Utility line digging begins

[DK35vince]

The utility line digging for the new house began today.

 

[DK35vince]

another

 

[DK35vince]

Made it about 250' today at 40" deep, which puts me almost half way with the first ditch.

 

[DK35vince]

I made it another 50' or so past the last photo, to where I need to cross the driveway.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

The job looks so perfect and tidy. Very nice. How many hours did this take you?

Cliff

 

[Richard]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The job looks so perfect and tidy )</font>

I absolutely agree. Very well done! not sure if a trencher could have made it as nice/pretty.

 

[Michael_S]

Good work.
Just had service run for my new house. I wanted to do it myself, but the electric co-op would only deduct $2 a foot from their fee. After I figured in the cost of conduit, 4 ft 90's, pull string, fuel, the savings only worked out to about .75 a foot or $375 total.
I decided I was better off letting them handle it, due to weather and time constraints.
Their trencher got stuck about 3 times.
How much are you saving?

 

[DK35vince]

The electric company never gave me the option for them to dig it.
The eletric company will run 400' free, then 5' per foot afterward.
I dig the ditch, supply and install conduit.
Total feet was around 550.

 

[DK35vince]

Cliff,
I'm not sure how long (can't remember what time I started, my memory bites), maybe 7 or 8 hours or so.

 

[To20Chris]

Very nice work, very neat! But where the heck are the rocks??!! Where is the mud?? You're in PA, you can't fool me - I think these pix are fakes! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[GerardC]

Impressive! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif G

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Cliff, I'm not sure how long (can't remember what time I started, my memory bites), maybe 7 or 8 hours or so. )</font>

I asked this because many people say they would not get a BH to dig such trenches because they would spend all their time moving the tractor and that it would be too slow -- they would rent a trencher or some such.

Seems to me you dug a lot of clean trench in short time.

Cliff

 

[DK35vince]

Got to make the backhoe pay for itself somehow /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I'm sure a trencher would be faster, but I bought a backhoe to use, so I'm using it !!
To move forward I just stuffed the backhoe in the ground and pushed myself forward, I never did climb up and down on the tractor seat !! Maybe your not supposed to do it that way, but OH well, its my tractor /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[DK35vince]

Chris,
I've been lucky so far, I haven't run into much rock.
The front half of my property isn't to bad for rock.
The middle of the property is nothing but rock (sandstone), but I don't have much digging back that far so I should be OK !!

 

[To20Chris]

Joking aside, it's beautiful work. How do you like the Rhino BH? I have the 65A - I haven't tried digging to 40", but I imagine the extra 2' makes a big difference in how far you can move it each time & still get a flat bottom. I find that judging that distance is sometimes difficult, and it's a real pain when you get off, drive it to a new spot, and then find you've gone too far or not enough. I've been tempted to push/pull it with the BH, but I've usually had the brake on and bucket down. Come on - share your secrets!

 

[To20Chris]

You must have posted while I was replying - I'm going to have to try moving it that way next time - I've been tempted before.

 

[DK35vince]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've been tempted to push/pull it with the BH, but I've usually had the brake on and bucket down. Come on - share your secrets! )</font>

Bucket up, brakes off !!

 

[To20Chris]

Any trouble with pushing it straight?

I should say any tricks pushing it straight, obviously the results show you didn't have any trouble!

 

[DK35vince]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How do you like the Rhino BH? )</font>

I have the Rhino 85.
Its been working real well for me so far, I like it.
Its around 1 year old now, but the work I have for it over the next month or so is the most its been used.
I still have water line and a couple drainage ditchs to do yet.

 

[DK35vince]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Any trouble with pushing it straight?
)</font>

Not really.
I got a little to crooked once or twice were I had to get on the tractor and reposition. But overall it when pretty well.