best attahcment for trenching

Moon · Jul 17, 2002

I have some drain pipe that i need to bury (4" corragated plastic). I was going to rent a ditch witch to do the task, but got to wondering if one of those 3ph spud tools might do the trick (sorry, i don't remember the right name of this impliment). The deepest i need to go is 15 inches since a big part of the drain is already sloping downhill. I'd rather add the impliment to my collection than to rent if i can do it for about the same cost.
Seems like a no-brainer ....but I sure like hearing from the combined wisdom of TBN'ers.
Thanks,
Moon

Bird · Jul 17, 2002

You can certainly make a trench with a middle buster (also called a potato plow by some), but I don't think I could ever get mine near 15" deep. Maybe someone else has better information.

Kodiak · Jul 18, 2002

I just wanted to add that over the last year I also have been installing a lot a corragated plastic drain tile. And have found that most rental trenchers are a true 4". 4" corragated plastic drain tile is more like 4.5" OD, and very hard to get into a 4" trench. I am now using 3" and it drops right in. Saves a ton of work.

Moon · Jul 18, 2002

Good point Bird. Anyone know how deep you can go with a "middle buster" I thought the shovel like blade looked to be 10 or 12 inches itself ...and rerunning over the trench a few times might do it ......but all this is a guess, i've never used the impliment.
Thanks for the insight Kodiac. I've used the ditch witches for water line but never for the corregated pipe. I might be able to get by with 3" pipe, but first I'll figure out if i can do it with my bota and a new impliment.

Moon

Bird · Jul 18, 2002

Moon, perhaps I should have explained a little more. A middle buster plow is designed (as is a moldboard or turning plow) for you to adjust the depth by adjusting the length of the top link, and it will lower into the ground until the bottom edge of plow is running level and will stay at that depth. Lengthen the top link and it'll run shallower; shorten the top link and it'll run deeper. Now I couldn't get 15" deep with my top link shortened as far as it would go, but I do believe if I'd had a top link about 3" shorter I could have gotten down that far (guesstimate only). So if you have a short enough top link, and the tractor has enough power and traction to pull it in your soil conditions, it just might work well for you.

barticus73 · Jul 18, 2002

Hey Moon,

I just used a middlebuster by KingKutter last month and got to 16 inches after two passes with no problem. I did have to shovel some loose dirt out of trench but worked like a charm!!

IndianaPaul · Jul 18, 2002

Moon:

I was in same boat as you early this year when putting in 4" drain pipe. Ended up buying a 14" middle buster at TSC for 79.95 (on sale). Easily goes to about 13-14 inches on first pass, second pass got it down another inch or two. Furrow was wide enough that went in nicely (though do need to shovel some of the loose stuff out. Just remember the 'float' on your hydraulics! My first pass looked like something out of a Disney show as the plow undulated across the field.

Paul

Moon · Jul 18, 2002

Thanks Bird, barticus78, and IndianaPaul for the further detail on using the middlebuster. Sounds like it would do just what I'm after. The use of the float for this eludes me though. I guess the blade is designed to dig in and you need it in float to allow it to go down? Elaborate on that a little if you don't mind.

And ...i hate to complicate things but ....i also need (and planned to buy soon) a good 3 way blade. I know ...big cost difference; but would a tilted blade to better, worse or about the same as the middlebuster for trenching? I'm guessing a 6' blade would be best for my 3010; but any advice about size and brand suggestions appricated!

Thanks guys!!! I learn a little more everyday thanks you you all!

Moon

bnixon · Jul 18, 2002

Moon,

I think if you used a blade you would end up with more of a ditch than a trench. It would require much more backfilling! I have only used a tilting blade once so my knowledge is very limited. I am sure some one else out there with more experiance will chime in.

Bird · Jul 18, 2002

Moon, from what the other guys say, they must have a top link that's short enough, so it ought to work for you, too.

<font color=blue>The use of the float for this eludes me though</font color=blue>

Just as with the FEL, though not quite so visibly apparent, anything you raise or lower with the 3-point goes through a bit of an arc instead of absolutely vertically up and down. When you lower a plow to the ground, the point on the front end digs in, unless you have lengthened your top link so far that the plow is tilted back enough for the back of the plow to hit the ground leaving the point up in the air - if you do that, it'll just skim across the ground and never go in. Conversely, if you shorten the top link, the point of the plow digs in and continues to do down at an angle as you move forward until it reaches a depth at which the bottom edge of the plow is level, at which point it continues to run at that depth. So you control the depth by adjusting the length of the top link, then you lower the 3-point all the way (float).