I've been on a snipe hunt for a vibraplow
http://ditchwitch.com/trenchers-plows/walk-behind-vibratory-plow/100sx-vibratory-plow/
in the Santa Cruz region. I've yet to find a tool rental outfit
that even knows what I'm talking about... Yet on the East Coast,
they are common...

Any suggestions welcomed.

--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

In article ,
David Lesher wrote:

I've been on a snipe hunt for a vibraplow
http://ditchwitch.com/trenchers-plow...w/100sx-vibrat
ory-plow/
in the Santa Cruz region. I've yet to find a tool rental outfit
that even knows what I'm talking about... Yet on the East Coast,
they are common...

Any suggestions welcomed.

There is a dealer in Newark CA. Google them
CP

This machine presents an interesting project possibility.
All Ya Gotta Do Is..

Self-powered snow blower repurposed for summer use,
Disconnect the blower drive components,
Add on a hydraulic pump in it's place,
Add a cylinder, reservoir, pulsing valve and hoses,
Fabricate and add tapered edged plow-type blade,
Feed cable or flex pipe into kerf sliced in the soil/turf.

How hard could it be?
Your neighbors will suddenly find you (interesting and) projects for your
machine.

--
WB
..........


"David Lesher" wrote in message
...
I've been on a snipe hunt for a vibraplow
http://ditchwitch.com/trenchers-plows/walk-behind-vibratory-plow/100sx-vibratory-plow/
in the Santa Cruz region. I've yet to find a tool rental outfit
that even knows what I'm talking about... Yet on the East Coast,
they are common...

Any suggestions welcomed.

--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Wild_Bill wrote:
This machine presents an interesting project possibility.
All Ya Gotta Do Is..

Self-powered snow blower repurposed for summer use,
Disconnect the blower drive components,
Add on a hydraulic pump in it's place,
Add a cylinder, reservoir, pulsing valve and hoses,
Fabricate and add tapered edged plow-type blade,
Feed cable or flex pipe into kerf sliced in the soil/turf.

How hard could it be?
Your neighbors will suddenly find you (interesting and) projects for your
machine.


Easier to do with a rear tine tiller. Use the drive for the tines to
vibrate the plow. Front mounted engine balances out the added rear
components.

--
Steve W.

David Lesher wrote:

I've been on a snipe hunt for a vibraplow
http://ditchwitch.com/trenchers-plows/walk-behind-vibratory-plow/100sx-vibratory-plow/
in the Santa Cruz region. I've yet to find a tool rental outfit
that even knows what I'm talking about... Yet on the East Coast,
they are common...

Any suggestions welcomed.

Try one of the big rental companies with a national presence? At least
they should have a reference number for the item from the east coast so
the folks on the west coast who call it something else can look it up by
number. Perhaps other terms like "cable plow", "sprinkler plow" or the
like. A call to the Ditchwich folks might tell you the rental yards in
the region that carry it.

"Wild_Bill" wrote:

This machine presents an interesting project possibility.
All Ya Gotta Do Is..

Self-powered snow blower repurposed for summer use,
..
..
..
How hard could it be?
Very!
Not exactly a whole lot of snow blowers available for ANY purpose in
Santa Cruz CA,



Your neighbors will suddenly find you (interesting and) projects for your
machine.
jk

On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 10:02:08 -0800, jk wrote:

"Wild_Bill" wrote:

This machine presents an interesting project possibility.
All Ya Gotta Do Is..

Self-powered snow blower repurposed for summer use,
.
.
.
How hard could it be?
Very!
Not exactly a whole lot of snow blowers available for ANY purpose in
Santa Cruz CA,



Your neighbors will suddenly find you (interesting and) projects for your
machine.
jk

Just put wheels on a Sno-Cone machine. You'll be ready for the great
Global Cooling...

--
Ed Huntress

"Pete C." writes:

Any suggestions welcomed.

Try one of the big rental companies with a national presence? At least
they should have a reference number for the item from the east coast so
the folks on the west coast who call it something else can look it up by
number.

Oh how I've tried. Ditto the sales dealer in Newark.

Perhaps other terms like "cable plow", "sprinkler plow" or the
like. A call to the Ditchwich folks might tell you the rental
yards in the region that carry it.

You might think so....


This machine presents an interesting project possibility.
All Ya Gotta Do Is..
.......

There's a few things lying around http://tinyurl.com/6ndqe5b
but nothing suitable to convert to same. [Unseen in that album
are a few other backhoes & tractors, 2 more dumptrucks, and
other vehicles.]

And vibraplows need a fair bit of traction. And AFAIK, the
shaking is accomplished by a rotating mass.

That said, the resident machinist/welder/mechanic could make it,
if we had the Right Stuph.

On Mar 2, 8:19*pm, David Lesher wrote:
I've been on a snipe hunt for a vibraplow
http://ditchwitch.com/trenchers-plows/walk-behind-vibratory-plow/100s...
in the Santa Cruz region. I've yet to find a tool rental outfit
that even knows what I'm talking about... Yet on the East Coast,
they are common...

Any suggestions welcomed.

