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Help me take it to the next level.

hvy 1ton

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
1,943
Location
Lawrence, KS
Does anyone have a lead on a trencher or vibratory plow machine that has the setup for boring under driveways? I got hooked up with a company that can give me all the work I want but I have to be able to go under driveways. Right now none of the dealers around me have any of these machines in stock... Machine must weight under 8k lbs so I don't have to buy a new truck and trailers.

Way late, but I would seriously consider one of these for crossing driveways. I haven't used one, but their pipe burster works awesome.
 

keif

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2020
Messages
116
Location
USA
Way late, but I would seriously consider one of these for crossing driveways. I haven't used one, but their pipe burster works awesome.
That is cool but slow especially considering the two pits dug. Doing the cable drops is all about speed(and not messing things up) if you're going to make any money.

I ending up buying a ditchwitch vibratory plow and with the roto bore attachment and rods/etc. 95% of the time boring goes as planned, everyonce and a while it ends up going deeper than I want on the exit but that happens less and less the more I do it. The most I've done is 4 driveway bores in one day.

Having the plow and cable contract is working out nicely. I make decent money and it gets me out talking to people and giving out cards for the excavator work that pays great. So for I've gotten a few goods jobs from it and the money from drops is steady and reliable.
 

colson04

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Messages
2,057
Location
Delton, Michigan
I'd really like to see a video of that entire process. I scanned all over youtube and can find partial vids of boring under a driveway, but nothing on how you get the wire drop pulled through to finish the process.
 

keif

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2020
Messages
116
Location
USA
I'd really like to see a video of that entire process. I scanned all over youtube and can find partial vids of boring under a driveway, but nothing on how you get the wire drop pulled through to finish the process.

With my set up you have bore rods with a drill head. After you bore under the driveway into the hole on the other side you take off the drill head and put on an eyelet that a Chinese finger attaches to with a shackle. Then you back the machine up pulling the conduit under the driveway.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,248
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
That is cool but slow especially considering the two pits dug. Doing the cable drops is all about speed(and not messing things up) if you're going to make any money.

That little boring machine is more set up for plumbing and gas lines that need a larger bore.

I wouldn't mind having one for the occasional shot underneath a road or driveway.
 

colson04

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Messages
2,057
Location
Delton, Michigan
colson- I thought at about 7:20 of the video above that was what was happening?

I didn't watch that video. I went to youtube to see how the machine @keif is using does the job. I have seen large directional boring rigs operate and drill under roads, buildings etc. I didn't realize until now that he's doing the same process, just with smaller equipment. We hired a HDD crew to bore a new water line under our barn a few years back. They did a 300 ft bore, and pulled back a 2" water line in a couple hours. Then the plumbers broke out concrete as needed to connect new supply lines to the drinkers. The old 1" galvanized line was failing and chock full of lime deposit and couldn't keep up with the cows on real hot days.
 

keif

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2020
Messages
116
Location
USA
Here's a video of a roto witch doing a cable drop. I'm kinda shocked @keif was able to get ahold of one. My local Ditch Witch dealer has had nothing on the lot for months.
I really got lucky someone had it ordered a long time ago then backed out and I pounced on it!

I just got great news today, RDOF is starting back up and I'm going to be trenching main line for fiber on that. Probably for the rest if the year!! Great $$, the drops have been good but my little vp30 is going to be getting a break for a while.
 

colson04

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Messages
2,057
Location
Delton, Michigan
Here's a video of a roto witch doing a cable drop. I'm kinda shocked @keif was able to get ahold of one. My local Ditch Witch dealer has had nothing on the lot for months.

Thank you for sharing that. I missed that video when I was searching youtube.

I'm amazed that I've been around residential construction most of my life, amd yet, I'm just now learning about this.
 

aighead

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
2,541
Location
Dayton, OH
Deeper!!

Got a handy tool that makes the job, seemingly, pretty easy. Go deeper!

I'm being a turd that is just frustrated with digging in my own yard.
 
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