Nice video. I have used various trenching machines, including track hoes - but I have also used a Sawzall. You will find if you saw a "V" instead of two lines straight down, you won't need the pitchfork for removing the sod - you can use your hands. You also may not need to remove any dirt since you can place the pipe in the bottom of the V and replace the grass.
Great idea. As I watched a light bulb came on. I frequently divide perennials, grasses and shrubs using a machete and serrated knife. This will be perfect. Thank you for sharing.
You’d be better off with a sharp thin blade, plenty of plants won’t care much either way but with many plants that blade is too thick and corse, it’ll remove or destroy about 1/2” of material. I’d say to either get a single blade turkey carver, many use 2 blades, or just take a real knife, and cut it to size with a grinder, lay a sawzall blade over it and trace it around the base so it will actually lock into the sawzall… or maybe grind a sawzall blade down so it’s not so fat
He has good basic skills, since there is a little flex in the tubing doing it by eye saved him time and energy even if he wasn’t as straight as he was. But I have to say doing it with the sawzall was a great idea. I had to give him a sub. And a thumb. Another thing I liked was the two dogs. I have to get another one for my buddy so he someone besides me to get him exercising in. Been thinking about it for almost three years and that’s plenty of time for him with a new companion.
There is no such thing as a Harbor Freight Sawzall. It could have been a Sawzall bought at Harbor Freight though, If it was a Milwaukee brand tool. If not it was a Harbor Freight reciprocating saw.
I have been digging trenches for years and never thought of this - I always use a shovel and cut both sides of the trench with the shovel instead of using the Sawzall - good video! Neat idea!
If you cut a "V" it's much easier... Basically run each pass at a 60 degree angle or so. Because the blade passes cross over each other, you can completely lift out big sections at a time and then just set them back in place after you've run your line.
Conditions vary. In some places here, I have been able to cut a bit wider, than you did. Then the sod can be rolled up. This is helpful fixing ruts from 'mud season. Cut and roll the sod. Add fill, tamp, replace sod, tamp and water in. You have a great looking place, and now one less thing to mow around!
I am amazed how you cut a straight line while walking backwards! I'm going to try this but I will need to spray paint a straight line first on the grass.
Great idea using the saws all! I’ve used a compressor to blow air through the pipe in the fall and clear it of water before any freezing temps. Works well in case there are any low spots in the pipe.
A sawzaw pruning blade is on the way to my house from Amazon as I type! What a simple and great idea. I'm digging a VERY small french drain to get rid of my A/C drip water (South Florida humidity puts out a lot of water). I don't need to go deep or far, so this is perfect. But digging in my yard with a spade or shovel is a constant fight against thick roots, which this will cut right through. I also think this will help when I repair my dead-for-5-years sprinkler system next month as well, allowing me to trench out the sections of line that are broken to repair them. The only thing that MAY have made your job a little easier would've been to snap a chalk line before you started digging so you wouldn't have to keep checking your direction, but your trench was straight without it, so apparently it wasn't necessary for you. I'd need a line it or it would be a curvy mess, LOL! Thanks for the video!
@@DigitalArchmage No doubt. I’ve had them mark my lines in the past for tree planting and the area I’m looking at had no lines. But thanks for the reminder!
😊I've been trenching with my DeWalt for years. Also run the blade around my beds every year to cut the roots back. Water, dirt and mud have never hurt it. Just don't expect the blade to last long.
i have done this many times on the sod grass we have around the townhouse complex,works great also I use it when removing some small unwanted trees to cut the roots then rock the tree loose and out of the hole
From many seasons of professional landscaping, I would just use my D-handel spade. Make the vertical cuts, then cut the sod's roots horizontally along the length of the trench scooping out long pieces. I'v don this many many times, put your sod pieces and dirt on tarps or plywood ect, replace it all carefully, rake it over so you hide the cut lines and the (hopefully) little bit of dirt that is on the grass, water it. Most people will never know something was done.
Very good demo. Just so you know, that’s a garden fork. A pitchfork has round, thin tines with a long handle and is used to move (pitch) hay or straw or other stuff…cow chips!
I've used a Diablo carbide tipped pruning blade to cut roots underground with no ill effects to the blade. Hours and hours of using it that way and, other than the paint worn off, the blade was good as new.
Used a the saw before for cutting a trench, but as noted, always sprayed the lines before, since walking backward using a saw in the ground makes for a crooked trench.
This is a great idea. May I recommend adding a PVC section at the high end of the pipe with a drilled/tapped hole for a tire (Schrader) valve? At end of Fall just hook up a portable air tank and blow the water out for no chance of freezing. Good job.
