cutting a trench without a backhoe?

[djzander]

So i got a MX5100 with a bucket/FEL.

I am needing to cut a little trench to drain off some water from a low spot i created digging out some dirt so my newly installed fence gate would swing clear. Its a 8' wide gate. Now I got a little pond right in front of the gate. The ground runs down towards the gate.
I was thinking of cutting a trench from the low spot /pond I created and put a pipe or some kind of that black corrugated pipe in the trench so it has some fall to it to take the water away. No back hoe and for 10K I'm not buying one to cut one trench.
Anyone ever use there bucket to do this? Ground is real soft right now with all the rain we're getting. Any thoughts/tips/tricks or just a dumb Idea. Son in law has a little back hoe but no trailer to transport it yet anyway. He's too far to drive it over on the road. Any Idea's? besides move the gate? Really don't want to do that, Meaning the wife wants it where its at of course.

 

[Creature Meadow]

I hear what you are saying but hard to visualize how to offer help without seeing it. If possible take a few pics and post them and I'm sure some help and ideas will be offered.

Good luck.

Jay

 

[djzander]

I can do that when I get back there , i'm 120 miles from the property.

back down there this weekend, Do it then.
Thanks, I get where your coming from.

 

[lugbolt]

I dug 92' of 30" deep trench for 2" PVC a couple years ago. Did it by hand with a pick. Took forever and I think I have suffered some permanent back injury from doing it.

advice? Rent a trencher and have it knocked out in 30 min. Or rent a backhoe. Work smart, not hard.

 

[Russell King]

Set gate higher and fill in level area slightly sloped to drain?

Use a chisel plow/subsoiler but you might make a mess if it is muddy/soft soil.


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[Blondie70]

Just thinking about a pick gives me a headache !!!!! ha ha

 

[bxray]

Give it a try.
Maybe get a Piranha Tooth Bar.

https://bxpanded.com/piranha-toothbar

Ray

 

[djzander]

"Set gate higher and fill in level area slightly sloped to drain?"

That's a real good idea.
What didn't I think of that.

Glad I asked .
Thanks

 

[modeladay]

Give it a try.
Maybe get a Piranha Tooth Bar.

https://bxpanded.com/piranha-toothbar

Ray

I had a similar problem with a 12ft gate, always muddy. I used a toothbar on a B2150 and dug a trench deep enough and wide enough to lay a six inch 20 long drain pipe in the keep water out from in front of the gate. Recommended use of a FEL???? Probably not but it was easier on the loader then my 66 year old back

 

[Howling]

Drainage ditch is possible without backhoe. I just just did it.

Last fall was very wet. Run off from hill behind and neighbor's yard make my tractor shed a mud pit. I used a mid buster for initial water channel to start the drainage. Working in wet ground can make a soupy mud pit quickly. So I left the tractor outside until it dried up this spring.

Digging a ditch with a FEL will create a wide v-grove to drop in the pipe and fill back in.

Set of forks pushed to together can be used to dig a straight wall trench.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Rent a trailer to move the son in laws tractor, much cheaper than renting equipment.

 

[johnjk]

Can you get your hands on a sub-soiler or ripper? Use it to loosen up the area you want to trench by making a couple passes. Go back with the FEL and clear out the loose soil. Install pipe, backfill and enjoy

 

[mikester]

Dig a swale using the front end loader. Make your cuts 90 degrees to the flow path. Easy peasy.

 

[SidecarFlip]

My personal view is a tractor implement backhoe is one of the most worthless pieces of equipment you can spend your moneyon.

I had one years ago on a Kubota and sold it.

I've laid 100's of feet of water lines and buried utilities since then with one rented machine.

I rent a self propelled trencher from the local Black Swamp machinery rental place. $150 bucks a day and I can trench a couple hundred feet per day. Nice thing about a trencher is, the 'spoil' is piled neatly on each side of the trench so backfill is easy with a shovel., Minimal disruption of the ground around the trench and most trenchers will trench at least 5 feet in depth.

I will never have a add on backhoe, total waste of money in my opinion. If I needed backhoe work donr for sme reason, I'd hire it out. Still much cheaper than buying a hoe attachment for 10-15 grand just to say I have it (it's in the shed)...lol

 

[Freeheeler]

My personal view is a tractor implement backhoe is one of the most worthless pieces of equipment you can spend your moneyon.