--

They're probably not familiar with them since anyone needing that
capability just goes down to where the "day labor" guys stand around
and hands out the spades. Probably would cost less than the rental.

I've not seen a single-hand cable plow, the ones I've seen were
attached to a Ditchwitch and were used for planting 900 pair cable on
up below the frost line in IA. The cable reel usually was taller than
the Ditchwitch. We went around afterwards to dig pits for the splicing
crews with a backhoe, the other outfit went on elsewhere with the
Ditchwitch. When I was in No. Ca., most of the utilities were dragged
through transites at the curbside, not sure how they were run to
individual houses from the curb cabinets. The big apartment buildings
had PVC conduits run, though. And in that part of the Bay Area where
I was, you'd never get a cable plow to work, the adobe is too hard.
No really loose dirt to be found much above the tide line. Just the
inch or so of sod is all at the housing developments. And swamp fill,
of course.

Stan

Yep, you're probably right about the tiller modifications.. my first image
of a HSM version was to use an old walk-behind Gravely, but the availability
of those may be getting thin.. and they used to have small HP motors.

Maybe this is an indication that I need to update my memories' images by
about 40 years.

--
WB
..........


"Steve W." wrote in message
...
Wild_Bill wrote:
This machine presents an interesting project possibility.
All Ya Gotta Do Is..

Self-powered snow blower repurposed for summer use,
Disconnect the blower drive components,
Add on a hydraulic pump in it's place,
Add a cylinder, reservoir, pulsing valve and hoses,
Fabricate and add tapered edged plow-type blade,
Feed cable or flex pipe into kerf sliced in the soil/turf.

How hard could it be?
Your neighbors will suddenly find you (interesting and) projects for your
machine.


Easier to do with a rear tine tiller. Use the drive for the tines to
vibrate the plow. Front mounted engine balances out the added rear
components.

--
Steve W.

Since you're in the area of the left coast, ya might wanna just put off the
task and wait for a seismic event to create a trench.

In the meantime, you could join the Procrastinators of America and have a
rational reason not to get started on the plowing task right away.

--
WB
..........


"David Lesher" wrote in message
...
"Pete C." writes:

Any suggestions welcomed.

Try one of the big rental companies with a national presence? At least
they should have a reference number for the item from the east coast so
the folks on the west coast who call it something else can look it up by
number.

Oh how I've tried. Ditto the sales dealer in Newark.

Perhaps other terms like "cable plow", "sprinkler plow" or the
like. A call to the Ditchwich folks might tell you the rental
yards in the region that carry it.

You might think so....


This machine presents an interesting project possibility.
All Ya Gotta Do Is..
......

There's a few things lying around http://tinyurl.com/6ndqe5b
but nothing suitable to convert to same. [Unseen in that album
are a few other backhoes & tractors, 2 more dumptrucks, and
other vehicles.]

And vibraplows need a fair bit of traction. And AFAIK, the
shaking is accomplished by a rotating mass.

That said, the resident machinist/welder/mechanic could make it,
if we had the Right Stuph.

Stanley Schaefer writes:

I've been on a snipe hunt for a vibraplow
http://ditchwitch.com/trenchers-plow...-plow/100s...=

in the Santa Cruz region. I've yet to find a tool rental outfit
that even knows what I'm talking about... Yet on the East Coast,
they are common...

They're probably not familiar with them since anyone needing that
capability just goes down to where the "day labor" guys stand around
and hands out the spades. Probably would cost less than the rental.

Talked with a DitchWitch dealer in the Valley, and he laughed.
He said he knew of none anywhere. Not even sprinkler contractors
use them. I don't understand why....


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

The Ditchwitch guy said everyone uses "Ground Hog" trenchers;
these being a 5HP 3" wide 12-18" deep human-propelled unit. And
the Home Depot rents same for $340 a week.

It will make far more of a mess than a vibraplow but outside of
buying/building one...

There's one other manufacturer I just found;
http://eztrench.com/ -- that's a circular saw & narrower, but
finding one to rent will be the same adventure.


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

On 3/2/2012 7:19 PM, David Lesher wrote:

I've been on a snipe hunt for a vibraplow
http://ditchwitch.com/trenchers-plows/walk-behind-vibratory-plow/100sx-vibratory-plow/
in the Santa Cruz region. I've yet to find a tool rental outfit
that even knows what I'm talking about... Yet on the East Coast,
they are common...

Any suggestions welcomed.


We have one (Case Mini-Sneaker) under my lean-to but it's in Oregon...
We used it to bury drop wire when we had a cable TV company.

Rental houses usually have trenchers instead of plows - more versatile
and idiot proof by comparison, but a plow is quick (in suitable soil
conditions) and leaves almost no trace it passed through.

Check with cable TV / telephone installation contracting companies and
see if they'll rent you one of theirs or do the job for you.

Carla

I've gotta wonder how much soil slitting an illegal (or 3) would be willing
to do for $340/wk.
Any rental business will charge extra for destroying/wearing out their
equipment, but an illegal can just be dropped of anywhere.

I'm not sayin that's a solution, but I suppose many contractors look at
expenses in this way.

