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Old 04-04-2016, 03:36 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tool for burying dripline in lawn

Last year I put Netafim Techline CV dripline on my front lawn,
just on the surface of the grass. It has worked reasonably well,
so it's time to think about making the setup permanent.

I'd like to bury the dripline with minimal disturbance to the
turf (and minimum labor!) to a depth of no more than a couple
of inches. First thought was to pry a slit in the soil with a
shovel and simply tuck the line in, then tamp the soil back down.
Much easier said than done. Even with considerable prying, the
slit is too narrow and closes up before the line is put in. Roots
make digging a narrow trench fairly destructive; the kerf is apt
to be about as wide as it is deep and hard work to boot.

Does anybody know of a tool for this purpose? I'm aware of
vibratory plows, but that seems like overkill if the goal is
just a 2" burial depth. Some kind of tool that I can either
stand on to press a slot in damp soil or a spreader-like tool
similer to an inside out post hole digger might work, but I've
never seen such a device and don't know what it would be called.
A shovel with a blade about 1/2" thick would be a start.

When it's damp the soil is fairly pliable and there are no
rocks, so some kind of soil pusher or piercer has a decent
chance of working. Digging in the usual sense promises to be
much harder work and there are close to 2000 feet of line to
bury. The OD of the dripline is only about 5/8", so the actual
volume of soil to be displaced is rather small compared to
what is typically moved by digging.

Thanks for reading, and any guidance!

bob prohaska

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Old 04-04-2016, 03:53 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tool for burying dripline in lawn

bob prohaska wrote:
Last year I put Netafim Techline CV dripline on my front lawn,
just on the surface of the grass. It has worked reasonably well,
so it's time to think about making the setup permanent.

I'd like to bury the dripline with minimal disturbance to the
turf (and minimum labor!) to a depth of no more than a couple
of inches. First thought was to pry a slit in the soil with a
shovel and simply tuck the line in, then tamp the soil back down.
Much easier said than done. Even with considerable prying, the
slit is too narrow and closes up before the line is put in. Roots
make digging a narrow trench fairly destructive; the kerf is apt
to be about as wide as it is deep and hard work to boot.

Does anybody know of a tool for this purpose? I'm aware of
vibratory plows, but that seems like overkill if the goal is
just a 2" burial depth. Some kind of tool that I can either
stand on to press a slot in damp soil or a spreader-like tool
similer to an inside out post hole digger might work, but I've
never seen such a device and don't know what it would be called.
A shovel with a blade about 1/2" thick would be a start.

When it's damp the soil is fairly pliable and there are no
rocks, so some kind of soil pusher or piercer has a decent
chance of working. Digging in the usual sense promises to be
much harder work and there are close to 2000 feet of line to
bury. The OD of the dripline is only about 5/8", so the actual
volume of soil to be displaced is rather small compared to
what is typically moved by digging.

Thanks for reading, and any guidance!

bob prohaska


They make a scraper that looks like a hoe , only straight instead of at 90°
to the handle . Use one to make 2 parallel cuts about 2 or 3 inches apart ,
lift the strip of turf out - might have to use a narrow blade to cut under
the turf - lay the hose in and replace the strip . Might have to remove just
a little dirt to make room for the hose .

--
Snag


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Old 04-04-2016, 09:04 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tool for burying dripline in lawn

On Mon, 4 Apr 2016 01:36:51 +0000 (UTC)
bob prohaska wrote:

snip
Does anybody know of a tool for this purpose? I'm aware of
vibratory plows, but that seems like overkill if the goal is
just a 2" burial depth. Some kind of tool that I can either
stand on to press a slot in damp soil or a spreader-like tool
similer to an inside out post hole digger might work, but I've
never seen such a device and don't know what it would be called.
A shovel with a blade about 1/2" thick would be a start.


There are some tools like that but they are hard to find for sale. Here
is one that is grossly over priced but should give you an idea of what
to look for:

http://www.amazon.com/Nupla-Trencher...dp/B004UM7JJY/

You might get this Fiskars model to do same:

http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Steel-...dp/B000BX4SLS/

To make these work you push/step on them into the soil to the depth
you want. Now with the "shovel" still in front of you push & pull the
handle a few times. What you hope to achieve is a slot at the top of
your slit and a widened area that will fit what you are trying to bury
at the bottom. They work pretty well if you have the right soil
consistency...

