Solo pipe pulling?

[PR0 TURF]

Do any of you pull pipe solo? We usually pull 1" poly from a 300ft roll with 2 guys. One runs the DitchWitch & the other wrestles the pipe. We've been thinking of building some sort of suspended horizontal pole set up(very simple) for the pipe to ride on to eliminate the one guy handling the pipe. Everyone pulls pipe with 2 guys in our area....but there must be an easier way...anyone have any pics of there setup, or any tips etc???

[dougaustreim]

Around here everyone has a reel type device that holds 300' and allows one man to pull. Huge money saver. I bought mine years ago, so I don't have the literature anymore, but I'll try to find some from the dealer, and post the info in a day or two

Doug

[HBFOXJr]

Reel? I thought i was going to have to make one. Dig that up quick.

[dougaustreim]

The dealer just mailed his last copy to another company and is waiting for the sheet to come, and then He"ll fax me a copy. Sounds like it will be next week, because they're coming to him by mail. I'll post as soon as I get them.

Doug

[MikeK]

I've seen these hose reels and have often wondered if they really save time. We pull pipe with 2 people and it seems to be quite efficent. At the end of a Pull, the pipe holder cuts the pipe and moves to the next spot, by the time he gets there and has the pipe taped up, the plow operator is in position and ready to go again. We can pull the avearge size yard (1200 feet) in 1 to 1 .5 hours.
With the pipe reel, the operator is constantally walking back and forth, cutting the pipe and moving the reel. I just don't see this as being much faster. Can anyone shed some more light on this for me?
-Mike

[HBFOXJr]

Here were not going to get that kind of production. Seldom wide open areas no matter what the size of the job. Sidewalks to bore, utilities to be dug before crossing, fences to go under. We're taking longer with the machine unless it is truly easy. Four bores plus utilities in several spots will be the minimum needed. I don't think the minutes to move the pipe equals the minutes of standing time while pulling. A lot of times the operator waits while the guy moves loose pipe, couples pipe and tapes pipe. It isn't major per occurrance but adds up repeated over and over.

[MikeK]

Harold,
Holy cow! 4 Bores per job??
We maybe bore 1 or 2 times for every 10 jobs we do.
I can't imagine fighting with all of that. I'l l guess I'll consider myself lucky here in the great white north

[HBFOXJr]

OK, maybe I exaggerated, it might be a minimum of 3. Most jobs have sidewalks at the street. So that is 2 bores, one for each side of the drive. Most likely there will be a walk that goes from the drive to the front porch. Sometimes add an additional front walk going to the street.

The 2 front walks may require 2 to 3 bores each. If it is the walk from the drive to the porch, the enclosed area may be big enough to need a rotor off one zone and a partial zone of sprays plus one for the main. If it is the walk from the porch to the street it might be 1 main and one lateral. I try to keep that to just a main if I can. If theenclosed area can be done in a zone of sprays and no other sprays are needed in front I'll put the valve on the inside if the main is coming out of that area. Sometimes we will have a walk from the garage to the rear yard area, deck/porch to bore to get sprinkler or control wiring under.

My controllers are pretty routinely mounted in the garage but preferably on an exterior wall close the the roll up door. We seldom have an outdoor receptacle to plug or hardwire into. Tie ins are usually basement as close to the meter as we can and out the wall as close as possible. Running addtional copper inside to avoid a main bore outside is not always a good physical or $ choice option.

[JeffY]

We use the reel for pipe pulling. I work with a crew of two others and the reel allows me to pull all the pipe and have one guy following digging holes for the heads while the second guy digs the trenches for the bores. Sometimes we don't have to do any bores and sometimes we got 3 to do. It depends on whether they got the boulevard (strip of grass between sidewalk and street) to do. The only time I need a second person is if I pull around a corner and am not able to see the reel. The second person would watch and let me know when I drop the line.

[HBFOXJr]

Who makes the reel you have? Where might it be available?

[dougaustreim]

Found the sheet on the pipe unroller. Definately will save time.

Doesn't list any name or telephone number on the sheets.

