Ditch Digging

[GuglioLS]

OK so I got tired of looking at my redneck power lines going from the barn to my remote controlled gate so I decided to bury them. These are the power lines -00 bare aluminum run overhead, made my own power poles with parts left over from when the electric coop ran new wires and poles about 15 years ago. They gave me a bunch of stuff they weren't going to use (Spool of wire, insulators etc..) in trade for some blasting I did. It served it's purpose at the time. I would have buried them back then but didn't have a back hoe or the smarts to insulate the High Voltage wire using cheap 1/2" black poly tubing. But I know better now



I took down the wire and ran it through 1/2" black PVC to insulate it so it could be buried underground. Dug a 285 foot trench 18" deep from the gate to the barn, it only too like 6 friggen hours on the hoe That comes out to 47.5 feet per hour, try digging that by hand



Larry

[GuglioLS]

Now that the power is run, working and buried, I removed the old fence comprised of cedar posts, field fencing and 2 strands of barbed wire. Now I need to bury the cable that operates the gate from inside the home when guests arrive. The wire for the gate opener was run along that fence which is now gone. The ditch for doing that is 424 feet Operating those hydraulic controls for so long was a real workout



Larry

[GuglioLS]

OK now what?
Sort of like painting yourself into a corner isn't it?






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Video of how I got out of that predicament:



Notice the power steering by "Armstrong" try that will a full load in the bucket. Power steering has spoiled us rotten!

After running the wire I use Goldie and the 360* Robo back blade to fill it all in and smooth off. Will get pic's later showing the finished project. Got to head to Denver @ 4:30 am for a NexION installation so I'll be out most of this week.


Larry

[Rich Waugh]

Nice work, Larry! I could have dug all that trench by hand in a couple of hours, tops - that is, if "by hand" means my hand on the control of the Ditch Witch. ;D

Now you can put in the motion sensing IP remote cameras and rocket launchers.

Rich

[3RRL]

Yeah, nice work Larry!
That is a whole lot of digging with the backhoe. One project like that and the hoe just about pays for itself. I recently dug a 24" to 30" deep trench for my neighbor below me. It was about 325 feet long, curving along his road from his power shack to his house. That little project took me about 7 hours. He wanted to pay me for the job, but I insisted that the most he could give me was fuel money. It was to be a "favor" and not a work contract. I ran the Kama in 740 PTO gear at about 1500rpms, so I only used about 4 gallons of diesel. His price was $12.50 hahaha. He gave me a twenty and then took us out to dinner.

Lucky, his trench did not have very many rocks like at my place.
From your photos, it looked like you had clear sailing (not many rocks) as well? I'll bet with the wires underground it made a huge improvement to the looks of your place. Did you run any extra for your future barn as well as the old barn? Or will it be in the same place as the existing one?
Oh and that video was pretty cool how you used your bucket as a "sled".
Thanks for sharing it all!
Rob-

[GuglioLS]

Rich, Rob,

Thanks for taking the time to check this out and posting your comments and questions. The current pole barn (to be demolished within a year or so?) has underground power going to it already, compliant with local code I might add. I ran the gate power from the current breaker box that's near the outside opening of the barn in such a way I can tear down the barn and still have power to the gate. The new barn - shop will be constructed in place of the old structure and around the current breaker box. Doing it that way will allow use of the existing power out there now. Everything is run underground now so yes it's looking allot better around here. Not only that I no longer have to worry about running into the low and uninsulated power lines with the FEL. And it will be allot safer for trucks delivering cement and building materials.

So Rob you dug 325 feet of ~30" trench? that's a huge project as a favor. Your neighbor must have been really grateful to you for doing that. They must now be really happy you and Loretta moved in. At first I bet with south camp going in they must have thought "well there goes the neighbor hood" HaHaHa. You were lucky not to run into many rocks. At your place if it's not rocks it's solid decomposed granite similar to 2500 psi cement. Here in the valley were our home is there's dirt at least 5-7 feet deep before you hit solid bed rock or boulders the size of a battle ship. So yes is was smooth sailing for me the entire ~ 700 feet of trench I dug with the exception of a few roots I ran into going through the trees. The Old Ford gas tractor is not as fuel efficient and the Jinma or your Kama, I must have burned through 15 gallons of gas or about 40 bucks worth, sheesh.

Larry