If I remember correctly you are just itching to use a "new" welder. If
you could procure a piece of steel long enough to satisfy your depth
requirement and maybe 4 to 8 inches wide you could just weld a pipe
handle to it and save some bucks ;-)

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

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Old 04-04-2016, 09:30 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tool for burying dripline in lawn

bob prohaska wrote:
Last year I put Netafim Techline CV dripline on my front lawn,
just on the surface of the grass. It has worked reasonably well,
so it's time to think about making the setup permanent.

I'd like to bury the dripline with minimal disturbance to the
turf (and minimum labor!) to a depth of no more than a couple
of inches. First thought was to pry a slit in the soil with a
shovel and simply tuck the line in, then tamp the soil back down.
Much easier said than done. Even with considerable prying, the
slit is too narrow and closes up before the line is put in. Roots
make digging a narrow trench fairly destructive; the kerf is apt
to be about as wide as it is deep and hard work to boot.

Does anybody know of a tool for this purpose? I'm aware of
vibratory plows, but that seems like overkill if the goal is
just a 2" burial depth. Some kind of tool that I can either
stand on to press a slot in damp soil or a spreader-like tool
similer to an inside out post hole digger might work, but I've
never seen such a device and don't know what it would be called.
A shovel with a blade about 1/2" thick would be a start.

When it's damp the soil is fairly pliable and there are no
rocks, so some kind of soil pusher or piercer has a decent
chance of working. Digging in the usual sense promises to be
much harder work and there are close to 2000 feet of line to
bury. The OD of the dripline is only about 5/8", so the actual
volume of soil to be displaced is rather small compared to
what is typically moved by digging.

Thanks for reading, and any guidance!


My suggestion would be to add a spacer and extra blade to a motorized "edger" to
that it cuts a wider slot. If the mounting bolt doesn't allow that, someone
could weld a second blade with an enlarged hole and spacers to the origional.
The width of the safety guard would affect the possibility of this working.


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Old 04-04-2016, 11:52 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tool for burying dripline in lawn

bob prohaska wrote:

Last year I put Netafim Techline CV dripline on my front lawn,
just on the surface of the grass. It has worked reasonably well,
so it's time to think about making the setup permanent.

I'd like to bury the dripline with minimal disturbance to the
turf (and minimum labor!) to a depth of no more than a couple
of inches. First thought was to pry a slit in the soil with a
shovel and simply tuck the line in, then tamp the soil back down.
Much easier said than done. Even with considerable prying, the
slit is too narrow and closes up before the line is put in. Roots
make digging a narrow trench fairly destructive; the kerf is apt
to be about as wide as it is deep and hard work to boot.

Does anybody know of a tool for this purpose? I'm aware of
vibratory plows, but that seems like overkill if the goal is
just a 2" burial depth. Some kind of tool that I can either
stand on to press a slot in damp soil or a spreader-like tool
similer to an inside out post hole digger might work, but I've
never seen such a device and don't know what it would be called.
A shovel with a blade about 1/2" thick would be a start.

When it's damp the soil is fairly pliable and there are no
rocks, so some kind of soil pusher or piercer has a decent
chance of working. Digging in the usual sense promises to be
much harder work and there are close to 2000 feet of line to
bury. The OD of the dripline is only about 5/8", so the actual
volume of soil to be displaced is rather small compared to
what is typically moved by digging.

Thanks for reading, and any guidance!


2000' is a tremendous distance to cut a slit into turf with a hand
tool. Automatic sprinkler installers use a machine that cuts a slit
and buries the tubing at the same time, similar to how a mole tunnels.
It moves along fairly fast, about five feet per minute... a steel
point is attached to the leading end of the tube and the machine slits
and pulls the tubing through the slit... when done one has to look
hard to find the slit. You could probably rent the machine for a day
but since you've no experience I would strongly suggest hiring an
irrigation installation person. There are several different machines
but for 2000 feet I'd suggest one like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZSn9JKnzPk


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Old 05-04-2016, 04:28 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tool for burying dripline in lawn

Leon Fisk wrote:

If I remember correctly you are just itching to use a "new" welder. If
you could procure a piece of steel long enough to satisfy your depth
requirement and maybe 4 to 8 inches wide you could just weld a pipe
handle to it and save some bucks ;-)

You do remember correctly 8-)

I've thought about trying to weld something together but am having
difficulty deciding just what....

