conduit under concrete walk.

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27hillcrest

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I have a project that needs a conduit installed under a concrete walkway about 5' wide. I would like to hear all the ways to install a 1" GRC under the walkway without cutting the walkway??
Thanks,
 
Brother... this is the tool for that. I've gone as far as 18-20 feet with it under walks and patios:

http://www.borzit.com/

si_UEw400_photo%203%20Borzit%20with%20hose.jpg
 
Since you've for asked all the possible ways of getting under a 5' concrete sidewalk, I'll start off:
1] Marc, the genius, Shunk, has already mentioned the BorZit. Actually there are two versions or companies who essentially produce the same thing. One is in New Mexico and the other in Montana. [perhaps Borit]
2] Need I mention the old fashioned method of just digging from both ends.
3] Then there is the garden hose method in which you fit a garden hose adapter to your pipe and a power washer nozzle to the other end. Turn on the pressure and blast you way thru.
4] A lot depends on the nature of the soil/rock underneath the sidewalk. For clay you might try using an old auger or Forstner bit on the end of a lot of extensions.
5] Whenever I have to do this under a 5' sidewalk, I usually resort to my trusty .50 caliber machine gun. But for 1" rigid, you would have to use 1.256" diameter bullets to make a large enough hole.
I hope others may contribute to this list if they have any valid ideas.
~Peter
 
27hillcrest said:
I have a project that needs a conduit installed under a concrete walkway about 5' wide. I would like to hear all the ways to install a 1" GRC under the walkway without cutting the walkway??
Thanks,
Click to expand...

Just remember whatever method you use, you may want to let the owner know, there is a chance the walkway may crack.
 
conduit under concrete walk

conduit under concrete walk

27hillcrest said:
I have a project that needs a conduit installed under a concrete walkway about 5' wide. I would like to hear all the ways to install a 1" GRC under the walkway without cutting the walkway??
Thanks,
Click to expand...
WoW! There again Marc bats it out of the park.
For a short walk I come out from the walkway about two feet and dig down about 18 inches and drive a metal pipe under the sidewalk go to the other side and find it, then pull it out and tape up one end of three quarter PVC so no dirt will enter the PVC and drive the PVC under the walk, go to the other side and dig down and find it. On the other hand I have just went down about five inches and did as described above. Just make sure you are down enough as not to crack the sidewalk. After the pipe is installed be sure to dig down 18 inches or the depth the code says to dig to protect the wire to where it goes. Hope you understand this. It's simpler and easier than it sounds. If it fails you can spend money and do it Marc's way. Semper Fi.
 
last month i paid an excavating contractor $1500.00 to bore under a parking lot 22'. i just purchased the borz-it for $229.00 thanks, marc
 
satcom said:
Just remember whatever method you use, you may want to let the owner know, there is a chance the walkway may crack.
Click to expand...

What kind of junk concrete would crack from boring a pipe under it? I think if that happened they should take it out and replace it any way!
 
satcom said:
Just remember whatever method you use, you may want to let the owner know, there is a chance the walkway may crack.
Click to expand...

Or just make the crossing at an existing control joint. :cool:
 
For a short 5' walk, if the soil is workable, you can bang a pipe under with a sledge hammer and pull it out with a pipe wrench. Fast, clean, cheap and easy.

If the soil is a little to hard you can make a "shooter". Attach a hose adapter to one end of a PVC pipe and a nozzle to the other by means of a male adapter and whatever reducers necessary. Hook it to your hose, lay it FLAT in the trench and turn on the water. Fast, MESSY, cheap and easy.

One of theses days I'll get a borzit.

Make sure you use a GFCI protected source for that borzit drill!!
 
conduit under concrete walk

conduit under concrete walk

mgmelec said:
last month i paid an excavating contractor $1500.00 to bore under a parking lot 22'. i just purchased the borz-it for $229.00 thanks, marc
Click to expand...
I agree Marc I have never seen a borz-it but that's good advice for bigger jobs and I'll check it out. But for a five foot walk it is easy to drive a pipe under it. I have also seen some contractors make sidewalks bow up if the pipe is to close to the sidewalk. I use to bore with a big machine for the cable company using boring rods but for such a little job its nuts. Semper Fi
 
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