Dealer is Monick Pipe S FAlls SD 605-336-7811

If you want me to fax a copy of the picture etc
e-mail me at autreim@brookings.net

Cost is 348.00 plus freight

Doug

[rvsuper]

Doug,
Do they sell poly pipe there? I'm looking for a new dealer for pipe instead of going hour and a half.

[MikeK]

Alex,
We Buy Eagle green stripe pipe, which I feel is the best on the market. It carries a lifetime warranty also. We have it direct shipped from the nebraska factory and usually get 1/2 a semi load at a time.
If you are serious , e- mail me and we can cut you in for part of a semi load since the truck is practically going right by you anyway.
It is a bit cheaper this way plus it's really nice not having to worry about running out of pipe.
-Mike

[HBFOXJr]

What weight poly and what size? How many feet or rolls of what size is in a half load? Price on that qty? CAn you get it in the east.

[PR0 TURF]

We just bought a half load (50 rolls) of 1" NSF poly...300ft rolls...for $27 per roll for a total of $1350. It was a special at a suppliers trade show that we went to last week. Is that competitive to what you guys are normally paying? Normally we pay $38/roll for the same pipe...big savings on this special!!

payup

[HBFOXJr]

That's a good number. 100psi material? I pay about what you've been paying at regular price. Haven't updated my sheet since last Aug.

Do you know of any irrigation training materials for hispanics?

[MikeK]

Hi Harold,
Here is a link to the website with the literature:
http://www.pwpipe.com:8181/documents/pwpipe0122.pdf
We pay about $ 31.00 a 300 foot coil and I think they require a 80 coil minimum.

The pipe that we buy is 3408, 80 PSI. It's made from virgin material, not recycled and it has a much thinner wall which makes it quite easy to work with.

I have it installed at my house which is 110PSI static pressure and have never had a problem

-Mike

[rvsuper]

Mike,
Is it worth having them send me 3 or 4 rolls just to try out before I give it go and get a whole truckload? I would kind of like to try it out in my yard this spring.

Thanks,
Alex

[PR0 TURF]

Originally posted by RVLI
Is it worth having them send me 3 or 4 rolls just to try out before I give it go and get a whole truckload?
That makes sense to me...definitely would recommend that!

:alien:

[dougaustreim]

We use the 80 lb pipe, have for years, no problems. We pay between 11 and 13 cents a foot for 1" depending on market conditions. Expect pipe to go higher now that petroleum is on the way up, but if prices end the year as low as they think they will be after Iraq, could get much better by end of year.

There are a number of wholesalers in S Falls and other places as well that would sell at these similar prices. We buy from a wholesaler out of Watertown SD , truck will come by twice a week if we need it. They also have branches in S Falls and several in the twin cities area. We usually buy about 20 rolls at a time. We used to go the truckload route, but the storage issue becomes a nuisance. Also we are always needing fittings, cooper pipe, pvc for misc and\or larger mainlines, as well as 1.25 and 1.5 " poly. It is hard to know how much of each to get when you order such large quantities, when you don't know what the next jobs will need. Granted today, figuring the interest on your money isn't as big an issue as it was a few years ago, but interest will be up again in the future, so system should reflect that cost as well.


Doug
Austreim Landscaping

[Ground Master]

from last years receipts 300' of 80# poly........25.73......eagle brand, but not green stripe........

supplier is united green mark

[DanaMac]

Ditto with Ground Master. We have 4 different suppliers and I think they range from $25-$28 between them. Not green stripe or 100 psi. But honestly I've never had a problem with pipe failing unless it was due to freeze damage. And that is the clients problem for not blowing it out.

[PR0 TURF]

Originally posted by Ground Master
from last years receipts 300' of 80# poly........25.73......eagle brand, but not green stripe........
What is the difference between "green stripe" pipe and what you are buying for $25.73? Are they both NSF? :alien:

[MikeK]

The eagle 3408 and the eagle green stripe pipe is the exact same pipe except for the green colored stripe.
The Green stripe has a Lifetime warranty and yes,they will cover it from freeze damage. but probably only once.

We pay around 31$ a coil for green stripe, in Bulk and around 30$ if we wanted to go with Eagle.
I'm thinking I need to do some more shopping.
Our Distributor is MTI here in the Twin Cities