Back in the early 90’s I used to trench lawns from the satellite dishes I installed to the house with a chainsaw, did hundreds of them that way and it worked wonderfully
Works great- I found a carbide tipped blade from Home Depot (but the harbor freight blade looks like a winner) and did a number on roots that were getting out of hand in the yard. I had a 1” spade bit that I drilled into the roots to lessen the material that I needed to saw through, worked like a charm! Good luck.
A Diablo 3 tpi carbide tipped blade is made for digging in soil. Those HF fleam blades aren't good for cutting wood, glad they cut something!! Great video!!
Diablo make great blades….if you can afford them! But for a one time use, that will blunt teeth (especially if your soil contains stone) it make sense to buy a really cheap blade.
@@contessa.adella Diablo blade teeth won't get blunted like a fleam blade used in the video and they cut through roots. They really don't "care" about rocks unless it's a big one. Home Depot has them on sale regularly. I use Diablo and Freud (Diablo) fleam blades in my landscaping business and have cut 1000's of linear feet with Diablo blades.
@@contessa.adella Generally it's cheaper to get them or any other carbide blades since they'll out last 10x for only 2x the price no idea for digging dirt though, I wouldn't spend any money on the blade I have a lot of rock..
Nice. I'm putting in a 48x16 detached deck with a gravel filled retaining wall. I'm gonna go with a bigbox bed edger for $40 1/2 day because I'm lazy, but this was an excellent solution for shorter runs.
I see all the hate comments about just using a shovel. Shovels don't work when there are roots running all directions. The recip is a work saver. ONE QUESTION: Why saw both sides of the trench? Why not just saw one side, lift the sod, and roll it back? Just a thought. Also, two words for cleaning out the trench. Trench Shovel. 2" or 4"; your choice.
Seems to work well. I just watered the ground well and made a single cut with a square spade, rocking the shovel back and forth to open a V shape. Take the pipe or in my case, ground contact rated cable, and push it in 5 to 6 inches with a board. Stomp the sod back together. Very quick and minimal disruption of the grass.
There's a machine that does this and it does exactly what you're describing accept you just drive the machine over it and it automatically cuts a slit in the ground and shoves the pipe or wire about 6 or 8 inches into the ground. It's called a cable plow.
I called plumbers to replace my leaky main water line, and they used a reciprocating saw with a V shaped spade blade to cut a trench in the rock-hard Las Vegas ground. I can't find that same spade blade anywhere. The ones on Amazon are flat, not V-shaped like a garden spade. He cut a 40' trench in no time. The ground here is so hard that the first time I tried with a shovel it only sank less than an inch. Not kidding. I had to go buy a pick axe to dig a hole. That's why I was amazed at how fast that spade blade cut through. Knowing what I do now, I could have replaced the water line myself and saved $2400, which was much less than other plumber estimates, so always shop around. All the houses in my neighborhood are having the same problem because they all have the "black pipe" water line that was used in 1985.
back in 19th century for "soddies" they had sleds with 2 parallel blades, pulled across the sod with a horse wound cut like you are doing only about 16" wide.
So thrilled with this, thank you. I have runaway raspberries and this will be brilliant for cutting the roots and getting them out of the ground, as well as burying some hoses that I have been moving for mowing.
I use a Harbor Freight corded sawall because it costs $19 and I distroy them cutting roots. I use the sawall to cut tree roots. I use a flat bladed sharshooter shovel. I drive the shovel in about 8” and rock it back a fouth to widen. When the trench is done, I drop the hose on top and shove it down the gap with a wood stick like and old axe handel. Once it is all in I walk it in like you did. You can’t see the trench afterwards. For the winter I blow out the water with an air compressor and a special fitting I made to fit the hose bib. Apply compressed air and open the other hose bib, at the end of the line, bam, done. A little water left in the hose will have room to expand.
Sawzall a register trademark of Milwaukee Tools. The term for these devices are reciprocating saw. That was drilled into all employees at Milwaukee. That all tools are not on the same level in performance or quality.
Your dog was perfectly cued at 1:49 when it shook its head and was thinking, “Wait, I’m I hearing this right? A sawzall blade? Hey everyone, watch this. Whoa, but it’s a sawzall!” Thank you for sharing.
I've been contemplating doing this exact thing, but thought I was being crazy! So glad to see it's not just me. :D And I wouldn't have even thought of the pruning blade (was going to use a demolition), but those huge openings are perfect!
Some dude on youtube having the same idea in no way proves you aren't crazy. I think you each had a great idea and that isn't the kind of endorsement you'd want to advertise.
