Ride on Trencher you can build!

[Snattlerake]

OK, youse @Cowcatcher types that have to build equipment instead of buy at the farm store something inferior that is made cheaply and to a specific price point.
Here is a ride on trencher this guy built for inserting his own lawn sprinkler pipe. I think it is brilliant! Here is his explanation of what triggered the build.

DIY Ride-on Irrigation Trencher​

For too many years I have been considering adding additional sprinklers to the underground irrigation system that came with the property. Since I, really, hate to move dirt by digging, I have not been very eager to accomplish the task. Then, one day last summer, I was shopping for metal at a local welding shop, and spotted a large piece in the discard barrel. I knew, immediately, what I could turn it into, as I had been waiting for decades for it to show up. So, I took it home, and with a few modifications, it transformed into a useful tool. I, first, set the knife to depth (8" to 12"), and cut to depth. Then, I return to the start, and pull in the pipe. I steer the sled by weight transfer on the "ailerons." The long T-handle provides sufficient leverage to, easily, rip through any roots that are encountered.

I failed to find a shapely young lass in a bikini to demo the trencher, so had to settle for the old guy... sorry!

My modification would be for large areas to ditch the battery and winch and use a lawn tractor to pull it. You could also add a sweeping ELL to guide whatever pipe cable etc. you are installing. You might even add a reel for the pipe/cable.

 

[chuter]

Very nice! I tried making something to pull behind my zero turn that would make a small trench like that but didn't have much success; couldn't really control it well enough, and the hard clay out here was just too tuff.

 

[Gadgeteer]

OK, youse @Cowcatcher types that have to build equipment instead of buy at the farm store something inferior that is made cheaply and to a specific price point.
Here is a ride on trencher this guy built for inserting his own lawn sprinkler pipe. I think it is brilliant! Here is his explanation of what triggered the build.





My modification would be for large areas to ditch the battery and winch and use a lawn tractor to pull it. You could also add a sweeping ELL to guide whatever pipe cable etc. you are installing. You might even add a reel for the pipe/cable.

Thanks for relaying info about my trencher to this site, and for the good words. I'm, always, surprised when a project works better than what I'd envisioned.

 

[Gadgeteer]

Thanks for relaying info about my trencher to this site, and for the good words. I'm, always, surprised when a project works better than what I'd envisioned.

Very nice! I tried making something to pull behind my zero turn that would make a small trench like that but didn't have much success; couldn't really control it well enough, and the hard clay out here was just too tuff.

I discovered, early on, that the trencher knife cut through wet soil much easier that dry dirt. So, prior to cutting the trench, I used an edger to cut through the grass roots. Then, I laid a drip hose along the path, and watered for about 20 minutes. That turned the dry soil to mud, and made cutting the trench much easier. Since no dirt is removed by the cutting process, the narrow trench just "heals" up in a few weeks, leaving almost not trace, except for the new sprinklers.,

 

[Snattlerake]

Thanks for relaying info about my trencher to this site, and for the good words. I'm, always, surprised when a project works better than what I'd envisioned.

You are very welcome and thanks for the invention!

 

[Neanderthal]

Pretty cool! I don't think it would work on our yard though, it's way too rocky.