Trying to pry a slot with a single blade does not work with a shovel,
the soil is too elastic and the prying "stretch" of a single blade can't
overcome the rebound sufficiently. A blade half an inch thick might be
pried enough to yield a three quarter inch wide slit, which could work.
Cutting two slits and lifting the sod between needs considerably more
width to lever out the plug.

I just tried a ramming tool made with half inch iron pipe having an
elbow and short nipple at the end. Using a slide (post) hammer it's
possible to punch a dent that's an inch or two deep and holds its shape
well enough to let the dripline fit in. The nipple keeps the dents
aligned and holds the old dent open while the new one forms. A well-
shaped tool of similar pattern might have promise. The pipe fittings
are wider than needed, but a weldment could be tailored for a better
fit and even curved for going around corners. If the soil is wet the
hammering doesn't seem too hard, at least in small increments......

Another respondent pointed out that 2000 feet is a very long way
to trench by hand, no matter how small the trench. The truth of
that observation is beginning to dawn. The power machines suggested
are all so big there'd be very little left of the lawn by the time
I got through. One choice is to bury only sections of the dripline
where it's an obstacle and save the rest for a more clever idea if
it ever comes along.

Thanks to all for reading and sharing your thoughts!

bob prohaska



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Old 05-04-2016, 04:36 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tool for burying dripline in lawn

On 4/3/2016 6:36 PM, bob prohaska wrote:
Last year I put Netafim Techline CV dripline on my front lawn,
just on the surface of the grass. It has worked reasonably well,
so it's time to think about making the setup permanent.

I'd like to bury the dripline with minimal disturbance to the
turf (and minimum labor!) to a depth of no more than a couple
of inches. First thought was to pry a slit in the soil with a
shovel and simply tuck the line in, then tamp the soil back down.
Much easier said than done. Even with considerable prying, the
slit is too narrow and closes up before the line is put in. Roots
make digging a narrow trench fairly destructive; the kerf is apt
to be about as wide as it is deep and hard work to boot.

Does anybody know of a tool for this purpose? I'm aware of
vibratory plows, but that seems like overkill if the goal is
just a 2" burial depth. Some kind of tool that I can either
stand on to press a slot in damp soil or a spreader-like tool
similer to an inside out post hole digger might work, but I've
never seen such a device and don't know what it would be called.
A shovel with a blade about 1/2" thick would be a start.

When it's damp the soil is fairly pliable and there are no
rocks, so some kind of soil pusher or piercer has a decent
chance of working. Digging in the usual sense promises to be
much harder work and there are close to 2000 feet of line to
bury. The OD of the dripline is only about 5/8", so the actual
volume of soil to be displaced is rather small compared to
what is typically moved by digging.

Thanks for reading, and any guidance!

bob prohaska


I suggest you rethink your plans for a buried dripline for a lawn. I
see two potential problems.

First of all, a dripline tends to irrigate only in the immediate area of
the emitters or holes in the line. On the other hand, a lawn consists
of numerous grass plants scattered across the lawn area. Thus, the
dripline would irrigate only spots or stripes in the lawn. The only way
to cover a grass lawn is with a sprinkler system.

Then there is the problem of buried lines becoming clogged. This does
not usually happen when a buried line merely feeds an above-surface
emitter. With a buried line irrigating under ground, the emitters or
holes will eventually be plugged with grass roots or roots from nearby
shrubs and trees. With shrubs and trees, the roots might grow until
they rupture the line, even affecting it away from the emitters or holes.

--
David E. Ross

While many tributes to the late Supreme Court Associate Justice
Antonin Scalia now fill the news media, his legacy was not
necessarily positive. See my "What Price Order, Mr. Justice Scalia?"
at http://www.rossde.com/editorials/edtl_scalia_wrong.html.
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