Any tips or ideas on trenching a ditch in wooded areas?

I don't want to tear the place up with a hoe, and from experience, a ditch witch doesn't cut the mustard....


Dnk..

Dnk:
All I do is make a phone call, mark out from-to, get a call saying 'it's done', and sending the guys to put in the pipe.

Not that we're prima-donnas, but the excavator has all the right equipment, and know-how.

John

Same here, we have the excavator do it, we did a lot of work in Northeast Pa. just about every job, some expensive piece of equipment, would break down, his headache, not mine.

I had to dig a trench today. Had to re-feed a front yard post lamp that had been badly damaged/ rusted over the years. The depth of the UF feeding it had been cited as not being deep enough by the AHJ in Verona, NJ. I have to admit though, this was the softest dirt I had dug-up in aquite a awhile. Thank God for that because I deserve to have an "easy" day once in awhile.

Have you looked at directional boring or hydrovac . For hydrovac look at Badger Daylighting www.badgerinc.com They are a Canadian company but they have offices around the country.From what I have heard they are competative priced.

A landscaper buddy of mine pimped me once... told me that he was gonna trench a run for some 110 outdoor lights and a fountain outlet.

I showed up at the job site to find no JULIE* markers. He said "There's no problem, there are no utilities back her".

I turned and pointed to the big green humming box, and asked him "Oh, really? What's that transformer doing there then?"

He just started stammering, and called JULIE.

I wound up hand digging.

I hate trenching.

*JULIE - Joint Utility Underground Locating Information for Excavators.

"Julie", now that sounds better then...
New Jersey One-Call"

John

John,

How many EC's do you know, that call line mark for ground rods? they are 8 ft long and really tear up a gas line, catv line, waste line, and just about, any other underground unknown, the standard answer is either i have been doing this for years with no problem, or the best one is i see where the gas is comming in, and it's no where near rods!

"Any tips or ideas on trenching a ditch in wooded areas?"

Hmmm.... Make sure they have plenty of water, access to facilities, and return all tools.

Anyway, I assume JULIE is what is reffered to here as "USA Dig", they just coordinate from one call all applicable utilities to come mark thier own.

You call and mark in white, they come and mark in all kinds of colors.

I too am not one to not call for a rod, because for the most part rods will be on properties where only entering utilies are for the most part obvious. Above ground before entering. But I did go through an abandon sewer once - that sucked! Capped - Not operational, but full.... As non-op, it would not have goten painted...