Trenching

[Jeff396]

Can anyone point me in a direction for an attachment capable of digging trenches large enough for laying pipe for an in ground sprinkler? I don't think I could justify the back hoe to the wife and it would probably make a bigger mess than I would like. Or would I just be better off renting a ditch witch for a day or so? Also, do the tractor places rent attachments for the 3 pt on our tractors?

Jeff

 

[MikePA]

What about a subsoiler? There was a thread on it (that I started /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif) in the Attachments forum.

 

[RobS]

Jeff, you're looking at either a vibratory plough or a chain trencher. Neither are common attachments for a compact nor would they be affordable. You're better off renting a stand alone rig. Depending on your soil though, maybe a middlebuster plow? Seems someone else had success with that approach.

As far as rental three point implements, one dealer in our area does have a few available and our local "NationsRent" has some. NationsRent was pretty reasonable and has a tiller, pulverizer, rake, rear blade and maybe a couple of others as well as a tractor for those tractorless customers /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

Jeff,
Just call up some rental places and find one that has the stand alone that digs on it's own. It's on 4 wheels and has a lever that you push and it goes on it's own. The push, walk behind, ones are a bear to move and don't dig very well. Here you can rent them from $160 for 24 hours.

 

[mikim]

Boy Howdy - those folks in I.C. really gitcha don't they? I rented a walk behind ditch witch in Austin last year for $50 a day and it came on it's own lil' trailer.
mike

 

[MikePA]

Jeff,

We don't have a NationsRent, but attached are the 3 trenchers a local United Rental place has. The first number is how deep, the second how wide. No prices at the web site.

 

[Jeff396]

Is it safe to assume that the depth listed is a maximum depth? Not a whole lot of freezing going on down here. They seem to set the pipes around 6" to 8" deep....if even that much.

Jeff

 

[MikePA]

Yep, maximum depth.

 

[RobS]

Jeff, even up here the sprinkler pipes are only about a foot down. The routine is to have your system blown out in the fall, or install self-draining valves. In either case, no water in the lines to freeze, so it doesn't matter how deep /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Tom_Trees]

Jeff --

Whatever you do, don't go for the 30 X 4 model! That front wheel is fixed and you turn by tilting the thing back on the rear wheels. I weigh 275 and didn't have the heft to tilt it. Luckily, the clay was a bit damp the day I rented, and I could lift the weight off the back enough to slide the sucker sideways./w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Next time I do any trenching (probably next year for sprinklers, like you) I'm going to make sure I get a steerable unit!

Tom

 

[cowboydoc]

Mike,
Is that for the big four wheel drive one or the little ones?

 

[Jeff396]

I live in South Carolina. We have the type of grass here that doesn't go dorment in the Fall and Winter. People are still watering now and I'm not sure when they stop if at all. This is kinda a spring project I'm gearing up for so I have time to figure all that out.

Jeff

 

[mikim]

It's a walk behind - manhandle - 2 wheel drive at rear - and 1 small wheel up front as a guide wheel --- not sure if by "manhandle" I mean it takes a "real" man to handle it ---- or if I mean (which is the case with me) working it for a day you really know you've been manhandled at dusk.
It did the job though - I trenched over 200' ---24" deep for new water line from the well to 2 houses. When I rented it I warned 'em I had a lot of rock - they said it should deal with the rock Ok and there'd be no charge for damage if it didn't. Good thing - I broke 1 tooth off and severely bent 2 others. They lost money on that deal.
mike

 

[cowboydoc]

Yea that's the small one Mike. The one's for $160 are four wheel and you drive them with a joystick. There isn't any manual effort to it.

 

[mikim]

oh - sorry - I thought you meant the small ones were that much ---- I never priced the big ones - - but the older I get the more power and ease I need --- so the next time...

 

[cowboydoc]

Yep me too Mike that's why I keep buying more equipment. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Sub_Dude]

- they said it should deal with the rock Ok and there'd be no charge
for damage if it didn't.

Several years ago, I got the same deal and blew up the transmission on a big pine root. (Blew up as in pieces scattering so far I couldn't find them all.)/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif Being a regular at the rental place, I felt sheepish taking it back. Imagine my surprise when the counterman called the mechanic out and they were both overjoyed. Seems they'd been through 3 brands of engines, and when the transmission went they figured they'd finally found an engine that would stand up. I still rent from them, and they're still in business, so I guess learning from your mistakes is part of getting better at things.

I came up with a saying that has stood the test of time if you're looking at some tough trenching: "Don't get the biggest one you can walk behind, get the smallest one you can ride on."

Good luck, and be careful.

The Sub Dude

I'm gonna live forever....So far, so good....

 

[Phred]

yep, loads of fun to "adjust" the direction of those three wheel units.
The one day rental cost me about $100 with the trailer.
Net result is ~165' 22" trench.

Not exactly the straightest trench, but it was cheap. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Fred

 

[beenthere]

Last year I rented a 3pt. chain-type trencher that I put on the 3pt of my JD 4300. It worked great! It was very similar to the Bobcat trencher (may have been Bobcat equipment, although I don't remember for sure). It would adjust up to a depth of about 4 ft. A hyd. top link adjusted the depth, and the 3pt control adjusted the height of the augers that pushed the dirt from the trench to the side. Easy to control and quick to move around.

 

[Jeff396]

Yeah, and then I could point to this expensive tractor and say "See honey, it was absolutely necessary!"

Jeff