Tractor for ditch digging ?

bcarwell · Jul 21, 2006

I'm a rookie still unfamiliar with implements.

I'm in Austin, TX. I will be burying some irrigation piping (maybe 3" - 4" diameter) and wiring in a portion of my 20 acres (sorry, don't know the depth of freeze line, so I guess you'll just have to guess how deep the trench needs to be; sorry).

Could somebody tell me if its feasible to use my Kubota 7500 (21HP) to dig the necessary ditches ? I will only be able to work intermittently so renting a ditch witch or other trencher is not feasible.

I know that there are rules of thumb like 10 HP per tooth of a plow, etc. But I have seen a stocky one "tooth" 3 point hitch tool that looks like it could go down pretty far, maybe after a few passes. I'm pretty patient, so if your suggested method required multiple passes, that's fine.

And I also realize there is a problem of getting the dirt OUT of the trench once its been broken open. But has somebody fashioned a TPH shovel or something to get the dirt out once the trench has been broken open.

Thanks for any help.

Farmer Bob

Egon · Jul 21, 2006

How many feet of trench are involved? What condition and type of soil?

Jimbrown · Jul 21, 2006

The tool you are talking about is a subsoiler it will do what you want but maybe not very well. Some people have riged up sytems that will lay pipe or wires as you dig. I have not lived in the Austin area for a while but I remember some of it was black gumbo clay and some pretty rockey. What you really need is a trencher but probably to expensive. Next best I think is a backhoe which could be used for lots of other things.

Matt_W · Jul 21, 2006

bcarwell said:
I'm a rookie still unfamiliar with implements.

I'm in Austin, TX. I will be burying some irrigation piping (maybe 3" - 4" diameter) and wiring in a portion of my 20 acres (sorry, don't know the depth of freeze line, so I guess you'll just have to guess how deep the trench needs to be; sorry).

Could somebody tell me if its feasible to use my Kubota 7500 (21HP) to dig the necessary ditches ? I will only be able to work intermittently so renting a ditch witch or other trencher is not feasible.

I know that there are rules of thumb like 10 HP per tooth of a plow, etc. But I have seen a stocky one "tooth" 3 point hitch tool that looks like it could go down pretty far, maybe after a few passes. I'm pretty patient, so if your suggested method required multiple passes, that's fine.

And I also realize there is a problem of getting the dirt OUT of the trench once its been broken open. But has somebody fashioned a TPH shovel or something to get the dirt out once the trench has been broken open.

Thanks for any help.

Farmer Bob

I used my B7610 to trench for a 1.5" PVC pipe with 220v running threw it for my septic pump. I already had purchased a back blade which tilted and then had to make sevaral passes but saved money over renting that way. The trench was only about 100 feet long and 1 foot deep.
Matt

bcarwell · Jul 21, 2006

Egon said:
How many feet of trench are involved? What condition and type of soil?

Best answer since I haven't dug yet is from watching the septic guy, who dug with a shovel to find the septic tank cover. He seemed to have no problem with a rebar probe or an ordinary dirt shovel getting down a foot or so fairly quickly (although what was on top may have been leftover soft dirt from the septic installation but I don't think so).

Only other estimate, probably no good, is assuming the dirt is like alot in Central Texas and the dirt on my 2 acres in the city 1/2 hour away. Easy digging down uncompacted soil a foot or two with occasional limestone rocks varying from about an inch to, more rarely, 4-5 inchers. I've been able to scrape pretty easily with boxblade but haven't tried lowering the teeth into it very deeply yet.

The soil appears to not be compacted much. It was for grazing a few cattle. Numerous fairly large live and pin oaks on it suggest it can't be too rocky if I am correct they don't like heavily rocky soil. And the dirt appears to be a medium to a little darker brown if that helps.

And I'm probably talking about maybe 300-400 feet. I'd rent a ditch witch if I was just doing that stretch, but I'll be doing it over the year and there will undoubtedly be maybe 5-10 of these 300 foot stretches as I expand from time to time. I'd like to not have to rely on renting.

flusher · Jul 22, 2006

bcarwell said:
I'm a rookie still unfamiliar with implements.

I'm in Austin, TX. I will be burying some irrigation piping (maybe 3" - 4" diameter) and wiring in a portion of my 20 acres (sorry, don't know the depth of freeze line, so I guess you'll just have to guess how deep the trench needs to be; sorry).

Could somebody tell me if its feasible to use my Kubota 7500 (21HP) to dig the necessary ditches ? I will only be able to work intermittently so renting a ditch witch or other trencher is not feasible.

I know that there are rules of thumb like 10 HP per tooth of a plow, etc. But I have seen a stocky one "tooth" 3 point hitch tool that looks like it could go down pretty far, maybe after a few passes. I'm pretty patient, so if your suggested method required multiple passes, that's fine.

And I also realize there is a problem of getting the dirt OUT of the trench once its been broken open. But has somebody fashioned a TPH shovel or something to get the dirt out once the trench has been broken open.

Thanks for any help.

Farmer Bob

I cut a trench for 4" drain pipe last year during the rainy season when the ground was pretty soft. Used my 21-hp Kubota B7510HST and a middle buster plow. No problem getting to about 10" depth, but needed to hand shovel a lot of loose dirt out of the trench.

Licklog · Jul 22, 2006

There was a thread earlier this year with a similar topic. A fella had combined a subsoiled with some PVC to both dig and lay wire. I did a quick search and came up with it....Below is the content........

Do a search for "Bob Skurka" or "subsoiler". There is a pic. Really a neat contraption.

Re: What kind of tool to lay landscape light wiring?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Better than a regular sub-soiler you need a fancy one to do the job right!

Go to the hardware store and buy a small piece of plastic pipe with a right angle bend, 2 large hose clamps and a new drill bit (about 5/8"). Drill 2 holes in the trailing edge of the subsoiler, one near the bottom, one about 10" up from the other hole.

String your 2 hose clamps through the newly drilled holes, and use them to clamp the pipe to the trailing edge of the subsoiler.

Now mount the subsoiler to your tractor, run some wire down through the pipe on the back and stake it off at the beginning of your wire run. Drive forward with subsoiler down and it will automatically bury your cable while digging the trench. Be sure to slowly feed the wire while you drive.

Modification costs =
$2.00 for the plastic pipe (muffler pipe works well too)
$0.99 for a 2 pack of hose clamps
$1.50 for a new drill bit (cheapo)

Cost of not having to manually bury cable
and telling your wife it was your idea so she thinks you are brilliant /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif = Priceless!

bcarwell · Jul 23, 2006

flusher said:
I cut a trench for 4" drain pipe last year during the rainy season when the ground was pretty soft. Used my 21-hp Kubota B7510HST and a middle buster plow. No problem getting to about 10" depth, but needed to hand shovel a lot of loose dirt out of the trench.

Whatsa "middle buster plow" ? Gotta picture ? If not, can you describe ? Sounds like the best solution to me, as I think all I need is 10 inches. I might even be able to figure out some contraption for getting the loose dirt out.

Thanks for replying !

Farmer Bob

RickS · Jul 24, 2006

Bob, go to tractorsupplyco.com or kingkutter.com and look for "middle buster".

FYI, I live near Temple and the frost line here is about 3".

npaden · Jul 24, 2006

The subsoiler will dig a little deeper than the middlebuster. You can switch out the blade on it to be whatever width you want. I think you want to get it as deep as possible for the electric line.

Here's a subsoiler:

And here's a middlebuster: