Hello:

Last spring I bought an 18" gas chain saw, and have used it just a few times
So, I am certainly not an expert with it.

This is probably a bit on the silly question side, but I did see the use of
a chain saw
in cutting up ice blocks, so I guess they do have a bit of versatility.

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

As the slit I will have to cut in the soil is so thin and relatively
shallow, I was wondering about the practicality
of just using the chainsaw by dragging it over and thru the soil.

Bet it would do a really quick and fine job (maybe).

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Any thoughts on ?

B.

"Robert11" wrote in message

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Blade would be ruined in about 10 seconds. Questionable about safety when
it tosses some stones. The grit may ruin the bar if not right away, after
some time. No, I'd never consider it.

"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hello:

Last spring I bought an 18" gas chain saw, and have used it just a few
times
So, I am certainly not an expert with it.

This is probably a bit on the silly question side, but I did see the use
of
a chain saw
in cutting up ice blocks, so I guess they do have a bit of versatility.

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

As the slit I will have to cut in the soil is so thin and relatively
shallow, I was wondering about the practicality
of just using the chainsaw by dragging it over and thru the soil.

Bet it would do a really quick and fine job (maybe).

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Any thoughts on ?

B.


In about 6 inches of ditching the blade will be ruined. If you ever cut
much wood and for some reason the chain hits the dirt several times, it
usually needs to be sharpened. YOu can cut "miles" of wood and the chain
will be sharper than a few feet of dirt.

Rent an invisible fence installation tool.

"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hello:

Last spring I bought an 18" gas chain saw, and have used it just a few
times
So, I am certainly not an expert with it.

This is probably a bit on the silly question side, but I did see the use
of
a chain saw
in cutting up ice blocks, so I guess they do have a bit of versatility.

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

As the slit I will have to cut in the soil is so thin and relatively
shallow, I was wondering about the practicality
of just using the chainsaw by dragging it over and thru the soil.

Bet it would do a really quick and fine job (maybe).

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Any thoughts on ?

B.

Robert11 wrote:

Hello:

Last spring I bought an 18" gas chain saw, and have used it just a few times
So, I am certainly not an expert with it.

This is probably a bit on the silly question side, but I did see the use of
a chain saw
in cutting up ice blocks, so I guess they do have a bit of versatility.

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

As the slit I will have to cut in the soil is so thin and relatively
shallow, I was wondering about the practicality
of just using the chainsaw by dragging it over and thru the soil.

Bet it would do a really quick and fine job (maybe).

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Any thoughts on ?

B.


Hi,
Just use a stiff kinife, something like cheap kitchen knife.
Tony

Unless the ground is extremely hard, and if it is, soaking it for a few
hours will probably loosen it, I would suggest using a mattox, unless
your physical condition prohibits it.

I am no Paul Bunyun, but about two weeks ago did about 70 yards of
emergency ditch digging (flooding) with my mattox in about 90 minutes.
And it was more like 18 inches deep.

wrote:
) with my mattox in about 90 minutes.
And it was more like 18 inches deep.

My wife tells me I misspelled "mattock." ;0

run coax in flexible plastic conduit! Buried shalow it will prevent
mechanical abuse and if the cable ever needs replaced just pull a new
one thru the same conduit.

Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

Last spring I bought an 18" gas chain saw, and have used it just a few times
So, I am certainly not an expert with it.

This is probably a bit on the silly question side, but I did see the use of
a chain saw
in cutting up ice blocks, so I guess they do have a bit of versatility.

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

As the slit I will have to cut in the soil is so thin and relatively
shallow, I was wondering about the practicality
of just using the chainsaw by dragging it over and thru the soil.

Bet it would do a really quick and fine job (maybe).

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Any thoughts on ?

B.

As someone who has BTDT my advice is don't do it. I only needed about
a foot through very hard soil in a spot almost impossible to get tools
into. I did it knowing that I would have to replace the bar and the
chain and hoping the clutch wouldn't be shot also (it wasn't) The
problem is the teeth are not good at clearing dirt, the dirt packs up
in the bar groove, chain tightens quickly, stop, clean bar/chain,
repeat. Took me about 3 redos to get that foot. Yes, the chain and
bar went in the trash as soon as I finished.

Harry K

"Harry K" wrote in message
oups.com...

Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

Last spring I bought an 18" gas chain saw, and have used it just a few
times
So, I am certainly not an expert with it.

This is probably a bit on the silly question side, but I did see the use
of
a chain saw
in cutting up ice blocks, so I guess they do have a bit of versatility.

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

As the slit I will have to cut in the soil is so thin and relatively
shallow, I was wondering about the practicality
of just using the chainsaw by dragging it over and thru the soil.

Bet it would do a really quick and fine job (maybe).

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or
less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Any thoughts on ?

B.

