Landscaper tip for dry trench line: get a soaker hose (flat ones they sell at big box stores with tiny water perferations), turn it upside down, turn on trickle water. It will deeply soak your trench line. We can leave them for 24hrs, and have perfect trench digs with a walk behind. Clay soil: leave them on for 8hrs one day, next day 8hrs, should be able to trench within 2 days without gumming up the trench teeth.
Thank you, Pete 🙏 Your video helped my Dad and I get our trencher off the pallet and into the dirt (especially since there were no instructions included) God bless.
Two weeks ago I was planning on putting a 100 amp service in my garage with less than a 20ft space between it and the house. It was boulder after boulder. I rented a mini excavator, and I dug it deeper than I needed and buried all the boulders as I went. I was glad it had a thumb to pick them up. I ended the project $345 all in. While I was at it I put it two 1" PVC lines to feed other things later in addition to the buried electrical cable. I got the pvc free off Facebook marketplace. The mini excavator was so nice to use.
Great review and walk around. Thx. For the soil like that how many minutes / 100 yards you dig? Any special service advice? Thinking to get a trencher like that. Best.
I don't know Pete, I might have just bit the bullet and waited for the rental to finally come back. I'm wondering how your back was from having to literally pull the machine backwards. Earlier this year, I had to rent a trencher in order to run a water line and electrical line to the greenhouse I built. I'm not sure I could have pulled it backwards through the clay soil as you did without a little assist. Good video and hopefully you will get good use from the trencher you purchased. Just a thought, in the past, I have watered the ground in the area I'm trenching a day or two before to make the ground easier to dig. Cheers
I was surprised it doesn't have any drive on the wheels. At least it could have some 0.1 mph drive you could engage to keep pressure on the chain so you don't have to sit there and pull it all the time.
Greeting from down under part of the planet. NZ Thank you Pete B for all of that information! Really informative! So much so I went out and purchased one. However the trenchers down under do not have the front running wheel. I'm sure I could make one of those up. If you have the time could you measure the wheel diameter? Kind regards
What about using a PTO driven trenching attachment for your tractor? It would definitely do the job in open areas where there’s lots of room. That would also be better for your back.
Hi Pete, I have one just like that one but can’t find the manual, just curiosity, what does your manual say about tensioning the chain ? I found general information online which says the chain should sag 3/4 inch on the bottom run from parallel, just curiosity, does yours say similar in the manual for tensioning of the chain ? Greetings from Australia! 🎉
I searched my manual from front to back and I can't find anything about chain tension. I guess the Chinese forgot to put that in the manual 😂. I would have at least 1 inch of sag at the bottom. When I was done trenching for my rainwater catchment system, the chain sagged at least two inches before I tightened it up. Hope this helps.
They will hold up good but not good for hard dry clay type soil. Best to water the soil a bit a day or so prior to trenching if it hasn't rained because it will wear out the chains teeth.
Thank you Pete! Everything froze here in Tennessee last night..... is there such a thing as a propane floor heater? One that goes under the floor boards to radiate heat up? Thx!
@@petebeasttexashomesteading Yeah, your dirt is that hard red clay. It's really hard to work with. We have sandy soil here in this area and it's pretty easy to dig (Polk Cty).
Landscaper tip for dry trench line: get a soaker hose (flat ones they sell at big box stores with tiny water perferations), turn it upside down, turn on trickle water. It will deeply soak your trench line. We can leave them for 24hrs, and have perfect trench digs with a walk behind. Clay soil: leave them on for 8hrs one day, next day 8hrs, should be able to trench within 2 days without gumming up the trench teeth.
Nice Tip!
Thank you, Pete 🙏 Your video helped my Dad and I get our trencher off the pallet and into the dirt (especially since there were no instructions included) God bless.
Two weeks ago I was planning on putting a 100 amp service in my garage with less than a 20ft space between it and the house. It was boulder after boulder. I rented a mini excavator, and I dug it deeper than I needed and buried all the boulders as I went. I was glad it had a thumb to pick them up. I ended the project $345 all in. While I was at it I put it two 1" PVC lines to feed other things later in addition to the buried electrical cable. I got the pvc free off Facebook marketplace. The mini excavator was so nice to use.
I wonder if there is some way you could build a rig to pull it behind a tractor or lawn tractor? Great video!
Great review and walk around. Thx.
For the soil like that how many minutes / 100 yards you dig? Any special service advice?
Thinking to get a trencher like that.
Best.
That was a cool overhead shot at roughly 7:40. Always like watching your videos, Pete.
If you can slow the chain it will likely dig better. Every trencher I’ve used has been slow and deliberate in its functions.
