Trenchers are pieces of earthmoving equipment with heavy metal chains with teeth made of high-strength steel that rip through the ground like chainsaws into trees. Trenchers rip up soil and roots to create trenches, much like excavators. Hand digging a trench requires several workers and can take many hours. A trencher can reduce the number of people needed to complete a project as well as the amount of time it takes.
Depending on your needs, you can choose between walk-behind trenchers or ride-on trenchers. Walk-behind trenchers, or portable trenchers, allow you to dig trenches more easily in tighter spaces. Trenchers with ride-ons give you more performance and cover deeper digging depths than walk-behinds. Renters can choose from wheel trenchers or chain trenchers. There are two types of wheel trenchers: those with toothed metal wheels and those with a soft or hard soil.
- A wheel trencher works best in areas where there is a high concentration of rock formations. Known as rockwheels, these trenchers cut pavement and provide utility companies with access underneath roads. The wheels contain between six and eight cutting elements, which allow them to cut at varying depths. Excavated materials are moved away from the trench’s edges by spacers and ejectors.
- Trenchers with chainsaw-like designs are known as chain trenchers. A digging belt or chain is used to cut the ground. The belt wraps around the metal boom, which allows the deepening of the cut to be adjusted easily. Cutting hard ground is made easier with its bucket excavator. Chain trenchers are flexible enough to dig narrow and deep trenches for utility companies.
Trencher Uses
- Pavement Cutting: Wheel trenchers are used for cutting through rock, pavement, and concrete. Wheel trenchers can be used on difficult terrain and clean, straight trenches can be created. Also, they are capable of handling patch and joint replacement projects on highways, streets, and interstates.
- Drainage: Create drainage trenches for sewage or water runoff with chain trenchers instead of digging several feet of soil. A portable trencher allows you to dig up the soil so that irrigation piping can be run underground.
- Shoveling: Homeowners who suffer from blistered hands after hours of shoveling may seek relief from this method. By using a smaller walk-behind trencher, you can reduce the time required to complete a project. For digging three to four feet deep, use the smaller version.
- Digging for Electrical Wires: When digging underground for electrical or telecommunication cables, you can use chain trenchers from the pole to the house. Additionally, trenches can be used for electric dog fencing and landscape lighting. Material excavated by the trencher is removed by its conveyor belt. When you use a trencher, you can create the trench faster, and this allows you to spend more time fixing the wires.
- Snipping Roots: Additionally to cutting concrete and making rows in the soil, trenchers have a blade that serves as a rotary lawn mower blade and cuts roots. You can hold the chain blade of your trencher in place while it rotates if you encounter roots. Cut the roots with the blade as you inch it forward.
It is advisable not to use a trencher in areas prone to rock. The teeth on the equipment cannot cut through solid rock or sediments that resemble rock. A torn tooth can result in metal shards becoming stuck and causing problems with the machinery. Before you start digging up the ground, you should also check with local utilities to see if the area is safe.
Although trenchers can be used for various construction projects, it’s better to rent them rather than purchase them. By doing so, you can be certain that you have the right one for your needs. If you need additional assistance finding the right trencher for your project, contact the experts at Rentalex. You can also call us directly at (813) 971-9990.