I used to install irrigation systems. The hose clamps that you screw down are not the correct ones. The ones made for it you just squeeze them with nippers. They are single-use but they are much cheaper and they're very reliable being buried and they're easy to remove when you need to. They sell bags of them pretty much anywhere that you can get the fittings. If you need to do a lot of that poly pipe you can rent a machine called a cable plow and it will put them underground and you don't have to put dirt back on it puts the sod back in place and everything you just walk on it and then put some water on it to keep the grass from dying. Hit the end of the poly pipe with a propane torch for a few seconds and it makes it easy to slide the fitting on. The cable plow also has an attachment that will allow you to run pipe under a sidewalk, and I think we even did some under driveways. I think the one we used was a Ditch Witch. It's been years since I did it and honestly I don't miss it. In the fall you hook an air compressor up and blow the water out so they don't freeze. They normally use a gigantic tow-behind air compressor but you can use something smaller if you let it build back up and blow it several times.
I did this but I cut a “V” into the soil and I could just lift the grass and soil out of the trench no digging… I put the pipe in the trench and just rolled the grass and dirt sod back into the trench… It’s was so easy… Your idea works great to… Nice video…
Wow, i just might adapt your method to install the ground radials for amateur radio antenna, which won't need the trenching for the radial wires... All the Best! 73 DE W8LV Bill
I had to cut overgrown grass off the edges of a driveway cause it was so thick the line trimmer wouldn’t touch it. I used that same idea to follow the edge of the concrete driveway and it worked like a charm. I did put the blade on my grinder and create more of a knife edge , and that worked better than the offset teeth. Wound up with small blocks of sod to transplant.
@@maxmcvicker Dewalt Cordless with 12" pruning blades because I'm old and would wear out after a couple of batteries. For one particularly difficult 60 year old Orange tree it took three of us, a 30 year old corded Milwaukee, a handful of 12" blades, lots of digging and the Jeep winch to dig-cut out.
You can rent at Home Depot or numerous places a small trenching machine for about $55 a day and have all your trenches dug within a few hours and never have to bend over digging your Trench.. It saves your back and a heck of a lot of work..
Well, I think part of the whole idea was showing a cheaper alternative to renting a machine to trench it. That sawzall and a couple 12" blades are pretty cheap, and some people don't mind the labor. To each his own.
You can own a trenching shovel forever for even less than $55. I don't understand how bending over with a recip saw is easier than a tool specifically designed for this purpose.
What a great idea. I’ve got the same situation plus a power cord for my electric garden fence. I wonder if I couldn’t throw in a 12 gauge UF electric wire by the water pipe! This WILL save a lot of hassle when mowing. Thanks again for posting.
Great idea using the sawsall. I have a 30 ft stretch I need to add for my garden so I don't have to move the line each time I mow. I'm going to try this. You need to wrap the clamps on the 90 degree elbow with some silicone tape to keep them from rusting, unless they are stainless.
No you're just supposed to use the correct clamps which is not the kind he used. The correct ones slip over the pipe and you squeeze them with nippers and they will last as long as the rest of the irrigation system. They sell them by the bag cheap.
Looks good to me. Simple, straight forward. I might have tried one of the new carbide wrecking blades. Cost probably equal to your Harbor Freight blade. Carbide more money,, but lasts longer.. Although,,, the carbide wrecking blade I have in mind is sometimes not easy to find. Well done !!
The dog 😂. First off, looked at what you were doing, looked at you like you were an idiot. And walked off. Then once you’d made decent progress came back and showed interest in your smart idea like it was a dead cert all along.
Sacrifice a motozied edger. Strip the all but a "fender" to keep you from eating dust and flying debris. Add welds and small stock to create width. Mini trencher. The previous mentioned V cut is a good idea too.
good for you......now that I bought a new saw I can use my old one to bury a sat. tv line from garage to house and not worry about destroying saw.........thanks for encouragement.....
If you sat on a small wagon and worked your way backwards you would save your aching back. But good idea. I use sawzall to cut stump roots. 200 ‘ cord.
I only watched a minute and a half to see what blade you used. There's another video somewhere on TH-cam that shows using a "trenching spade" to do a similar job for running wire. Such a spade is flat so it makes a hole straight down, and can be moved side to side to open that hole into a V shape. What I'm thinking is something between these two methods: Use the Sawzall to cut a single cut, then use a spade to move it side to side, avoiding the need to make a second cut or to lift sod. This could be the best of both worlds because the Sawzall could easily cut sod and roots that would be slow to penetrate with a trenching spade. Thanks for the idea.
Nice job! Great idea. I have to dig a small trench to relocate rain water next to our garden. Based on another comment, I'll wet the soil first and then hit it with the Sawzall. Cheers, Bob
Installed a couple of in ground sprinkler systems, and found it much easier to just push a flat shovel into the ground and wiggle it back and forth opening a "v" in the earth moving along like that gives you a trench you can drop the hose in , then stomp the edges back into place and you are done.
I do this to replace grass. Really good. Make sure not to get mud next to where the blade meets the machine, because it will keep the removal of the blade from happening when you want to. I have removed roots of rose bushes also, or. roots from bushes.
