JOB RELATEDLearn how your fellow construction professionals are making Ditch Witch equipment an integral part of their success. Find valuable maintenance and safety tips, and important information about financing. Just click on the links below.
Simco Enterprises
The city of Groves, Texas, had a big problem on its hands. A 665-foot section of underground truss pipe (plastic pipe with a concrete-filled, hollow wall) was in need of replacement. Multipurpose Zahn Impresses Irrigation Specialists In the ten years since the business was started, Corbett, Inc., has established a reputation as one of the best residential and commercial irrigation contractors in Massachusetts. Ten Reasons To Run Genuine Ditch Witch Downhole Tools On Your Next Bore Ditch Witch® downhole tools are engineered to be the most flexible in the industry. We believe this comes from their patented technology, their 50-year history of providing underground construction solutions, and the fact that Ditch Witch downhole tools are manufactured specifically for the drills with the same name on them. Vacuum Excavator Maintenance Although the Ditch Witch® organization offers many different types of vacuum excavators, there is one thing they all have in common: routine maintenance. Make that daily maintenance. Just as with any piece of equipment, the better you treat it, the better it will treat you. Kind of like the Golden Rule with a twist. Electrician Reenergizes Old C99 In the spring of 2009, Bill Hodge bought out an electrician who was going out of business. An old Ditch Witch® C99 trencher was thrown in as a bonus. At the time, though, it wasn't perceived as a bonus. Connection Established Between Success And Ditch Witch Equipment Georgia underground construction specialist Southeast Connections, LLC, is one of the busiest utility contractors in the southeastern United States. Established in 1996 to do telecommunications work, the company began business with 14 employees and four pieces of equipment: two backhoes and two early Ditch Witch® Jet Trac® directional drills. Old-Fashioned Service, New Technology Keep Radell Construction Going Strong In business for more than 40 years, the owners of Kansas utility contractor Jim Radell Construction Inc. understand very well that the economy runs in cycles—sometimes very good, other times difficult. Keeping Your Business Hot Through Winter No matter where you live, two important things can help you keep your Ditch Witch® equipment—and your business—in tip-top condition year-round. Ditch Witch Organization Restores C99 for Company Museum Ditch Witch Australia's Stewart Brown and Cliff Lyle presented Kennards, the largest small equipment rental company in Australia, with a restored C99 trencher for the company's museum. Kennards, a family-owned company, has been in business for more than 60 years. Ditch Witch Equipment Helps ECI Telecom Diversify Established in 1996, utility contracting company ECI Telecom (ECI) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, spent its first years of operation primarily serving multi-system operator (MSO) cable television companies. This was during the peak of the telecommunications construction boom. IPBA Pipe Bursting Guidelines Before you begin any pipe replacement job, be sure you've read and understood Guideline Specification for the Replacement of Mainline Sewer Pipes By Pipe Bursting, a very thorough and helpful set of guidelines from the International Pipe Bursting Association (IPBA). Trenchless Technology Center's Pipe Bursting Guidelines Prepared by the Trenchless Technology Center for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Guidelines for Pipe Bursting is a technical report designed to help everyone involved in pipeline renewal/rehabilitation projects understand the capabilities of different types of pipe bursting systems. Case studies help illustrate the many important considerations of a typical pipe bursting jobsite. Zahn R300 Not Your Typical Multi-Task Machine Brian Perwak of irrigation company Corbett, Inc., was skeptical of using a multi-task machine to perform the specialized tasks of a typical irrigation project. His experience with the Zahn R300 changed his mind. Trenchless In Tasmania, Starring The JT2720 This September 2009 Trenchless Australasia article details an ongoing project in Tasmania, the island state of Australia, involving the installation of a five-kilometer (3.2 mile) fiber-optic cable—assisted by a Ditch Witch JT2720 horizontal directional drill. Something In The Wind The new Ditch Witch HT300 has the horsepower and rock-digging capability ideal for use in wind farm construction. The HT300's exclusive flywheel gearbox delivers maximum power to the trenching attachment on demand while minimizing shock to the hydraulic system. JT8020 Helps With Tricky River Installation Ditch Witch Mid-Atlantic of Millstone Township, New Jersey, supplied the JT8020 directional drill, forerunner of the JT100, and the expertise to help a New Jersey utility construction company install conduit under the Hackensack River. The JT8020 "worked flawlessly" in spite of some serious environmental and logistical obstacles. RT10 And RT12 Featured In Rental Equipment Register The super-compact, super-productive Ditch Witch RT10 and RT12 offer a choice of high-flotation tires or oscillating tracks, exceptional ground speed, and other features that make them ideal trenchers for the small contractor and rental market. Expose Utilities The Safe Way—With Hydro Excavation Each year there are approximately 680,000 incidents of damage to U.S. utility infrastructure. You can avoid contributing to this statistic by exposing underground utilities with hydro excavation, a