Trench along fence- subsoiler/middlebuster?

[anojones]

I'm planning on burying some fence along an existing (though somewhat tired) woven wire fence to keep our dog in and keep him from digging under. It's about a ten acre enclosure, so I'm trying the find the best way to trench without spending a lot. Is there a middle buster or subsoiler that would stick out lateral from the hitch to allow trenching close to the fence? Other options? I still am not sure what fencing to use- I have the existing fence so will probably just find some 24" wire and bury one side and attatch the other to the existing fence. Thanks in advance for any thoughts

 

[SCB]

If you have a boxblade you could just lower the scarifier on the side which you wish to dig.

 

[sweettractors]

Remove all the tines from the roto tiller except the outside row or use a 1 row cultivator with all the shanks off except 1 on the outside--Ken Sweet

Sweet Farm Equipment LLC

 

[Freds]

I found that a subsoiler will not LEAVE a trench. The ground folds back up after it has passed through. You need to feed/bury as you go and I don't know how you would do that with fencing.

 

[JerryT]

I have used a middle buster for trenching and it works reasonably well. It would be nice if it put all the dirt to one side and if it was offset. It is a very cheap trenching tool and should work for your purpose.

 

[GaryM]

I used a middle buster to make a trench for some drain tile from a downspout. Worked fairly well, but it's not offset. I think that's where the difficulty lies.

 

[BigDan]

You might want to consider an Invisible Fence -- even factoring in the cost of the controller and collars, it may be cheaper and easier to bury the wire for the invisible fence. I have about 3 acres behind my invisible fence. Note that you do NOT have to use the "Invisible Fence" wire for the fencing - just use any 16 or 18 gauge wire. You also don't have to bury the wire - except for protection. I have the wire just laid out on the ground throught the woods.

The dogs stay in....

 

[ourfarm]

Electric fence about 6" above ground(with field fence also) is pretty effective at keeping our dogs,sheep and horse in and all other animals out.
My98TJ

 

[anojones]

Thanks. Maybe the invisible or the electric fence is the way to go. I suppose the electric would be good for keeping other critters out as well. I could just run the invisible fence along the exisiting fence line which would probably work okay. I don't think either of our dogs would be to put off by an invisible fence without an extra barrier- but would probably not spend enought time getting shocked to dig out, even when after a critter. Any one have a source on inexpensive 18 gauge wire that would work with the invisible fence?

 

[cj7]

You can get 18gauge wire at any electrical supply or home store.... be sure to get stranded wire it holds up better to movement and such.. I have this system for my dogs and it works well...(unless I cut it with the mower...lol)

 

[RalphVa]

The old Gravely rotary plows do a pretty good trench. You can get an old Gravely for around $250 and a rotary plow for about the same or less. You can have fun with the Gravely.

Ralph

 

[wd45]

The telephone company uses a sub-soiler with guides (tube) along the back side and a spool feed to install underground cable. It's probably a commercial rig, but it didn't look like it would be too hard to cobble together. They can slip a cable in the ground pretty fast and there's no mess afterward.

 

[Freds]

Yep, you're right! Got the photos saved from someone's version here to prove it. Very nice setup.
I dragged some plastic gaspipe underground with mine already, but that doesn't help for putting in fencing (the regular kind). That's a whole nuther ballgame to leave a workable trench.

 

[btolle]

Skip all that. Go buy a cattle fence charger that is good for 3 or more miles of fence, a roll or 2 of fence charger wire (it is galvanized and comes in 1/4 mile rolls), some insulators, and some of the spring loaded plastic handles you use at the gates.

I have a chow who just laughed when I had one of those dog fence chargers, it took a cattle fence charger to keep him in. I strung the wire about 12" above the ground so I could run the riding mower wheels under it.

My dogs stay at least 18" back from the wire. Don't tell them it hasn't been plugged in for the last 6 months! Once they get hit a couple of times you can run some that same wire around your garden and they won't go near it. Just the sight of the wire will keep them out.

Next time he digs he will hit is haed on the fence and you won't have any more digging under the fence.

Bill Tolle

 

[wd45]

Freds, you're right for a regular fence, I was thinking about one of those invisible fences that are buried. Most chain link fence is buried 6" or so in the ground, I suppose that a middle buster or a one bottom turning plow would work OK if you did it before you put in post.

When I was small, my Father had a hog that he said would run under an electric fence after the hog worked up his courage. Aparently the hog knew that he would be shocked, but would run under the fence anyway. My Father put a wire collar on the hog with a turned up hook, he said that the hog learned very quickly after that and didn't go near the fence again.

If anyone is interested, The Progressive Farmer is a pretty good source of information for hobby farms as well as full time professional farmers (not many left any more). They have a section on reader ideas and inventions that has some good ideas, just good old fashion thinking.