OK, this is amazing. I'm about to trench a short path between some stuff where I want to get rainwater from the collection up by my house to a more usable area, and also run power to that area. This will work well for both, although I might have to make the electrical a bit deeper, it is a great way to remove the sod!
Every working man finds a way to get a job done on the cheap and the results are proof, great simple way to get it done.
I just watched a guy trench with a sawzall and was impressed how well it worked.
My wife and I just dug a 50’ trench by hand. At 73 I like you sawzall trick better.
It's good you had a hoe to help you.
Nice video.
I have used various trenching machines, including track hoes - but I have also used a Sawzall. You will find if you saw a "V" instead of two lines straight down, you won't need the pitchfork for removing the sod - you can use your hands. You also may not need to remove any dirt since you can place the pipe in the bottom of the V and replace the grass.
Great idea. As I watched a light bulb came on. I frequently divide perennials, grasses and shrubs using a machete and serrated knife. This will be perfect. Thank you for sharing.
You’d be better off with a sharp thin blade, plenty of plants won’t care much either way but with many plants that blade is too thick and corse, it’ll remove or destroy about 1/2” of material.
I’d say to either get a single blade turkey carver, many use 2 blades, or just take a real knife, and cut it to size with a grinder, lay a sawzall blade over it and trace it around the base so it will actually lock into the sawzall… or maybe grind a sawzall blade down so it’s not so fat
@@swayback7375 good suggestion, thanks.
Great idea. I blow my above ground lines out with air for the winter. Been working for 30 years so far 👍👍❤...
Blown away by how straight he made the trench without a guiding line.
Yeah, that was nice. A simple chalk snap line would do it for us mere mortals.
THANK YOU! That was my first thought too.
He has good basic skills, since there is a little flex in the tubing doing it by eye saved him time and energy even if he wasn’t as straight as he was. But I have to say doing it with the sawzall was a great idea. I had to give him a sub. And a thumb. Another thing I liked was the two dogs. I have to get another one for my buddy so he someone besides me to get him exercising in. Been thinking about it for almost three years and that’s plenty of time for him with a new companion.
My thought was to do a double chalk line following a snap of the chalked line
@@johncharlesfarrell3144 I was thinking a rope between the two points would have helped.
Harbor freight blade and sawzall, an unbeatable combo I’ve used on roots but never thought of this!! Next time. Thanks for the tip.
I’ve probably gone through 6 HF sawzalls doing this for garden borders. Best idea ever.
There is no such thing as a Harbor Freight Sawzall. It could have been a Sawzall bought at Harbor Freight though, If it was a Milwaukee brand tool. If not it was a Harbor Freight reciprocating saw.
Was referring to a blade bought at harbor freight. Sawzall I just used as as a generic term for a recip . saw. Like Kleenex is used for tissues.
Great blades
I have been digging trenches for years and never thought of this - I always use a shovel and cut both sides of the trench with the shovel instead of using the Sawzall - good video! Neat idea!
Thank you for watching!
If you cut a "V" it's much easier... Basically run each pass at a 60 degree angle or so. Because the blade passes cross over each other, you can completely lift out big sections at a time and then just set them back in place after you've run your line.
Maybe wouldn't be deep enough this way
@@digitaligames7215 That was my first thought
Another great idea…. depending on the project, one now has two alternatives…….. Thank you
Nicely done. 👍 😊
Conditions vary. In some places here, I have been able to cut a bit wider, than you did. Then the sod can be rolled up.
This is helpful fixing ruts from 'mud season.
Cut and roll the sod. Add fill, tamp, replace sod, tamp and water in.
You have a great looking place, and
now one less thing to mow around!
I used this method a few months ago to cut through roots when getting ready to frame and pour a slab. It made digging out the area so much easier
I am amazed how you cut a straight line while walking backwards!
I'm going to try this but I will need to spray paint a straight line first on the grass.
Texas gramma here. Loving the music, an the 2step at the end. Nice to the point video. I think I can do this. Pups are a big help also.
REALLY ! AT FIRST, I WANTED TO FAST FORWARD THROUGH THE DIGGING, BUT THE MUSIC WAS TOO GOOD TO MISS.
Great idea using the saws all! I’ve used a compressor to blow air through the pipe in the fall and clear it of water before any freezing temps. Works well in case there are any low spots in the pipe.
A sawzaw pruning blade is on the way to my house from Amazon as I type! What a simple and great idea. I'm digging a VERY small french drain to get rid of my A/C drip water (South Florida humidity puts out a lot of water). I don't need to go deep or far, so this is perfect. But digging in my yard with a spade or shovel is a constant fight against thick roots, which this will cut right through. I also think this will help when I repair my dead-for-5-years sprinkler system next month as well, allowing me to trench out the sections of line that are broken to repair them.
The only thing that MAY have made your job a little easier would've been to snap a chalk line before you started digging so you wouldn't have to keep checking your direction, but your trench was straight without it, so apparently it wasn't necessary for you. I'd need a line it or it would be a curvy mess, LOL!
