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Randy J

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I'm going to install a system shortly that is going to involve tunneling under the driveway. What is the most successful way you have found to get this done? I am planning on using the cap on the end of a PVC pipe, with a small hole drilled in it. But will that go through the rock that's under the driveway?
Thanks for any help.

Randy
 
#2 ·
I was in the same boat as you. My irrigation division wasn't big enough to buy a boring machine so I tried various other methods to get under drives. The most successful method was to open up my landscape association membership book and call the largest irrigation contractor in the area and have them do the boring. He is a honerable man and has helped me out on more than one occaision. I can also now call him when I am stuck on a design or other problem and he will help me out.
 
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#4 ·
I know that here in around Houston we have some companies that do nothing but boring. Go to your supply house and ask the guys that work there and they should be able to steer you towards one.
 
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Discussion starter · #5 ·
That sounds like a neat gadget aquamatic. I wonder how well it works, and how long it lasts.
I'm actually doing this (my first system) for my Mother-in-law, down around Lake of the Ozarks. Not too many irrigation companies down there, let alone companies that bore. There is a Dean equipment rental (Cat equipment), don't know if they'd have a boring machine or not. I was kind of hoping to hear someone had some success with capping the PVC pipe and drilling a small hole in the cap, using it as a jet blaster to power thru.
I've had several IAA classes, and have been looking forward to getting some experience under my belt. My Mother-in-law wants an irrigation system cheap, so it's a win-win situation. Her place is on a rural golf course, and we'll just be hooking into the courses irrigation system (they ran connections to all the houses that back to the course), so no back flow needed. I've got the system designed out, just need to figure out how to get under the driveway now, and I'm ready to go to work.

Randy
 
#7 ·
I actually picked up a used one of those bore it tools yesterday. It was given to me by a guy that retired and I bought all his remaining parts real cheap. Same guy that I boght his accounts last year. He did warn me that if you hit a rock just right, it can almost break your wrist when it binds up. I haven't used it yet.

I've had luck with PVC but haven't tried a cap glued on the end with a hole. I have a nozzle I attach on the end that is pointed and does well when needed. Rocky soil is tough though. And you run the risk of putting too much water under the drive and causing it to crack.
 
#8 ·
I dont think I would suggest this for a driveway but I'll tell you what I did anyway. The first system I installed was at my own house so I could do whatever I wanted. I got a long enough rod to go accross the sidewalk and duct taped the hose to it. I then simply put the hose on fine spray and just kept pushing the the hose/rod under the sidewalk until it washed a small circular hole underneith the sidewalk. 1 inch fit fine.
 
#9 ·
Hey Randy J.

About time you put some of that training to use. We were in the Foundations of Landscape Irrigation Design class in New Orleans.
I have something similar to a borzit. I think it is called a Hydro Drill. It does work pretty well, but you have to be careful not to use too much water- your trench will fill up quick. Mine bores a large enough hole for a 1" and 3/4" pipe to fit through. I only use it for short bores though and I have owned it for 2 years. Takes about 3 minutes to go under a sidewalk. I contract the long bores.

If you want to go water pressure only, go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy a brass sweeper nozzle. Attach this to a section of 3/4" schedule 40 PVC and a shut off valve on the other end. This shut off valve saves you time running to the hose bib. Just keep adding sections of pipe as you go. It will bore a large enough hole for 1" pipe and valve wire. I wouldn't try this method here as we have heavy clay here and it would just take too long. If your soil conditions are right and you don't mind getting wet and muddy this might work. If you have very rocky soil, I would not try it. If you have any other questions send me a private message.

Sam
 
#10 ·
We've only used the borzit tool for a very short time. So far longest bore was 8' - no problem. Piece of cake. As Sam said, watch the water flow.

We may be attempting a much longer run - approx 20'. Will let you know the results if we do it.
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
Hi Sam, good to hear from you. The soil in Lake of the Ozarks is pretty rocky. I'm not too sure the water pressure method would work. I hadn't even thought about putting too much water under the driveway, as someone mentioned up above, but I am scared of that also. It's a typical double wide driveway, about 20 feet, that I need to go under. And I believe they put a pretty good base of gravel under it. I'll check and see if anyone around there subs boring, but it's fairly rural, so I doubt it. If I knew the Borzit would work, I might consider investing in that.

