Sod buster

[Sailorcrew]

I've read some of the posts about using a middle buster to furrow rows for running conduit. Has anyone had experience with a sod buster which, from what I've seen, a similar version with the exception that the business end is much narrower and presumably better able to penetrate and easier to pull through the ground. My next thought is would it be capable of being used to dig down enough behind a rock and then pry it up? I live in New Hampshire and the best crop is rocks, specifically granite. I've spent a fair amount of my life digging and moving rocks and thought that this might be a solution to help pry rocks out of the ground. David

 

[RPM]

I didn't find it much use at moving big rocks - although some have recommended. I found that if I hit a biggish rock I would lose traction (BX with turfs). Lifting the 3pt didn't help a great deal as you can't be guaranteed that the point of the ripper is underneath the rock. If it's not then it just scrapes up the side.

What I did find helpful was that if I encountered a large rock, come at it from the opposite direction. That way you are pushing it back into ground you have just broken and can pop it out.

Of course, with a bigger tractor I am sure that you could just pop 'em out without the extra maneuvering -- us BX guys just need to think a little harder.

 

[RPM]

One other thing - perhaps a little obvious - if you're taking rocks out then you are leaving behind a rock sized hole. Plays havoc with the level of the ground. Be prepared to get the tiller / rear blade / box-blade out after you have been through.

This is also a problem in clay soil where you end up heaving around large unbroken lumps of clay as you rip down. Looks like there's been an earthquake once you work the area over a few times on my property.

It was a dramatic transformation in the drainage of my soil though - my garden is way outpacing my neighbors - and with minimal fertilizer this year too.

 

[Bird]

Sailorcrew, sounds like you're talking about a "sub-soiler" and yes it'll get a little deeper (I think they're all about 2" wide), so you can do what you want - maybe. Just depends on size and depth of rock, size and traction of tractor, etc.

Bird

 

[Boomer33]

David: I read an article a few years ago on exactly that subject. I think you are describing a "subsoiler" which is a much narrower version of the middlebuster. I have seen both items sold as a set using the same frame with both blades. The article suggested reversing the blade on the subsoiler and using it in reverse gear. Sould you wish to read the article, it appeared in the Nseries.com Newsletter. You can search their archives and order a back issue.It was very informative and sounded positive as a method! Arthur

Boomer33

 

[JOR_EL]

Boomer33,
[[[reversing the blade on the subsoiler and using it in reverse gear.]]]

Somebody sure has stronger neck-muscles than mine, ...sounds like a lot of twisted-around backwards driving to me! (Or do you just face foward and drive "blind" in reverse) /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Larry

 

[RPM]

Makes sense - the problem I always have had is that when you lift the 3pt the tip just scrapes along the rock or parts company as the rotation moves it away from the rock.

If you reversed the tip/implement then lifting the 3pt would force it against the rock. Good tip - it's easier on the neck than it would be on the back!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Sub-soiler ........................ Middle Buster

The rocks and depth of your trench will be the deciding factors… and of course your tractor hp…

Another limiting factor is the length of the steel beam used on the sub-soiler…most are too short for trenching purposes {at least for electrical conduit ~ 18”}.

You may also want to look into “renting” a ditch-witch or Vermeer trencher with diamond tip cutter blades for the rock material.

<font color=blue>… suggested reversing the blade on the subsoiler and using it in reverse gear…</font color=blue>

I don’t recommend traveling in reverse with most ground engaging implements {except maybe a rear blade for snow purposes}.

First, going in reverse, you lose any “float” mechanism’s on the 3-point hitch…going forward, a snagged implement tends to “ride up”, backwards it tends to “go down” ..and most 3-points are not too forgiving… something’s gotta give…

Second, in reverse…debris will kick up on the underside of the tractor…”sticks and stones may not break your bones… but your tractor is another thing", especially when you pop up a large sharp piece of stone and cuts into your oil pan…or worse…breaks some casting part on the tractor.

So the moral is Go forward and disperse the debris to the rear…

 

[Bird]

Boomer33, I haven't seen them sold as a set, although I'm not surprised. On the individual ones I've seen (as in the pictures John has provided), there was a longer shank on the sub-soiler to allow it to go deeper (and I've wondered about that a bit since my 3-point hitch barely raises my middle buster high enough to clear the ground for traveling). However, I don't have a sub-soiler, so I made about what you're talking about. I got an extra heavy duty single chisel plow "tooth" and I sometimes take the blade off my middle buster, bolt that tooth on and in effect has a sub-soiler. I've used it for making little narrow trenches and for ripping roots out of the ground; don't have any rocks to contend with on my place.

And I agree with the posted message that I don't think I'd want to run it in reverse; be afraid I'd break something.

Bird

 

[hayden]

How do you actually use one of these to lay conduit? Does it leave a clean enough trench to just lay down the pipe? I'd think that a narrow plowed slit would cave back in enough that it would be difficult to get a pipe set down at the bottom.

A ditch witch digs and shoves the tailing aside to help with this issue,and I've seen machines that cut the slit and lay the pipe in one step, presumably by essentially threading the pipe through the subsoiler so it cuts and lays the pipe in one step.

 

[Rch]

Ive used a subsoiler to lay poly tubing for underground water and electricity. At best I can get about 8" deep, ok for water that can be drained or blown out for the winter. For electricity code says 24" for safety so I put the cable inside a 1" poly tube for a short run to the garden for the electric fence.
I took a 1-1/2" grey plastic conduit, softened it up by putting it on the exhaust pipe of the tractor and formed a near 90 degree sweeping bend that I clamped on the backside of the subsoiler with several wormgear clamps. I put the longest spear point on I could find to get as much depth as possible. I bent the top link once with the compression force on the highly angled top link since the subsoiler is a little short and you have really have to sink it as much as possible. Pick a time of the year when the ground is soft. One inch poly tube may need a 2" conduit in order to feed through the curved part. It was a two man job with the tractor creeping along and someone else feeding that unrulely 100' of coiled poly tube through the conduit. All things considered I'd get a ditcher for electric lines AND put the line in poly tubing or, better yet, 3" drainage tile 2' down for safety and the possiblility of pulling future lines through it, especially if it's to a building.

RCH

 

[DFB]

Here is a crude drawing depicting a variation of that idea. Used for 1/2" laying waterline.

LINK: http://www.agriculture.com/sfonline/sf/1998/october/aatf/index.html


DFB

 

[Rch]

In the configuration I had when I bent the toplink with a King Kutter subsoiler on a Ford 1910, the 3 point was as far down as possible and the toplink was pointing down at a good 45-55 degree angle. Obviously, I needed a bigger subsoiler with more metal above the 3 point hitch point.

RCH

 

[JonLeonard]

Here's another possibility if you know how to weld. (about 2/3 of the way down the page. Model 103 Trencher.

http://www.cadplans.com/3pointhitch.htm

If you are putting in electric lines, make sure you are using cable that is rated for direct burial.

 

[Boomer33]

Here is the article I had posted about. I hope this answers your question!

Boomer33