Thanks for the video!
especially for residential, watch out for buried lines - obviously you're not going to feel pipes/lines with a recip saw at all.
@@DigitalArchmage No doubt. I’ve had them mark my lines in the past for tree planting and the area I’m looking at had no lines. But thanks for the reminder!
In the construction industry we call sawzall a _concieled wire, breaker locater_ 😂
😊I've been trenching with my DeWalt for years. Also run the blade around my beds every year to cut the roots back. Water, dirt and mud have never hurt it. Just don't expect the blade to last long.
Yeah yeah sawzall trenching. Awesome. That’s one of the coolest looking dogs I’ve ever seen! I like the ears! Good video by the way! 👍
i have done this many times on the sod grass we have around the townhouse complex,works great also I use it when removing some small unwanted trees to cut the roots then rock the tree loose and out of the hole
From many seasons of professional landscaping, I would just use my D-handel spade. Make the vertical cuts, then cut the sod's roots horizontally along the length of the trench scooping out long pieces. I'v don this many many times, put your sod pieces and dirt on tarps or plywood ect, replace it all carefully, rake it over so you hide the cut lines and the (hopefully) little bit of dirt that is on the grass, water it. Most people will never know something was done.
Yep. That is a slick way when not using things w fittings
Original idea to use the sawzall, I’ll extend that to other yard projects getting through surface tree roots
Why not just cut a V ? Lay the pipe at the intersection of the 2 cuts!
@@kevinmarc3394
That would be a pain getting all of the soil out with it being a V shape. It’s ideal to have the trench fit your shovel shape.
@@tonypapaythey are pretty great for tree and shrub removal if you want it all of the plant out.
Those sawzalls are great; I use one specifically to dig up stumps with the same blade!
I use it all the time as well for cutting back brush and trimming trees... thanks for watching!
The Axe?
Reciprocating saws. “ Sawzall” is the name Milwaukee gives their recip saws.
@@maxmcvicker 🤣😅😂 Dang, busted by the grammar cops, I still call my klein water pump pliers channel locks.
@@maxmcvicker gets the Intelligent Viewer award! 👍🏼
I used an old circular saw to do the cuts on mine, but your use of the pitch fork instead of digging looks a treat! Thankyou !
circular saw is a good idea too! thanks for watching and sharing.. take care!
Just came across your video. A trencher around here cost $300 a day, so your great idea is it. Thank You
Hi. Nice video showcasing a bright idea. Sorry, but the dogs in time-lapse was the best part!
Very good demo. Just so you know, that’s a garden fork. A pitchfork has round, thin tines with a long handle and is used to move (pitch) hay or straw or other stuff…cow chips!
We grew up calling them a potato fork.
Roofers use them a lot also for taking off old shingles. Maybe they call it a roofing fork. Lol
@@davidpeightal4918 It's also called a spading fork. The dialectal word "spud" for potato is related to the word "spade".
Yeah, well, Sawzalls are red, not yellow! That’s a reciprocating, or recip for short, saw.
Not bad at all. No paint line but straight cut. Job well done.
Son. Of. A. Biscuit. This is absolutely brilliant. 🤩
I've used a Diablo carbide tipped pruning blade to cut roots underground with no ill effects to the blade. Hours and hours of using it that way and, other than the paint worn off, the blade was good as new.
- Thx. I've used up enough cheaper blades to buy many of the Diablos.
Only difference, I'd cut in a "V" and just lift out by the grass w my hand. Great idea!
Good idea my lawn contractor will use this idea in my yard, but he does not have any dogs supervising the job. Thanks
It worked really well for me and the supervisors do help out a lot.. ha.. thanks for watching!
I did exactly this but with a lawn edger. Same result, but less stress on the back.
Same.
I use a long handled axe, don't have to bend that far, cut the sod that way.
Great idea. I’m going to do that
I'm glad to see those pups keeping an eye on things, making sure you're OK
Used a the saw before for cutting a trench, but as noted, always sprayed the lines before, since walking backward using a saw in the ground makes for a crooked trench.
This is a great idea. May I recommend adding a PVC section at the high end of the pipe with a drilled/tapped hole for a tire (Schrader) valve? At end of Fall just hook up a portable air tank and blow the water out for no chance of freezing. Good job.
Great idea! Thanks... and thanks for watching!
Great idea! The video was well made too; liked the fast forward and comic relief clips.
I do something similar, but I use a 2x6 and cut on both sides.
Back in the early 90’s I used to trench lawns from the satellite dishes I installed to the house with a chainsaw, did hundreds of them that way and it worked wonderfully
Love this! Great job. Gives me courage to tackle some tree roots sticking up too high in my backyard with a sawzall. Thank you.
