best tool for the job

[farmerjim]

i need to place some drain pipe around my house and my buddy sold his back hoe b4 i got to use it. so now i need to rent a machine to do it. the local rental place has mini excavators 3 sizes from a small kubota 1.5 ton class, an 11klb class komatsu and a cat 305 which i think is way to big to be working close to my house. they also have a 6.5ft 3pt backhoe which could be used on my jd 790. i was planning to rent for a day and do the digging then place the pipe the next and back fill w/ my loader. just was wondering which machine would be best for the job. thanks jim

 

[3RRL]

For drain pipe around the house, you don't need a big powerful hoe. You're probably not going to be digging super deep, are you? I think the smaller hoe or even the 3pt hoe would do just fine. Being able to get into wherever you need to dig would be my first concern.

 

[Soundguy]

3pt hoes are ok for light duty work.. homeowner burried lines or small drains.. OK.. any 'real' excavation or rock picking / clearing / demolition is a no-no for a 3pt hoe though.. as it leads to 'half-tractors'

Just take it easy and you should be find for digginf a couple feet in regular soil.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[Highbeam]

Ditch witch. I have done hundreds of feet for irrigation and will be having a buddy bring his tracked machine with trencher that trenches 8" wide and 4 feet deep this Saturday for 500 feet+ of drainpipe.

 

[Western]

I second on the Ditch Witch, self propelled one is to easy

 

[MarkV]

If a Ditchwitch will go deep enough for your needs that would be the easiest way to trench. If you are in rock country that can be a problem. Next I would vote for the small excavator. They really excel when you are working close to the house.

MarkV