I don't know Pete, I might have just bit the bullet and waited for the rental to finally come back. I'm wondering how your back was from having to literally pull the machine backwards. Earlier this year, I had to rent a trencher in order to run a water line and electrical line to the greenhouse I built. I'm not sure I could have pulled it backwards through the clay soil as you did without a little assist. Good video and hopefully you will get good use from the trencher you purchased. Just a thought, in the past, I have watered the ground in the area I'm trenching a day or two before to make the ground easier to dig. Cheers
I was surprised it doesn't have any drive on the wheels. At least it could have some 0.1 mph drive you could engage to keep pressure on the chain so you don't have to sit there and pull it all the time.
Greeting from down under part of the planet. NZ
Thank you Pete B for all of that information!
Really informative!
So much so I went out and purchased one.
However the trenchers down under do not have the front running wheel.
I'm sure I could make one of those up.
If you have the time could you measure the wheel diameter?
Kind regards
Thanks, the front wheel diameter is 7.5 inches or 19 cm. hope this helps
Did you try to find one for your 3 point hitch for your tractor? I see a lot of the online brand new for $2000 to $3000 that run off your PTO.
They are nice but too big for hard to get areas like in my fenced garden.
Hey Pete, great video! But you never mentioned how long it took you to dig that 100ft trench… how long did that take?
Great job Pete! Enjoyed watching!
Good job Pete, looks like a lot of manhandleing though. 👍👍💚 looking forward to that pipe going in.
How well does that work on hard packed soil?
My yard has a lot of clay and is rock hard in the summer.
It's always best to run a soaker hose on the ground a few days before you trench.
What about using a PTO driven trenching attachment for your tractor? It would definitely do the job in open areas where there’s lots of room. That would also be better for your back.
Those are nice but there's areas where I won't be able to use it because I'm not able to get my tractor in small tight areas.
Hey Pete, can you give us an update on your solar system. Are you grid tied or battery independent or both. Love your channel.
I do one soon, thanks
Pete, you must have the hardest ground I have ever seen. That is harder than woodpecker lips
Welcome to Texas. I'm west of him a few hundred miles and it's like CONCRETE!
Hi Pete, I have one just like that one but can’t find the manual, just curiosity, what does your manual say about tensioning the chain ? I found general information online which says the chain should sag 3/4 inch on the bottom run from parallel, just curiosity, does yours say similar in the manual for tensioning of the chain ? Greetings from Australia! 🎉
I searched my manual from front to back and I can't find anything about chain tension. I guess the Chinese forgot to put that in the manual 😂. I would have at least 1 inch of sag at the bottom. When I was done trenching for my rainwater catchment system, the chain sagged at least two inches before I tightened it up. Hope this helps.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading thanks Pete. Greetings Australia, Jasco.
I need to rent one ..
nice. you can do fiber installation now :)
I'm thinking about getting one of these generic trenches. Was curious how it's held up
They will hold up good but not good for hard dry clay type soil. Best to water the soil a bit a day or so prior to trenching if it hasn't rained because it will wear out the chains teeth.
I have mostly Sandy soil. I'm in Florida. How many feet were you able to go before you had to turn the teeth.
@@chopshop254 If you have mostly sandy type soil then you really don't have to worry about it.
Why did you go with that generic vs a brand name like a Groundhog T4?
Well Pete you definitely have your work cut out for yah!! Good luck!! you know what they say you eat elephant bite by bite so you’ll get there..
No Home Depot to rent one from?
How much cost
I have no idea what brand this is and couldn’t buy on EIC I wanted to…???
Thank you Pete! Everything froze here in Tennessee last night..... is there such a thing as a propane floor heater? One that goes under the floor boards to radiate heat up? Thx!
Not sure what type of heater you would need to heat under your house and do it safely. You'll have to research that very carefully.
What is the price
Nice job.
good info
Hi Pete first one to comment, hope the trencher works out for you.
Rented a walk behind 4" trench was only 3" because the ground is so hard. It folds the teeth in. Dirt teeth not rock teeth.
I see it looks like a chainsaw and maybe it needs a small tank for oiling the chain could have been an idea for that machine and a shut off
Can it trench in asphalt?
Have you ever thought of using vegetable oil? It's cheap and does no harm to the ground
I think vegetable oil is probably too thin.
What happens when it hits a rock or root?
You'll know it, it will start to jump up and down. But it did cut medium sized roots from a pine tree pretty good.
come listen
No automatic drive?? NO WAY, rent Ditch Witch from another rental company
We’ll Pete, looks like you bought a turd, I guess it’s better than hand digging, good luck.
It actually works great, it's my clay soil is too dry and hard.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading Yeah, your dirt is that hard red clay. It's really hard to work with. We have sandy soil here in this area and it's pretty easy to dig (Polk Cty).