That's the _best_ way to shut down them freeloading oaks and elms. Let 'em get water and nutrients somewhere else 😂
Works great- I found a carbide tipped blade from Home Depot (but the harbor freight blade looks like a winner) and did a number on roots that were getting out of hand in the yard. I had a 1” spade bit that I drilled into the roots to lessen the material that I needed to saw through, worked like a charm! Good luck.
A Diablo 3 tpi carbide tipped blade is made for digging in soil. Those HF fleam blades aren't good for cutting wood, glad they cut something!! Great video!!
Diablo make great blades….if you can afford them! But for a one time use, that will blunt teeth (especially if your soil contains stone) it make sense to buy a really cheap blade.
@@contessa.adella Diablo blade teeth won't get blunted like a fleam blade used in the video and they cut through roots. They really don't "care" about rocks unless it's a big one. Home Depot has them on sale regularly. I use Diablo and Freud (Diablo) fleam blades in my landscaping business and have cut 1000's of linear feet with Diablo blades.
@@contessa.adella Generally it's cheaper to get them or any other carbide blades since they'll out last 10x for only 2x the price
no idea for digging dirt though, I wouldn't spend any money on the blade I have a lot of rock..
Nice. I'm putting in a 48x16 detached deck with a gravel filled retaining wall. I'm gonna go with a bigbox bed edger for $40 1/2 day because I'm lazy, but this was an excellent solution for shorter runs.
Fun to watch. Especially your dogs!
I am putting in a french drain this spring, im gonna use this method for taking off the sod. That is creative way of doing it.
How do you know it's a "french" drain? I think my drains are all "german" drains!😮
@@outwest7700 I buried napoleon's musket in the trench
I see all the hate comments about just using a shovel. Shovels don't work when there are roots running all directions. The recip is a work saver. ONE QUESTION: Why saw both sides of the trench? Why not just saw one side, lift the sod, and roll it back? Just a thought. Also, two words for cleaning out the trench. Trench Shovel. 2" or 4"; your choice.
Seems to work well. I just watered the ground well and made a single cut with a square spade, rocking the shovel back and forth to open a V shape. Take the pipe or in my case, ground contact rated cable, and push it in 5 to 6 inches with a board. Stomp the sod back together. Very quick and minimal disruption of the grass.
I have used a shovel like that many times, works great for cable.
There's a machine that does this and it does exactly what you're describing accept you just drive the machine over it and it automatically cuts a slit in the ground and shoves the pipe or wire about 6 or 8 inches into the ground. It's called a cable plow.
I called plumbers to replace my leaky main water line, and they used a reciprocating saw with a V shaped spade blade to cut a trench in the rock-hard Las Vegas ground. I can't find that same spade blade anywhere. The ones on Amazon are flat, not V-shaped like a garden spade. He cut a 40' trench in no time. The ground here is so hard that the first time I tried with a shovel it only sank less than an inch. Not kidding. I had to go buy a pick axe to dig a hole. That's why I was amazed at how fast that spade blade cut through.
Knowing what I do now, I could have replaced the water line myself and saved $2400, which was much less than other plumber estimates, so always shop around. All the houses in my neighborhood are having the same problem because they all have the "black pipe" water line that was used in 1985.
back in 19th century for "soddies" they had sleds with 2 parallel blades, pulled across the sod with a horse wound cut like you are doing only about 16" wide.
I have always used a singlr-bottom plow for trenching. Now that I don't have acreage I'll have to keep this method in mind.
So thrilled with this, thank you. I have runaway raspberries and this will be brilliant for cutting the roots and getting them out of the ground, as well as burying some hoses that I have been moving for mowing.
I did not think of that.. thanks! take care!
I use a Harbor Freight corded sawall because it costs $19 and I distroy them cutting roots. I use the sawall to cut tree roots. I use a flat bladed sharshooter shovel. I drive the shovel in about 8” and rock it back a fouth to widen. When the trench is done, I drop the hose on top and shove it down the gap with a wood stick like and old axe handel. Once it is all in I walk it in like you did. You can’t see the trench afterwards. For the winter I blow out the water with an air compressor and a special fitting I made to fit the hose bib. Apply compressed air and open the other hose bib, at the end of the line, bam, done. A little water left in the hose will have room to expand.
This is really smart, bro! You just saved me hundreds of dollars on equipment rent! Thank you!
Thanks for your video. I used mine around my above ground pool. I needed to cut tree roots growing under the liner.
Sawzall a register trademark of Milwaukee Tools. The term for these devices are reciprocating saw. That was drilled into all employees at Milwaukee. That all tools are not on the same level in performance or quality.
Dang ... That's a great idea. Good job. 👍 I'm going to do the same for my irrigation set up.