As someone who has BTDT my advice is don't do it. I only needed about
a foot through very hard soil in a spot almost impossible to get tools
into. I did it knowing that I would have to replace the bar and the
chain and hoping the clutch wouldn't be shot also (it wasn't) The
problem is the teeth are not good at clearing dirt, the dirt packs up
in the bar groove, chain tightens quickly, stop, clean bar/chain,
repeat. Took me about 3 redos to get that foot. Yes, the chain and
bar went in the trash as soon as I finished.

And here I thought he was a troll...

wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:
) with my mattox in about 90 minutes.
And it was more like 18 inches deep.

My wife tells me I misspelled "mattock." ;0

That's ok, it got by me because I was unfamiliar with the term. Looks like
there are many sizes of them.
http://members.aol.com/dargolyt/TheForge/mattock.htm
http://www.uniontools.com/product.asp?Cid=9&Cat=38

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

That's ok, it got by me because I was unfamiliar with the term. Looks like
there are many sizes of them.
http://members.aol.com/dargolyt/TheForge/mattock.htm
http://www.uniontools.com/product.asp?Cid=9&Cat=38

Cutter mattock is my tool of choice. A pulaski is a second choice, and
is a very similar tool, but pulaski's are usually harder to find, and I
think the mattock usually has a slightly, very slightly wider "hoe"
end.

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 19:37:44 -0500, "Robert11"
wrote:

Hello:

Last spring I bought an 18" gas chain saw, and have used it just a few times
So, I am certainly not an expert with it.

This is probably a bit on the silly question side, but I did see the use of
a chain saw
in cutting up ice blocks, so I guess they do have a bit of versatility.

snip snip snip....

Honestly I did just that....(thin, shallow trench) almost 40 feet to
burry a phone line from one garage to another...

But also being honest I knew the chain would be absolutely ruined long
before I ever cut 2-3 foot of the "slit".... Having a very old small
electric Chainsaw with a so so chain in the garage (inherited from my
Dad after he died...I used it... as far as I am concerned ..nothing
lost... The saw has only sentimental value & I still have it..
Could have done the same thing with a spade after soaking the soil
but the what the heck...

I would NEVER use my good chain and allow the chain or the bar to
contact soil IF I could help it... ruin the chain and most likely the
bar in no time flat...

Bob G.
BTW... cordless phones were not around when I did this... !!!!

Toller wrote:
"Harry K" wrote in message
oups.com...

Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

Last spring I bought an 18" gas chain saw, and have used it just a few
times
So, I am certainly not an expert with it.

This is probably a bit on the silly question side, but I did see the use
of
a chain saw
in cutting up ice blocks, so I guess they do have a bit of versatility.

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

As the slit I will have to cut in the soil is so thin and relatively
shallow, I was wondering about the practicality
of just using the chainsaw by dragging it over and thru the soil.

Bet it would do a really quick and fine job (maybe).

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or
less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Any thoughts on ?

B.

As someone who has BTDT my advice is don't do it. I only needed about
a foot through very hard soil in a spot almost impossible to get tools
into. I did it knowing that I would have to replace the bar and the
chain and hoping the clutch wouldn't be shot also (it wasn't) The
problem is the teeth are not good at clearing dirt, the dirt packs up
in the bar groove, chain tightens quickly, stop, clean bar/chain,
repeat. Took me about 3 redos to get that foot. Yes, the chain and
bar went in the trash as soon as I finished.

And here I thought he was a troll..

Never underestimate stupidity. Even in my case that applies as
afterwards I realized that I had some manual tools in the shop that
could have been made to work. One of those jobs where you get in a
rush and don't engage brain.

Harry K.

That was the plural usage, wink wink? Us guys got to stick together. Two
guys with mattox.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:
) with my mattox in about 90 minutes.
And it was more like 18 inches deep.

My wife tells me I misspelled "mattock." ;0

I must rise in agreement with my distinguished colleague. Sawing dirt will
kill a bar and chain in a really rapid fashion. I can say, parenthetically,
(quote: Blade would be ruined in about ten seconds. Unquote.)

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
t...

"Robert11" wrote in message

Anyway, I have to bury a run of about 40 feet of very small diameter coax
cable in my backyard.
Probably 6 inches deep, or so, would do it.
Really don't want to rent a "Ditchwitch".

Assuming no rocks, is this safe ?

Would it hurt the blade or saw ? (doubt that the soil is any more or less
abrasive than wood chips), but...?)

Blade would be ruined in about 10 seconds. Questionable about safety when
it tosses some stones. The grit may ruin the bar if not right away, after
some time. No, I'd never consider it.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
That was the plural usage, wink wink? Us guys got to stick together. Two
guys with mattox.


Hey, you are right, but that other guy was lazy, I never saw him the
whole time....