[TowerTalk] trencher

[Grant Saviers]

I wouldn't use a trencher.  I owned a ride on 6" chain 37hp Ditch Witch 
at my ranch and did several thousand feet of 18" deep trenching for 
water lines.  Deeper for power and propane lines.  In dirt a charm.  
Rocks ~ 6" and >2" roots could bounce the machine like a rodeo ride.  
Decomposing sandstone was a slog.  And if dry dirt, a mini duststorm.  
An extremely well engineered hydraulic system and a Deutz diesel that 
was a champion.

For 1400' of trenching, I would strongly recommend renting a mini 
excavator.  A 4000 to 6000# class machine with a 12 or 16" bucket. (It's 
a lot easier to work in a 16" wide trench)  Beats a backhoe hands down 
when a loader isn't needed.  I now have a Kubota 3200 
tractor/loader/backhoe but covet an excavator most of the time when 
digging.  Excavator advantages: Being able to shift from dig to drive 
and not change seat positions, the rubber treads keeping the machine in 
place without outriggers, the 360 deg swivel and reach over into dump 
trailers or trucks, and a pusher blade for refilling the trench (it's 
NOT a dozer) make them winners.  Fast, powerful, and flexible.

I would also go a bit deeper than 12".

The most important advice is not how to operate one.  In 1400' you will 
learn enough to do a decent job but your trench may not be as straight 
as you would like.  Most important is hands and feet off the controls 
whenever any helper is near to the work space.  They will kill and also 
put big dents in stuff.  The experts can do a ballet with these, and 
that is way above my pay grade.  Some equipment I rent has a switch for 
Turtle or Rabbit speed mode, and I'm usually a Turtle for safety.   Some 
yards are picky who they rent to, insurance binder wanted for real big 
$$$k stuff (free from my Allstate agent), GC licensed, etc.  Others want 
a valid credit card only and you are caveat emptor.  Every delivery 
driver was nice about giving the crash "how to" course.  Knowing how all 
the safety interlocks work is important when the machine won't obey.

Have fun!

Grant KZ1W


On 11/1/2017 14:25 PM, Jeff wrote:
> I want to cut a slot in the yard about 12” wide and about 12” deep to accommodate tower wiring here on the site.  In total the runs are about 1400 foot.
>
> Is a trencher the right tool for that job?
>
> I have no experience with that sort of thing but the rental guy I talked too scratched his head when I mentioned the 1400’ length and the fact the trench was shallow.  Maybe I have the wrong rental place.  Or maybe this is better a job for a mini excavator?
>
> 73/jeff/ac0c
> www.ac0c.com
> alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>