Your dog was perfectly cued at 1:49 when it shook its head and was thinking, “Wait, I’m I hearing this right? A sawzall blade? Hey everyone, watch this. Whoa, but it’s a sawzall!”
Thank you for sharing.
*queued
@@himhim3344 - Thank you for pointing out the typo. But it’s actually “cued”.
Dogs are pretty impressed with your digging skills.
I use a reciprocating saw and an old blade to cut roots and remove tree stumps. It cuts through them like a hot knife through butter!
I've been contemplating doing this exact thing, but thought I was being crazy! So glad to see it's not just me. :D
And I wouldn't have even thought of the pruning blade (was going to use a demolition), but those huge openings are perfect!
Thanks for watching! it worked well for what I needed to do.. I thought I was crazy too.. until it worked!
I'm just running about 30ft of low voltage wiring inside some PVC, so in the immortal words of Jimmys World "it'll be fine".
Same
Some dude on youtube having the same idea in no way proves you aren't crazy. I think you each had a great idea and that isn't the kind of endorsement you'd want to advertise.
I used to install irrigation systems. The hose clamps that you screw down are not the correct ones. The ones made for it you just squeeze them with nippers. They are single-use but they are much cheaper and they're very reliable being buried and they're easy to remove when you need to. They sell bags of them pretty much anywhere that you can get the fittings.
If you need to do a lot of that poly pipe you can rent a machine called a cable plow and it will put them underground and you don't have to put dirt back on it puts the sod back in place and everything you just walk on it and then put some water on it to keep the grass from dying. Hit the end of the poly pipe with a propane torch for a few seconds and it makes it easy to slide the fitting on. The cable plow also has an attachment that will allow you to run pipe under a sidewalk, and I think we even did some under driveways. I think the one we used was a Ditch Witch. It's been years since I did it and honestly I don't miss it.
In the fall you hook an air compressor up and blow the water out so they don't freeze. They normally use a gigantic tow-behind air compressor but you can use something smaller if you let it build back up and blow it several times.
Nice tip ,I need to put up my fence poles an I think it will work!! Thanks man!
Thank you for this idea. Much cleaner than other options.
What a great idea, I used an edging spade and it took ages, wish I’d come across this a year ago .
I have also seen thus done with a power wash lance. Messy, but nice and easy compared to digging.
I did this but I cut a “V” into the soil and I could just lift the grass and soil out of the trench no digging… I put the pipe in the trench and just rolled the grass and dirt sod back into the trench… It’s was so easy… Your idea works great to… Nice video…
Great idea! thanks for watching!
Wow, i just might adapt your method to install the ground radials for amateur radio antenna, which won't need the trenching for the radial wires... All the Best! 73 DE W8LV Bill
Yes, certainly looks easier than being on your knees doing it by hand like in years past.
47 & 73 de KB5ILY
10/10 for the creativity! Too many rocks where I live to do that.
I had to cut overgrown grass off the edges of a driveway cause it was so thick the line trimmer wouldn’t touch it. I used that same idea to follow the edge of the concrete driveway and it worked like a charm. I did put the blade on my grinder and create more of a knife edge , and that worked better than the offset teeth. Wound up with small blocks of sod to transplant.
I've taken out many. many stumps using my battery operated Sawzall-12" pruning blade to cut roots. With the bigger ones my Jeeps wench came in handy.
Was it a Milwaukee?
@@maxmcvicker Dewalt Cordless with 12" pruning blades because I'm old and would wear out after a couple of batteries. For one particularly difficult 60 year old Orange tree it took three of us, a 30 year old corded Milwaukee, a handful of 12" blades, lots of digging and the Jeep winch to dig-cut out.
That looks surprisingly effective.
Good idea , suggest making a V cut that meets in bottom. Pull continuous Sod out rather than shirt chunks! Works for me!
You look like Scotty Scheffler. Groovy video. Thank you
Bravo young man………..Thank you for this demonstration, helps me a lot
thanks for a super cool idea! also I loved how curious your puppers were! so cute!
I would lay a board the width of the desired trench and just cut next to each side for a convenient, easy to follow guide line. Thanks for the idea!
I was going to do this same thing 👍
Interesting…. I might give that a try for my next short trench. Thanks!
You can rent at Home Depot or numerous places a small trenching machine for about $55 a day and have all your trenches dug within a few hours and never have to bend over digging your Trench.. It saves your back and a heck of a lot of work..
YAH I WAS THINKING ALONG THE SAME LINE
BESIDES LMFAO
IF HE CAN AFFORD ALL THAT STUFF ... HE SHOULD JUST BUY A TRENCHING MACHINE.
Well, I think part of the whole idea was showing a cheaper alternative to renting a machine to trench it. That sawzall and a couple 12" blades are pretty cheap, and some people don't mind the labor. To each his own.
