Excavating Equipment Size??

[nhfire77]

I have to dig a 30' long 36" deep 18" wide trench. Also a 50' long 36" deep 12" wide trench. What size excavator would you recommend. The Soil is not too rocky, nothing extreme is expected. I am hoping to have all the excavating done in one day, but if two is necessary that's not a big deal.

I typically rent from Sunbelt and Nations Rent, is a 2,000LB HYDRAULIC COMPACT EXCAVATOR ok for something small like that?

 

[e57]

'round here you just hire it out... Would be much faster than me attempting it.

 

[nhfire77]

'round here you just hire it out... Would be much faster than me attempting it.

Its a personal project. I'm not sure what the "retail" would be for a project like this.

 

[e57]

Its a personal project. I'm not sure what the "retail" would be for a project like this.

I'm sure it would be nearly the same as wholesale - call for a bid. Or rent a sizable back hoe with an 18" and a 12" bucket if you think you can beat it. And by all means call before you dig....

 

[Cow]

We rent equipment and dig our own trenches all the time. A couple of us our pretty familiar with running equipment so it goes pretty quick usually.

I'd recommend a small mini-trackhoe or possibly a small Kubota with excavator attachment. Make sure the trackhoe has the backfill blade on it.

EDIT: I looked that hydraulic compact excavator up on Sunbelt and it'd probably work fine, didn't notice if it had a blade on it though.

 

[electricalperson]

we would use a shovel around here

 

[e57]

we would use a shovel around here

Most people hire unskilled bodies, and some of those hire illegal labor for that type of back breaking... And a human digging a 18" wide 36" deep trench will more often than not end up 10"X24 or less near the end...

 

[nhfire77]

Thanks guys. Im NOT hand digging anything bigger than a grave for myself.

Thanks for looking at sunbelt that is what I am referring to? Should it be a 2,000 LB rated or 3,500 LB rated?

 

[220/221]

I use a small trackhoe for jobs like this. You should be able to dig 80' of 36" trench easily in day (about a $200 rental)

They dig great but they don't backfill.

I needed 48" of cover on this 150' trench. It took a lot longer that I thought but still got it done in a day.

BTW, I was required to install 2" conduit with 48" of cover (right of way) for a 150 watt street light!

 

[electricalperson]

for most trenches we hand dig. biggest one i dug was about 150 - 200 feet by 2 feet deep by hand. it was for a generator they wanted in the front yard and there was phones and utility lines everywhere

 

[nhfire77]

I use a small trackhoe for jobs like this. You should be able to dig 80' of 36" trench easily in day (about a $200 rental)

They dig great but they don't backfill.

I needed 48" of cover on this 150' trench. It took a lot longer that I thought but still got it done in a day.

BTW, I was required to install 2" conduit with 48" of cover (right of way) for a 150 watt street light!

So it wont push the backfill in??? That 's no good.

48" is the standard standard here for under right of way, roads, driveways etc.

 

[220/221]

So it wont push the backfill in??? That 's no good.

Yeah, these are strictly digging tools. They have a small blade but it is worthless. I use my trencher blade to backfill small jobs.

If you need to dig and fill, you need a standard sized backhoe with a front loader. The beauty of the smaller trackhoe is that it can mauver into tight areas and rotate so you can dig parallel almost right up against a building.

I can also easily fit one on my small trailer and pull it easily with a pickup..

 

[Power Tech]

for most trenches we hand dig. biggest one i dug was about 150 - 200 feet by 2 feet deep by hand. it was for a generator they wanted in the front yard and there was phones and utility lines everywhere

Those are some great digging machines above.
I farm my trenching out at $.75 a foot. They trenched 5000' in one day 30" deep.
Backfill is additional. I hire the local guy for $700 a day with a bobcat. If I bought the equipment I could not do it for that that.

 

[Power Tech]

Yeah, these are strictly digging tools. They have a small blade but it is worthless. I use my trencher blade to backfill small jobs.

If you need to dig and fill, you need a standard sized backhoe with a front loader. The beauty of the smaller trackhoe is that it can mauver into tight areas and rotate so you can dig parallel almost right up against a building.

Definite OSHA violation.

 

[220/221]

Definite OSHA violation.

An electrician doing plumbing work?

Bad cast iron at my business partners house.

Hmmmm....Tear out the new bathroom fixtures and floor or attack from below. It was safe. :roll:

 

[aline]

I have to dig a 30' long 36" deep 18" wide trench. Also a 50' long 36" deep 12" wide trench. What size excavator would you recommend. The Soil is not too rocky, nothing extreme is expected. I am hoping to have all the excavating done in one day, but if two is necessary that's not a big deal.

I typically rent from Sunbelt and Nations Rent, is a 2,000LB HYDRAULIC COMPACT EXCAVATOR ok for something small like that?

One of these should do the trick.

 

[mkgrady]

Yeah, these are strictly digging tools. They have a small blade but it is worthless. I use my trencher blade to backfill small jobs.

If you need to dig and fill, you need a standard sized backhoe with a front loader. The beauty of the smaller trackhoe is that it can mauver into tight areas and rotate so you can dig parallel almost right up against a building.

Definite OSHA violation.

What is the OSHA violation?

 

[Rockyd]

No violation in the picture...the guy's name is Phil!!!

 

[hardworkingstiff]

What is the OSHA violation?

My guess is no ladder in the hole, looks like it might be deep enough to required sloping or shoring/trench box (non present), being under the building might be considered confined space, no harness, no hoist, no compentant person.

Just looks bad.

 

[Power Tech]

My guess is no ladder in the hole, looks like it might be deep enough to required sloping or shoring/trench box (non present), being under the building might be considered confined space, no harness, no hoist, no compentant person.

Just looks bad.

No leather boots and tunneling.