Randy
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
Thanks Lance, I'll aim for that. I know the soil is pretty rocky, and there's some fill in the yard, although I'm not sure if there is some under the driveway or not. Should be interesting.

Randy
 
#14 ·
I am a firm believer in doing what you do best and let others do what they do best.
I use a guy that charges 8$ a foot for underground boring. That's cheap. We have the equipment to do it but choose to spend our time getting pipe and heads in the ground, it's simply not efficent for us to do underground boring. Pick up the phone and write a check and take the time you save to install another system
 
#16 ·
Two suggestions.

One. if you are going to jet it through with water pressure, you will need to have copius amounts of water and pressure to do it with.

Take a one inch piece of PVC thickwalled, and the open end will need some small teeth cut into the end with your hacksaw. These little eigth to quarter inch vee shaped notches will jet debris out to the side when you ram it into the face of the jetted hole as you go. You must keep the flow moving- lots of back and forth (in and out) to move the material from halfway under back to your feet. A good long trench as long as you are aiming to jet will be necessary extending away and behind you to keep the pipe level. At your feet, you will need a hole that will put the flushed debris draining.

Another method would be to drive a piece of inch and a quarter steel pipe. Again you have to dig a trench to level the pipe as it runs under. Even flushing a little water through this steel pipe will help, but the work involves driving the pipe with a cap on it with your sledge between your feet. . The steel pipe is only a sleeve. once it is through then you can run the actual pvc through it and possible even wire for other things such as valves and lighting.

I recommend the steel pipe, the PVC will not be scarred, and you will have a conduit later. Naturally, if this is a new install, you have plenty of room to dig generous holes for access.
 
#18 ·
Hard sayin'

I reckon it would work- Dont they drive steel for wells in your area?

Its done here in sandy soils.

You'd just be doin it horizontally, and by hand.

Had to go an re-read some.

Forget the Borzit. Nice tool, but not necessary. If you cant jet or drive, no drill is going to work.

Could have written a my best reply two posts ago if I had read the replies.

First, best, ....don't dig a five dollar hole for a hundred dollar man.

You'll be trenching lines, so they will make your pipe runways up to BOTH sides of the drive. Hand digging two feet under, plus the drop hole, it isn't that tough. (All excavated goes on the drive, so it isn't muddy or in the way.)

The pipe cap with a hole would be too small.... you want a full column of water out the end- by ramming the column washes out to the side evenly and flows the sediment back to you. Drawing back flows more water to carry sediment. Sediment flow back to you is critical. If it stops so does the jet pipe. Hence the shark teeth in the open end.

And, like mentioned above, a minimal run of hose to the jet pipe with a valve would be helpful.

We can improve on that further with an airline attached to the mainfold (valve). A bit of air at times while jerking off the jet pipe could improve sediment flow.

Can you test to see if you have flow and volume by trying to jet a three foot piece of say inch and a quarter pipe into the ground (vertically) and pull it out? If you could do that I'd say you get get across the drive.

Or could you drive a lenght of steel pipe into the ground?

Or

Second, Sounds like a Nice Brick Two Story Ranch to me.

At the desired line run, Rent a consaw and open up a eight inch cut in the drive, demo the rubble, trench, bury water and conduit, back fill and lay a "Brick Accent" in the driveway.

I like the last one best if you are going to have trouble trenching the rest of the system you may not be able to get under the drive.
 
#20 ·
Originally posted by Randy J
I'm going to install a system shortly that is going to involve tunneling under the driveway. What is the most successful way you have found to get this done?
Randy
Click to expand...
I use a boring attachment , takes about 20 minutes adverage on a 30 foot drive . I use it for tunneling under large beds to save digging . Clay and rock slow it down a bit . Longer than 30 feet I use a missile , You can rent them and they are easy to use . That driving a steel pipe will give you a hell of a work out
 
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