BTW.. Best performance might be attained by having 2 illegals from different
continents working as a team, that way (unless they both happen to speak
French) there would be less chance of useless/slacker bull****ting (or
conspiring maybe) going on, instead of honest break your back for a buck
work taking place.
They might require water during the day, but that's still (for now) cheaper
than gas.

--
WB
..........


"David Lesher" wrote in message
...
The Ditchwitch guy said everyone uses "Ground Hog" trenchers;
these being a 5HP 3" wide 12-18" deep human-propelled unit. And
the Home Depot rents same for $340 a week.

It will make far more of a mess than a vibraplow but outside of
buying/building one...

There's one other manufacturer I just found;
http://eztrench.com/ -- that's a circular saw & narrower, but
finding one to rent will be the same adventure.

On Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:19:23 -0800, Carla Fong
wrote:

On 3/2/2012 7:19 PM, David Lesher wrote:

I've been on a snipe hunt for a vibraplow
http://ditchwitch.com/trenchers-plows/walk-behind-vibratory-plow/100sx-vibratory-plow/
in the Santa Cruz region. I've yet to find a tool rental outfit
that even knows what I'm talking about... Yet on the East Coast,
they are common...

Any suggestions welcomed.


We have one (Case Mini-Sneaker) under my lean-to but it's in Oregon...
We used it to bury drop wire when we had a cable TV company.

Rental houses usually have trenchers instead of plows - more versatile
and idiot proof by comparison, but a plow is quick (in suitable soil
conditions) and leaves almost no trace it passed through.

Check with cable TV / telephone installation contracting companies and
see if they'll rent you one of theirs or do the job for you.

Carla

The problem with plows is it's Real Easy to slice up power lines,
phone lines, sprinkler mains, Fiber Optics CATV, and all sorts of
stuff.

And you don't know you hit it till the sprinklers try to come on in
two days and only then the flood starts - Or worse, nobody notices
they aren't coming on till 5 acres of lawn is dead...

You are supposed to get a USA Lookup done and have all the local
utility companies come out and mark all the utility lines, but the
Utilities themselves often don't know where everything is - Old maps
were often wrong. They'll mark a lot of things "Hand Dig Here" and
you dig an empty hole, then you find their line the hard way 50 feet
over - and even if it's unmarked they'll still try to ding you for
hitting it.

If the local utility likes to plow in their 15KV Medium Voltage supply
lines direct buried in the same flimsy polyethylene ducting, you don't
want to be messing with a plow Anywhere Near There. Unless you're
trying to make your life insurance pay off...

And the soils have to be right - a lot of rocks and a plow is useless.

"Bruce L. Bergman (munged human readable)" writes:


The problem with plows is it's Real Easy to slice up power lines,
phone lines, sprinkler mains, Fiber Optics CATV, and all sorts of
stuff.

And a trencher is even better at same..... And a backhoe, with
a 1^3 bucket & 27' reach. It's not the equipment; it's the nut
behind the panel.

You are supposed to get a USA Lookup done and have all the local
utility companies come out and mark all the utility lines, but the
Utilities themselves often don't know where everything is - Old maps
were often wrong.

We get such done. There is nothing to find, the property has
been in the neighbor's family since 1896. But we CYA as you
should. I was in the pipeline business; when the dozer hits a
750psi LNG line, there's not much left to bury.

They'll mark a lot of things "Hand Dig Here" and you dig an
empty hole, then you find their line the hard way 50 feet over
- and even if it's unmarked they'll still try to ding you for
hitting it.

Bull. If you play the game, and get the location; it's their
ass; it's the law in most states. That happened in front of my
own house; they mislabeled the 6" water main and the pole setter
hit it.

If the local utility likes to plow in their 15KV Medium Voltage supply
lines direct buried in the same flimsy polyethylene ducting, you don't
want to be messing with a plow Anywhere Near There. Unless you're
trying to make your life insurance pay off...

I know where every piece of HV duct is, because I put it in last summer.
And there's no cable in it so far; PG&E wants a mere $46K to do *that*.

And the soils have to be right - a lot of rocks and a plow is useless.

This is pure loam. The only "rocks" to be found are the gravel
that came from the driveway. {Granted, that's a mile of
driveway...}

Now the roots.... that is another story altogether.




--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

"Bruce L. Bergman (munged human readable)" writes:

We have one (Case Mini-Sneaker) under my lean-to but it's in Oregon...
We used it to bury drop wire when we had a cable TV company.

Just leave the gate open....

Nevermind.. I've looked at pictures and that's too big for this
job; we need something suited to going down slopes with a safety
line, and skinny to fit between trees. Look up the groundhog.com
page.

Rental houses usually have trenchers instead of plows - more versatile
and idiot proof by comparison, but a plow is quick (in suitable soil
conditions) and leaves almost no trace it passed through.

Exactly; not only faster but no backfilling.

Check with cable TV / telephone installation contracting companies and
see if they'll rent you one of theirs or do the job for you.

I've been trying sprinker contractors to no avail. But based on what
the DitchWitch guy said; I'll not find one...period.