Drive way ditch digging actachment

Paddy · Oct 2, 2005

If you live in hilly country, you know the value of a good ditch along your gravel drive way. With a 700' long drive you need a plan. In the days past, I would go out during a good rain and start digging/channeling by hand tools.

I want to build a simple 3PH attachment that will make a nice sloping swale along the drive. I envision this tool to make the trench aswell as clean it out.

I have tried using the grader blade tilted to the max. Too much stress. If you hit a root or big rock she will bend the blade. So here it goes...

My grader blade is a 7' with slots for adjustment left and right. In fact if you remove the bolts that allow for the blade to extend side to side, you have just the center part that has the angle adjustment. I want the weld up a triangle to bolt on instead of the grader blade. The bottom point would have a gental radius. The tractor would need to straddle the ditch but would place the forces best for the tractor.

My tractor is 45 hp so she can dig....and rip cat 1 impliments in to pieces. Sound OK? Have you seen any other DIY options?

Patrick

RonR · Oct 3, 2005

I'm having trouble visualizing what your are describing.

One idea might be to buy/build a chisel plow type implement (or use a box blade with scarifiers). Just pull the ripper teeth of either over the ground several times, then switch to the grader blade to fashion the ditch. Repeat several times. Might have to do the ripper action several times over a 1-2 week period to break up the ground so the blade will move it.

My two cents. Good luck,
ron

Paddy · Oct 3, 2005

An ideal ditch for me would be 2' at the widest part, top. About 1' deep. The sides need to slope just in case some slides in.

Patrick

PBinWA · Oct 3, 2005

What about an offset modified moldboard (sp?) plow. If you found a good size strong plow and figured out how to offset it you could easily dig a good furrow down the side of the road.

Just a thought.

Bigbear · Oct 3, 2005

I'm with you so far Paddy, the only thing I can see is the unit might want to come up out of the ground from lack of weight, down force. It might help to add opposing v blades to the bottom, 1 or 2 inch stuff, to help pull it down and keep it there. Otherwise, sounds like it would work great. We must have pictures when you get finished. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bobodu · Oct 3, 2005

When I made my cable plow,I welded a small sweep to the bottom for downforce....work like a charm.

Paddy · Oct 3, 2005

How nice to have a 7" angle grinder an welder! Oh and lots of steel laying around. I have the flat made. 1/4" plate 18"x18" with the point.

Big Bear, You are right..I will need lots of weight or angle the cutting edge so it pulls itself down. I'm a bit concerned with all the roots. If she is hooked too much it wll grab...and I supose rip the root out!

Two holes and I can play. If it bends back, I'll turn it around and weld support to keep the shape.

Photos to come with the results

Patrick

Taylortractornut · Oct 3, 2005

Paddy down here we have a thing called a ditching plow it lookes alot lake a vee plow for snow but made from pipe or heav ibeam and channel with grader blades. they use a short toplink to make the center then each pass you let the top link out and it moves the ditch out to the sides youd have to pick up the outer windrow later. next to the row. In this clay down here its not too hard to make a nice ditch with one. It takes a little experienc to do it but comes quickly I like the i beam ones better for smaller tractors.

Slamfire · Oct 3, 2005

I think the name of what you are inventing is "Lister Plow". /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

JimMorrissey · Oct 4, 2005

Paddy,

I'd say you should rent a small excavator for a weekend. Pick up on Sat afternooon and use rest of Sat and Sunday for one day price. You can use your tractor to handle the spoil and clean up. You'll get the ditches you're looking for and save a lot of time. A backhoe would too, but a mini excavator will be easier to find and rent and move. If you get one don't get one too narrow, they get tippy. A friend of mine laid one of the tiny models over twice recently doing exactly what you're talking about. Rental yard wasn't too happy, needless to say.

You can make something to keep it clean, but the primary construction for the length you're talking about, you'll need a piece of equipment to git her done. If you use a plow like that I see the wall caving back in during the first heavy rain and a lot of soil movement downstream. Basically constant maintenance, instead of a one time deal for core construction.

Certainly you'll need to have a culvert or two to cross sides of your road??....a small excavtor would be perfect for that too.