I’m not super experienced on my BH 92. I can remove stumps, dig holes and stuff like that. I now need to dig 3 100 foot trenches and keep them level. Any tips would be appreciated.
Brick
Brick
Level trenches
- Thread starter Brick Axelrod
- Start date
When digging a trench with a backhoe, once you get started and down to the depth you desire have the bucket flat in the bottom and pull up taking the edge of the untuched dirt. Just like you're playing in the sand as a kid, scooping with your hand. Curl you fingers and pull up. Same procedure with your backhoe.
When you put the bucket back in the trench have it flat on the bottom and roll it up. Once you have a process it becomes pretty easy.
When you put the bucket back in the trench have it flat on the bottom and roll it up. Once you have a process it becomes pretty easy.
Level as in flat or level as in consistent depth following existing grade?
The easiest way to do it is paint a line on the front edge of the bucket facing you at whatever depth you want to dig your trench. Couple that with what D2 told you and you're almost guaranteed to have a consistent depth trench.
The easiest way to do it is paint a line on the front edge of the bucket facing you at whatever depth you want to dig your trench. Couple that with what D2 told you and you're almost guaranteed to have a consistent depth trench.
Short of a laser or transit.....
You can set up a string line, get it level and use it as a benchmark along your trench line.
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85Hokie
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or an AUTOLEVEL.....or a laser level....
and you will need help maintaining the grade too via either one.
If for a concrete footer - you can use 57's to get the grade back up if'n you get a little low
North Idaho Wolfman
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For your septic leach field you'll need to dig it a little deeper and shade the lines to get them level.
dirtydeed
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Maybe check this video out...tips on keeping the bucket flat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Koa56PuOYOQ
shootem604
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I just dig it a little too deep, and then backfill as necessary and check with the laser level. Seems easier than trying to dig it perfectly.
That is NOT what you want to get in a habit of. Any “trench” floor should remain virgin material. You never want any trench floor to settle.
Also keeping your bucket flat is probably the worst thing to do when digging out a trench. Its a horrible habit to get into for several reasons.
Got this done this week, took a couple of days off. Bought a laser with receiver and a friend of mine checked the depth while I went along. Wasnt that hard at all just took a couple of days with my 16 inch bucket since I had to make 36inch trenches. Thanks for the advice guys. Glad that jobs over. Oh it too this long since first posting because it rained like every 2 days since I posted. This was the first 4 day stretch I had to get everything done.
shiraz627
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Teach me your reasoning. The jobs I worked on, the pipe was laid in the ditch (it was usually long joints) and bedding provided to make level as measured by transit.
This explains it.
"Rigid Pipe is designed to transmit the backfill load on the pipe through the pipe walls to the foundation beneath the pipe. The pipe walls must be strong enough to carry this load.
A line load at the top and bottom of a pipe is the worst possible loading case. If the load can be distributed over a large area at the top and at the bottom of the pipe. the pipe walls will not have to be designed as strong as for a line load. The backfill load is normally well distributed over the top of the pipe. However, proper pipe support must be constructed on the bottom of the pipe to distribute the load.
Proper soil support under the bottom of the pipe is also necessary to maintain grade (elevation) of the pipe. Continuous, uniform support under the pipe prevents unequal settlement of the pipeline.
If a rigid pipe is overloaded, or if the load is not distributed around the pipe, a rigid pipe will fail by cracking"
Here's a link to The Dept of Interior Bureau of Reclamation's technical bulletin. Look on page 16 for a picture. https://www.usbr.gov/tsc/techreferences/mands/mands-pdfs/pipebed.pdf
I simply asked you to explain.
One person stated over dig and backfill as necessary. You stated, "That is NOT what you want to get in a habit of. Any “trench” floor should remain virgin material. You never want any trench floor to settle."
You also said, "Also keeping your bucket flat is probably the worst thing to do when digging out a trench. Its a horrible habit to get into for several reasons."
One person stated over dig and backfill as necessary. You stated, "That is NOT what you want to get in a habit of. Any “trench” floor should remain virgin material. You never want any trench floor to settle."
You also said, "Also keeping your bucket flat is probably the worst thing to do when digging out a trench. Its a horrible habit to get into for several reasons."