# Digging



## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

Does everyone here do their own digging? Or do you farm it out? If so what kind of equipment do you use?


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

"Trenching by others".


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

3D Electric said:


> Does everyone here do their own digging? Or do you farm it out? If so what kind of equipment do you use?


Rent a small machine or a helper...


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

It seems like I am one if the few who does all my own digging. I own a Ditch Witch HT25 with a backhoe. I subbed out the digging for a couple of houses we did when I couldn't get to it but it would normally run me close to 700 and I can do it myself with our equipment in usually two to three hours. Seemed like a better option considering I'm mostly just sitting on the machine with headphones in.


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## zen (Jun 15, 2009)

From my experience I was the small ditch digger. On houses , the service we had a trencher that paid for itself in time. Although we still dug most of anything else. To the gate or fountain , coach lights that may be on column s. ..in commercial we usually rent a trencher or mini excavator from somewhere near by. Sometimes the plumbers would do it for us for a price. I use to have a boaring co. At some sites. They cost the most but did the best job. Poco and city insp. Loved them. The depth was shallow deep shallow but it passed everytime. 

no matter what we theorize as electrics. It has always been .


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## cad99 (Feb 19, 2012)

Own a trencher no work lined up rent it out paid for self in no time.same with the bucket truck


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

cad99 said:


> Own a trencher no work lined up rent it out paid for self in no time.same with the bucket truck
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


We actually sold our bucket truck and bought a towable boom. It goes higher, 50', and has a whole lot less maintenance. Also we don't have to be DOT compliant to be legal.


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## cad99 (Feb 19, 2012)

We did the same less headache we already own enough pickups and not enough work to have a v10 running down the road every day


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

cad99 said:


> We did the same less headache we already own enough pickups and not enough work to have a v10 running down the road every day
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


We use the hell out of the boom. It works great! :thumbsup:


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## cad99 (Feb 19, 2012)

Oh no this is getting off topic like the circuit tracer thread 


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Depends on how far and deep, but the apprentice has to do something!:laughing:


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

cad99 said:


> Oh no this is getting off topic like the circuit tracer thread
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


500 3D points to whoever gets this thread back on track!


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

Looks like they killed off the circuit tracer thread. It was a good run and will be missed. Circuit Tracer thread 2014-2014. RIP


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## AllWIRES (Apr 10, 2014)

3D Electric said:


> Looks like they killed off the circuit tracer thread. It was a good run and will be missed. Circuit Tracer thread 2014-2014. RIP


:laughing:


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I'm workin' on it.....










~CS~


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

chicken steve said:


> I'm workin' on it.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is it operational?


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

I always did my own digging. I can operate a backhoe and mini excavator pretty well and the rental yards are very responsive.

The thing I dislike about trenchers is they leave a few inches of uncompacted earth in the bottom of the trench and you cannot see if you nicked something in the trench.


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## AK_sparky (Aug 13, 2013)

I miss the thread tracer thread...it was a good thread....

On track: I lucked out and got through my whole apprenticeship only ever having to do about 4 feet of trench....the part the backhoe couldn't get next to an existing pole and barn!


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## Bootss (Dec 30, 2011)

chicken steve said:


> I'm workin' on it.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Make sure you fabricate a roll cage for that tractor Steve. A buddy of mine unfortunately was killed in an accident when his tractor rolled over ,No roll cage.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

If you were to install a ROPS(rollbar), you would need a seatbelt too.

To answer the OP's questions, we use trenchers/minis/shovel, etc off and on. We usually try to get others to do the digging and save ourselves the headache of hitting a waterline, sprinkler pipe, manure pipe, etc but sometimes we end up doing it. I don't mind when I know nothing else is buried in the area. I enjoy digging(with equipment, it pays as much as wiring! Sometimes it's nice just running a piece of equipment and not having to think about anything. Relaxing almost.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Lep said:


> Make sure you fabricate a roll cage for that tractor Steve. A buddy of mine unfortunately was killed in an accident when his tractor rolled over ,No roll cage.


Condolences Lep

I'm a noob digger btw

Fact is , i've learned to operate a machine, and really don't know much about the digger trade at all.

So, how do i educate myself towards being a competent ,qualified, and marketable digger?

~CS~


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

chicken steve said:


> So, how do i educate myself towards being a competent ,qualified, and marketable digger?


Don't worry about this, you are smarter than that.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Well that's high praise Lou, but truth be known there's more than one beer bottle planted in the garden here.....:jester: ~CS~


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## niteshift (Nov 21, 2007)

Trenchers don't like excessively rocky ground. Broke it.
Backhoes don't like frozen ground. Broke it too.
Learned the hard way.


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## JoeCav91 (Sep 15, 2014)

The company I work for has a small kubota excavator, I do most of the digging with it. We use it all the time!


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## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

used to dig myself but since my heart attack my little brother brings up his ditch witch and does it for me (no cost i help with his electric on his farm)


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## Awseay (Aug 19, 2014)

We have a small kubota mini ex as well. I do most of the digging and I've learned on the JB how to operate it. Best advise is make sure you get everything marked, have a good spotter, and don't hook the bucket when you are in the danger zone. So far Ive only ruptured one gas line and it wasn't marked.


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## michoi (Jun 29, 2014)

I do it the apprentice way, shovel and pick axe!


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

3D Electric said:


> We use the hell out of the boom. It works great! :thumbsup:


Oh really? Our bucket truck needs a transmission and I was kinda thinking about one of those. Hmmmm.

As far as trenching goes, if there ain't someone else to do it I get to run the analog excavator since I don't have an apprentice to do it


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

Going_Commando said:


> ....I get to run the analog excavator ........


Is that this?


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