Anyone on here have good luck using a single bottom plow or something similar to make small trenches for water lines?
Plow for Trenching water lines?
- Thread starter Norcal
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We've used a single bottom subsoiler to lay electric wire and plastic water line. A curved pipe big enough for the line or wire to feed thru angled to the rear welded to the side of the shank works great.
Another thing to think about: We rented a ditch witch at a local rental store for $225 a day. Dug 2400' ditch in one day and took it back. May be easier to go that rout instead of fighting a homemade rig.
Another thing to think about: We rented a ditch witch at a local rental store for $225 a day. Dug 2400' ditch in one day and took it back. May be easier to go that rout instead of fighting a homemade rig.
Be careful with a rental ditching machine.
Check to make sure it cuts a straight line. I've had the misfortune to have them wanting to make a curve and it is tough to keep them going straight.
Check to make sure it cuts a straight line. I've had the misfortune to have them wanting to make a curve and it is tough to keep them going straight.
Just a thought...
I know what you're trying to do and why, but I decided to hire a local guy with a vibrating knife machine to run some lines for me. He charged $1 per foot and that included the 1" line. When he left you almost couldn't tell where the cut was. The machine was a walk behind unit that cuts, lays flex conduit or water line, and closes the ground as it moves. In some areas I would guess they could be rented also.
I know what you're trying to do and why, but I decided to hire a local guy with a vibrating knife machine to run some lines for me. He charged $1 per foot and that included the 1" line. When he left you almost couldn't tell where the cut was. The machine was a walk behind unit that cuts, lays flex conduit or water line, and closes the ground as it moves. In some areas I would guess they could be rented also.
I was wanting to do the same thing for some water lines for our market garden. I am tired of dragging hoses and pipes around and having to move them to mow.
I am planning on only to use this during the frost free season and blow out the lines during the winter.
I have this one row ripper, that I was going to take off the shank, reverse it to have a smooth side out and then either attach some sort of smooth bent pipe to place the pipe in the ground or find something to pull the pipe under the ground with.
It does a good job ripping the garden.
I also have 4 of these curved tines that I use as a cultivator two work in soil amendments and weed. I could use one of these with ripper point on it and a swooping back pipe.
Any ideas, thoughts?
I am planning on only to use this during the frost free season and blow out the lines during the winter.
I have this one row ripper, that I was going to take off the shank, reverse it to have a smooth side out and then either attach some sort of smooth bent pipe to place the pipe in the ground or find something to pull the pipe under the ground with.
It does a good job ripping the garden.
I also have 4 of these curved tines that I use as a cultivator two work in soil amendments and weed. I could use one of these with ripper point on it and a swooping back pipe.
Any ideas, thoughts?
Guess nobody looked at the you tube video
Hers another one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jiuwmMTMevg#t=5
Hers another one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jiuwmMTMevg#t=5
I watched the vidoes there Skeets. That's exactly like what I was talking about earlier. They work like a charm.
I used 14ga fencing wire to wrap a schedule 80 90 degree with a 4' piece glued to it to the back of a subsoiler to bury hot fence wires from the transformer to the fence. Pretty easy to rig up and is much easier than digging a trench much larger than needed. Don't have to worry about back filling and there's minimal settling.
Skeets: I watched the video too, just looking for more homemade option.
Botadriver: I am assuming you used PVC? I wonder about bending an 1.5 inch EMT conduit and attaching it somehow to the single shank ripper. I am wanting to lay 3/4 inch black pipe. Think it would work?
Jay
Botadriver: I am assuming you used PVC? I wonder about bending an 1.5 inch EMT conduit and attaching it somehow to the single shank ripper. I am wanting to lay 3/4 inch black pipe. Think it would work?
Jay
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Watch a few more of the videos, That's exactly how the ones in the videos work.
Use 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" and keep the bend slow.
Use 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" and keep the bend slow.
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Using a long sweeping 90 is a must. You know another viable option is to go to an exhaust shop and have them make you a nice single piece of pipe with a bend. You want it mandrel bent so it is a nice smooth piece. Going this route ensures you're not using up much space for the material you're making it out of. A radius of 7-8" would most likely work.
If they could flare the feed end that would be best. You don't want to gouge or tear the pipe you're laying.
If they could flare the feed end that would be best. You don't want to gouge or tear the pipe you're laying.