@@kebo57
that blade was all over the place
almost bent in half !
super dangerous too if it hits rocks
You can own a trenching shovel forever for even less than $55. I don't understand how bending over with a recip saw is easier than a tool specifically designed for this purpose.
@@donhill1825 ALSO A BACK BREAKER !
Great video. I'll use this fall to run a couple additional irrigation circuits. Looks like a sharp shooter shovel would pop this stuff right out.
What a great idea. I’ve got the same situation plus a power cord for my electric garden fence. I wonder if I couldn’t throw in a 12 gauge UF electric wire by the water pipe! This WILL save a lot of hassle when mowing. Thanks again for posting.
Run PEX and you won't have to worry about it freezing, and yep, put the UF cable in with it.
Great idea using the sawsall. I have a 30 ft stretch I need to add for my garden so I don't have to move the line each time I mow. I'm going to try this. You need to wrap the clamps on the 90 degree elbow with some silicone tape to keep them from rusting, unless they are stainless.
No you're just supposed to use the correct clamps which is not the kind he used. The correct ones slip over the pipe and you squeeze them with nippers and they will last as long as the rest of the irrigation system. They sell them by the bag cheap.
@@actionjksn Thanks, I'll do that.
It's hard to beat the utility of a recip saw. I like it. Simple solution to the problem
Looks good to me. Simple, straight forward. I might have tried one of the new carbide wrecking blades. Cost probably equal to your Harbor Freight blade. Carbide more money,, but lasts longer.. Although,,, the carbide wrecking blade I have in mind is sometimes not easy to find. Well done !!
The dog 😂. First off, looked at what you were doing, looked at you like you were an idiot. And walked off. Then once you’d made decent progress came back and showed interest in your smart idea like it was a dead cert all along.
Such a brilliant use of a versatile tool. Thanks.
Sacrifice a motozied edger. Strip the all but a "fender" to keep you from eating dust and flying debris. Add welds and small stock to create width. Mini trencher. The previous mentioned V cut is a good idea too.
good for you......now that I bought a new saw I can use my old one to bury a sat. tv line from garage to house and not worry about destroying saw.........thanks for encouragement.....
Thanks for watching and good luck!
Hehehe ohhh my like to see that used where I live. Waterline must be 36 inches deep. Happy this works where you live nice video
If you sat on a small wagon and worked your way backwards you would save your aching back. But good idea. I use sawzall to cut stump roots. 200 ‘ cord.
I'm so glad to see this video because I have to get water to my garden, thank you
Thank you for watching! I hope it works for you as well!
I only watched a minute and a half to see what blade you used.
There's another video somewhere on TH-cam that shows using a "trenching spade" to do a similar job for running wire. Such a spade is flat so it makes a hole straight down, and can be moved side to side to open that hole into a V shape.
What I'm thinking is something between these two methods: Use the Sawzall to cut a single cut, then use a spade to move it side to side, avoiding the need to make a second cut or to lift sod. This could be the best of both worlds because the Sawzall could easily cut sod and roots that would be slow to penetrate with a trenching spade.
Thanks for the idea.
Thank you for this fantastic tip, it saved me a lot of time and energy!
Nice job! Great idea. I have to dig a small trench to relocate rain water next to our garden. Based on another comment, I'll wet the soil first and then hit it with the Sawzall. Cheers, Bob
What a great idea and job! Wonder if in the fall just use a shop vac to empty the line. Thanks for the video.
Oh, man! And I've been stabbing at the ground with a pick and shovel like a sucker. I love this method.
A buddy ran electric service by trenching 90 ft to the garage. Made the cut with a rented chain saw. :)
Installed a couple of in ground sprinkler systems, and found it much easier to just push a flat shovel into the ground and wiggle it back and forth opening a "v" in the earth moving along like that gives you a trench you can drop the hose in , then stomp the edges back into place and you are done.
That's exactly the way I do it, seems the best way to me, looks like to much back work to me
I do this to replace grass. Really good. Make sure not to get mud next to where the blade meets the machine, because it will keep the removal of the blade from happening when you want to. I have removed roots of rose bushes also, or. roots from bushes.
Dogs are like "Are we gonna get to chase something out of that ditch?"
And you get mad at us for digging holes. 🐶 🐶
Interesting solution. Just did a very similar job the old fashioned way.
Thanks for watching! 👍
Your dog has the best ears...
You just saved me much effort! Great Idea. HF has so many uses, and I have a sawsall!
Great Idea … I have going to pour a small 3x10 sidewalk between two buildings on our property … The Saws All will make it much easier …
I used my Milwaukee Sawzall with a Diablo 9 inch hacksaw blade to cut through frozen ground to lay foundation.
OK, this is amazing. I'm about to trench a short path between some stuff where I want to get rainwater from the collection up by my house to a more usable area, and also run power to that area. This will work well for both, although I might have to make the electrical a bit deeper, it is a great way to remove the sod!