I had one years ago on a Kubota and sold it.

I've laid 100's of feet of water lines and buried utilities since then with one rented machine.

I rent a self propelled trencher from the local Black Swamp machinery rental place. $150 bucks a day and I can trench a couple hundred feet per day. Nice thing about a trencher is, the 'spoil' is piled neatly on each side of the trench so backfill is easy with a shovel., Minimal disruption of the ground around the trench and most trenchers will trench at least 5 feet in depth.

I will never have a add on backhoe, total waste of money in my opinion. If I needed backhoe work donr for sme reason, I'd hire it out. Still much cheaper than buying a hoe attachment for 10-15 grand just to say I have it (it's in the shed)...lol

Flip, I hear ya. A backhoe is a tool, and if you don't need that tool on a regular basis, it's a total waste of money. On the other hand, if you use it often, it's priceless. I can't think of a week this past year when I didn't use mine. There are hundreds of ways to use it once you get proficient with it. Renting for me would be a huge waste. I can dig for an hour here and there when I have time after work. With renting, I'd have to take off work. Even if I used it half as often, renting 25 times a year, and taking 25 days off work (lost wages), that's what I consider a waste of money.

For me, a snowblower would be a huge waste of money, I'd never use it. It's a tool I don't have a need for. Sounds like a BH is a tool you have no use for.
But to be honest, I wish I really needed a huge snowblower

 

[shootem604]

Flip, I hear ya. A backhoe is a tool, and if you don't need that tool on a regular basis, it's a total waste of money. On the other hand, if you use it often, it's priceless. I can't think of a week this past year when I didn't use mine. There are hundreds of ways to use it once you get proficient with it. Renting for me would be a huge waste. I can dig for an hour here and there when I have time after work. With renting, I'd have to take off work. Even if I used it half as often, renting 25 times a year, and taking 25 days off work (lost wages), that's what I consider a waste of money.

For me, a snowblower would be a huge waste of money, I'd never use it. It's a tool I don't have a need for. Sounds like a BH is a tool you have no use for.
But to be honest, I wish I really needed a huge snowblower

My backhoe has been a massive asset to me. I don't live close to rental outlet, my schedule is incompatible with their hours, and my wallet with their prices. I've dug trenches, replaced culverts, dug out stumps, built rock walls, and prepped for concrete. Given the hours I've put on the backhoe, I paid for it after 10 days of usage. I'd prefer a mini-ex, but the backhoe sure beats shoveling.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Flip, I hear ya. A backhoe is a tool, and if you don't need that tool on a regular basis, it's a total waste of money. On the other hand, if you use it often, it's priceless. I can't think of a week this past year when I didn't use mine. There are hundreds of ways to use it once you get proficient with it. Renting for me would be a huge waste. I can dig for an hour here and there when I have time after work. With renting, I'd have to take off work. Even if I used it half as often, renting 25 times a year, and taking 25 days off work (lost wages), that's what I consider a waste of money.

For me, a snowblower would be a huge waste of money, I'd never use it. It's a tool I don't have a need for. Sounds like a BH is a tool you have no use for.
But to be honest, I wish I really needed a huge snowblower

You get enough snow in Knoxville to warrant a snowblower? I sold my 96" Lucknow last fall. Bought the 10 foot wide county blade and never looked back.

I'd like to have a small Kubota but in reality I have no need for one....

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I wish I really needed a huge snowblower

Come on up here in the winter, I'll give you a "need" for a serious snow blower!

 

[D2Cat]

Flip, when you rent a machine why do you have to backfill with a shovel... "backfill is easy with a shovel"? If you're going to rent a piece of equipment to get something done, why just do half of the job?

Even my old machine will do that. Has a 6 way backfill blade!

 

[SidecarFlip]

Come on up here in the winter, I'll give you a "need" for a serious snow blower!

You get snow in Idaho? Thought Idaho was temperate?

Huge blowers require big power. My Lucknow used everything the M would make and then some. I could make her blow smoke if I wasn't careful when I got into a drift, it would come up on the turbo right away, love that sound of a screaming turbocharger.

Now that M5 that is at my dealer (151 horse PTO) would do the job nicely.

Somehow 169 grand isn't appealing to me (or my wife). I'm sure KCC would approve me not sure how I'd pay for it. I am retired.... not retarded (or at least don't think so).