Under Sidewalk Drilling

[KCarGuy]

Tonight I had to tackle a job that I was putting off, I had to dig a trench from my House, under a concrete sidewalk behind the house...next to the driveway and finish next to my garage to run a new (larger) Gas Line.

Digging under the sidewalk was a real Pain in my rear...all clay and stone.

So....I took a piece of 3 foot 1/2" steel tubing, slit the front end and inserted a 1/8 steel 4" x 4" piece of metal. Welded that up and ground the plate like a large Butterfly Bit. then welded an old broken Bit inside the other end, so I could chuck it in my Electric Drill...Worked like a charm!

Drilled from one side to the other and scooped out the loose dirt and rocks with my wifes extention garden tool.

Anyone else come up with some quik...low tech tools that made their life easier?

Lets hear about them, or see em!

Mine will make a great paint mixer also...

 

[texasOFT]

Another way to drill under a sidewalk is to attach pvc pipe (4'-5' of 1/2" or 3/4") to your garden hose and let the water drill the hole while you direct the pipe underneath the walk.

 

[KCarGuy]

TexasOFT
Great idea, Thanks for the tip.

Now I want to try it!!!

 

[1320stang]

Buddy used to have a device that went on the end of an air hose, you twisted the hose one way and turned it on and a piston inside would ram it forward, then you twisted it the other way and the piston would drive itself back out of the hole. This was on a big compressor like you'd use a jackhammer on, and the device was about 3" in diameter.

 

[rodnok1]

Another way to drill under a sidewalk is to attach pvc pipe (4'-5' of 1/2" or 3/4") to your garden hose and let the water drill the hole while you direct the pipe underneath the walk.

This works great, I've gone under numerous sidewalks and a few driveways also, I put a adapter fitting for a nozzle on the end of my PVC as I was going through clay. While you are going through the trouble you may want to run an extra PVC for later, I did under the driveways.

 

[ddawg16]

The water/PVC works quite well....messy...but easy.

One trick to make sure your going straight....insert the longer water filled PVC pipe into a larger pipe that acts like a guide....the reason is that in many cases you need a really long pipe to make across a driveway....well, unless you dig a really big hole on the start side....you have to bend the pipe....

Having the guide pipe lets you bend the smaller pipe and still keep it aimed straight.

 

[DHCrocks]

I used the PVC pipe and water hose trick before but ran into problems when I hit base course. The stones would not wash out easily like dirt. What I ended up doing was using a shop vac and stuck the 2-1/2" hose extension (plastic tube for floor attachment) into the hole to **** out the rocks, dirt and water. that worked pretty good.

 

[nutjob]

Combine drilling and water:

http://www.borit.com/

 

[tcianci]

Be aware that many "drilling" techniques will leave you with a bore that could cause settling of a blacktop surface. I have always driven pipe under driveways or walkways that way there is no chance for anything to cave in in the future.

 

[KCarGuy]

Thats a good point tciani,
I didnt even think of that, not really an issue with concrete, but blacktop would be another issue.
Thanks, KC

 

[d33pt]

yeah i was thinking about the settling. do you try to backfill it after you run your pipe or wires?

 

[KCarGuy]

I Backfilled Mine with sand...It packs up nice and tight. Instead of added back the stone and Dirt-Clay mix.
But, it also was a Concrete slab.
KC

 

[kartinkent]

There are some situations where water pressure from a garden hose WILL NOT BE ENOUGH. I've got heavy clay soil with lots of rock. The only water pressure that's going to work here is a pressure washer. With a pressure washer, I was able to make quick time in drilling out a hole for a 4" PVC Sleeve going under a 5' wide sidewalk.

 

[6768rogues]

I have a neighbor who uses a long drill bit like quarries use to drill for blasting. He can drill through and pull a pipe back through. He has to dig a big hole with his backhoe to make room, but he can cross an entire roadway for a water service.