly hard clay and 150' took around 3 hours.

When I bought my place (27 years ago), I had a friend ditch a new water line for me with a full sized BH. He does this for a living. He dug 900 feet of ditch, while we were laying the pipe behind him and then he back filled... In 8 hours total. He is good.

So, I think that the machine makes a difference. The soil makes a difference. Skill can make a difference. And in my case, being slightly "hyperactive" , makes a difference /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

This post almost sounds like it could result in some type of challenge. If I could just get my wife to let me dig some more ditches in the back yard, I'd love to compete in this one. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Greg

 

[ronjhall]

Bill
I can see all your pictures. It's about 12 hours later. Maybe you can see them now.
I have several backhoe projects to do next spring. I'll be interested in what kind of time you come up with.
I'm not planning on making any Oops though, so my time should be a little better. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[dummy]

<font color="blue"> Excavators are made to excavate...but I would have expected that I could do about half as well as what your excavator does...maybe I actually can...
</font> The largest difference, IMO, is in moving the machine along the trench. With an excavator or full size TLB it doesn't take nearly as long because you don't have to "switch seats".

<font color="blue">my little backhoe is so much faster than the pick and shovel I used to use </font> Ain't modern machinery great?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Pineridge...I still can't see the first one... )</font>

Those red Xs are a real puzzle to me, too. Yesterday, I got the red X like you on the first picture you posted, but this morning I get the picture instead of the red X. There's gotta be a reason. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Boondox]

Henro -- Backhoes are remarkably efficient once they're in position; it's the moving part I find that takes all the time. So when I have a long trench I park my wife (and her knitting) in the driver's seat, with me manning the hoe. I dig till I can't dig anymore, raise the outriggers and holler for her to move forward. She moves, drops the bucket, sets the brakes, and I start digging again. Unless she gets her yarn tangled in the controls this method works really well for her...though it usually costs me a bottle of champagne at the end of the day!

Pete