|
Species of Excavation
Dedicated Trenchers vs. CUL Trencher Attachments in Your Trenching Habitat
By Jason Morgan
The pedestrian trencher is the pygmy breed of digging machines. These small, walk-behind trenchers have been adapted over half a century to work in confined work environments. While it has a small stature, it also has large teeth that can channel a powerful digging action into a precise and evasive package. At about 4 to 5 ft in length and 2 to 3 ft in height, the walk-behind trencher (a.k.a. pedestrian trencher) has ruled the construction jungle for nearly 50 years.
Yet, those dedicated digging days are changing, as new competition migrates to the utility market in the form of species such as Dingos, Boxers and Ramrods. These are models of compact utility loaders (CUL), and these compact machines not only trench, but also wield a host of interchangeable attachments (buckets, pallet forks, brooms, backhoes, trenchers and everything in between). But do these CULs dig as fast and focused as a dedicated pedestrian trencher? Are they as small and unobtrusive as their trenching cousins?
“On a compact utility loader, a trencher attachment can easily be removed and replaced by a trench filling attachment that speeds up the overall trenching job,” says Greg Lawrence, Toro’s marketing product manager. “Traditional trench backfilling is done by hand, but with a trench filler, it can be done in a fraction of the time. If the job requires additional digging, hauling, landscaping and other functionality, a compact utility loader would be a better investment.”
By pinning a trencher attachment to a CUL, you effectively create a machine capable of trenching depths up to 24, 36 or 48 in. at widths between 2 and 8 in., depending on the attachment. Typically, you’ll find that most trencher attachments require between 10 and 14 gpm of hydraulic flow with around 2,750 psi from the carrier. All the big brands offer a variety of trencher attachment options — Ditch Witch, Bobcat, Vermeer, Toro, Ramrod and Compact Power. Trencher attachments are also offered from third-party OEMs like CEAttachments and Lowe.
Like dedicated trenchers, the range of options and features focus on steely teeth — from carbide-tip cutting edges to sharpened shark teeth (which cut through the toughest terra firma). There are also other options. Toro, for example, offers a 2-ft boom for depths up to 29 in., as well as a crumber that helps to remove excess material from the trench.
As far as safety is concerned, most trencher attachments come equipped with a personnel restraint bar, located over the digging chain, for operator protection. Additionally, many CULs offer an operator’s presence system, which disables the attachment (i.e. trencher) controls and/or the drive control if the operator is not in the correct position on the unit.
Obviously, if you don’t have a CUL, then you are looking at a $10,000 to $20,000 price tag on top of the trencher price, depending on the manufacturer and features. If you already own a unit, a trencher attachment is a natural extension of your existing machine and will set you back about $3,000 to $7,000.
Dedicated to Digging
While keeping your options open and being able to change tasks at the click of a quick-attach plate is great for some, others are looking for a dedicated machine that knows its craft and gets the job done quickly. Dedicated walk-behind trenchers are made with only digging in mind, so they typically have higher production rates and are a bit easier to maneuver in the trench.
“Dedicated units usually gain a contractor additional production because it is a dedicated unit, meaning that all horsepower and hydraulic flow is going to the trencher itself,” says Shaun Fritchey, solutions specialist for Vermeer. “Whereas, in the CUL and attachment scenario we have horsepower and hydraulic flow being utilized not only by the trencher attachment, but also wheel motors and track drives.”
The full-time trencher tends to have a slightly larger range of cutting options — from 18 to 48 in. deep and 3 to 8 in. wide — and offers the typical types of raise, lower and engagement controls for easier operation.
In the ever growing list of features and options each manufacturer has a unique system that sets its machines apart. For instance, Vermeer machines offer ground drive assist, which helps an operator trench a straight line, reducing the amount of physical labor required while trenching.
In terms of safety: “Each manufacturer may take a little different approach, but we are all making every attempt to keep the operator back at the controls where he or she belongs,” says Bob Wren, training manager for Astec Underground. “Yet, we must combine this with ease of operation, a minimal amount of controls and machine balance. These features alone add to the safe operation.”
Dedicated trenchers will run around $9,000 to $12,000, which is typically a bit less than a stand-alone CUL (without the trencher attachment). Since the dedicated trencher is also no stranger to the rental market, trying out a trencher for a weekend might be the best idea.
Jason Morgan is associate editor of Utility Contractor.
|
