Dirt Moving Ditch Witch Trench Question

[LPSteinmetz]

Dig the trench deeper than needed and then use the trencher to spread the "pyramid of dirt" back down along the bottom of the trench.

I thought about your suggestion but the question I have is unless it excavated the additional dirt OUT of the trench, once you came back over the deeper spot to fill it in you would still have pretty much the same pile of original dirt in the trench.

 

[MossRoad]

I thought about your suggestion but the question I have is unless it excavated the additional dirt OUT of the trench, once you came back over the deeper spot to fill it in you would still have pretty much the same pile of original dirt in the trench.

Yes. You kind of have to know this when you dig the original trench to dig it a few inches deeper from the start. Then you can just raise the trencher those few inches and make a back-pass which will spread the pyramid of tailings out over the bottom of the trench, leaving a nice, soft base.

Once the deed is done, you have little choice by to hand shovel that pyramid out with a scoop.

 

[MossRoad]

Or, if you have more than enough depth already, just spread it out in the trench. If you went to exact depth at the start, though, that won't be possible.

 

[Ford850]

Thanks for posting...that is pretty slick! I have bookmarked the page in case I need something like that at a future date. Might take a trip to eBay and Craigslist to see if I can find one.

Check some tool rental places around you. Several rental places them around me rent tile spades and trenching shovels.

 

[tshep]

As you unreel the tube can you pull it through that bit of dirt? Maybe with a point?
Or lay a few feet, throw the dirt back on the middle, and then pull the lead end?

 

[LPSteinmetz]

As you unreel the tube can you pull it through that bit of dirt? Maybe with a point?
Or lay a few feet, throw the dirt back on the middle, and then pull the lead end?

We are using stick conduit since we are required to put it in ourselves...the power company will install the new transformer on the pole, pull the cable, and hook it up to the pole and to the meter loop (that I am required to install).

Worked on the trench yesterday pulling some dirt out with a post hole digger and smoothing the rest out with my extended handle, ground down hoe. I think I am in pretty good shape now but man, this was a big learning lesson!

 

[DJ54]

You're welcome. I'm sure they are more common around here, and like I said,what we picked up were at farm auctions. A guy doesn't mind paying $5 - $10 for an item like that, that will spend most of it's time hanging on the tool rack. But worth its weight in gold when you need it.

Might be an idea to check more locally on Craigslist, or FaceBook Marketplace. I've found a lot of oddball stuff on both of those places
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