non-destructive process that uses pressurized water and a vacuum system. Ditch Witch Directional Drill Helps Sioux Falls Go Green, Save Green The City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, established the Leading Green Initiative to create a more sustainable community overall. One project aimed at meeting this goal—the conversion of landfill-generated methane gas into fuel—was completed with the help of a Ditch Witch JT8020, forerunner of the JT100. Directional drilling shaved weeks off construction time and saved thousands of dollars. Stretching The Life Of Your Horizontal Directional Drilling System In this Compact Equipment online magazine article, the Ditch Witch organization's Richard Levings outlines the best strategy for keeping your horizontal directional drilling equipment in peak condition. Utility Company Discovers SK650's Versatility, Efficiency Residents and businesses in Bay City, Texas, are served by one of the most progressive natural gas service providers in the country. Webinar Comparing Rock-Drilling Methods: Watch It Free Now "Effectively Drilling in Rock and Diverse Soil Conditions" is the title of a very informative webinar that you can now watch anytime. Hosted by the Ditch Witch organization's Richard Levings, the one-hour webinar neatly analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the four main methods of directional drilling. SK500 Blazing Trails In Virginia In addition to "pulaskis" and "come-alongs," the Virginia senior volunteer group known as the Midweek Crew depends on a Ditch Witch SK500 to help create trails around Roanoke Valley. Ditch Witch Equipment Helps Turn Hobby Into Career For residents of Munfordville and Rowletts and those living in the country around these two small Kentucky towns, the Quality Landscaping and Garden Center is the place to go for flowers, shrubs, trees, garden tools, and most any landscape and gardening need. Ditch Witch Sponsored Team Places 2nd In National Competition A team of high school students from Perry, Oklahoma, took second place in the 2009 national AEM Construction Challenge competition. Dakota Central Telecommunications Has Pioneer Spirit With the help of Ditch Witch equipment and a proactive business philosophy, a North Dakota telecom company has transformed communities around the state from the party-line system to the digital age. S&R Pace Relies On All Terrain Technology Most of the work of HDD specialist S&R Pace Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia, is as a subcontractor for Infrastructure Construction, Sydney, which serves the primary electrical service provider in the Sydney area. Sydney, the state capital of New South Wales, is Australia's most populous city. Zahn R300 Makes Short Work Of Sprinkler Installation Commercial landscaping contractors and distributors around North Texas got to witness the extraordinary efficiency of the Ditch Witch Zahn<sup>®</sup> R300 trencher as it installed an environmentally friendly BluLok sprinkler system. Illinois Gas Company Discovers The Excavator-Tool Carrier Serving most of Northern Illinois (except Chicago), Nicor Gas is one of the nation's largest gas-distribution companies, supplying natural gas to more than two million customers in 643 communities. Worthy Nominee For Rental Store MVP Given a vacuum excavator's wide range of capabilities, many people are surprised—including Greg Adkins of the Ditch Witch organization—that it is not one of the most popular rental store items. But it's only a matter of time. Small and Versatile Equipment Still Need Big Attention for the Best Results There are many reasons for properly maintaining your compact utility loader: safety being one, and protection of your investment another. An article recently published in Compact Equipment magazine gives you all the details. FX30 To The Rescue On Feb. 10, parts of Oklahoma City were damaged by an unusual wintertime tornado. A Ditch Witch FX30 vacuum excavator played a big part in the cleanup effort. The ABCs Of Utility Damage Prevention When it comes to trenching, drilling and excavating in the vicinity of buried utilities, there is no such thing as being overly cautious. This article breaks down the essentials of damage prevention. Zahn Models Proving Their True Value True Value<sup>®</sup> stores were among the first to offer Zahn equipment for rent or purchase. Read what True Value managers and customers across the country are saying about these revolutionary machines. JT3020 All Terrain Featured In Construction Equipment and Machinery This article appears in a March 2009 edition of Construction Equipment and Machinery, an online news source targeting Ukraine and other developing countries in Eastern Europe. In this region of the world, it is vital to build new infrastructure and replace that which has deteriorated. The Ditch Witch JT3020 All Terrain is an ideal machine for these tasks. SK650 Put To Work For Good Cause Equipped with an SK650 mini skid steer, employees of Ditch Witch of Arizona helped other members of the Arizona Landscape Contractors' Association beautify the backyard of the Florence Crittenton Transition Home. O&O Costs: Chain type trenchers A trencher only has to do one thing, do it well and do it often. So contractors who want to find out how much to charge for their trenching services should have no trouble zeroing in on an accurate number. HDD Nothing New To Styrud Ingenjörsfirma AB Trenchless construction has changed the way the world's utility infrastructure is constructed and rehabilitated. While trenchless methods are perceived as a "new" development, a small number of trenchless pioneers have been using them for decades. A Scientific Look At All Terrain Systems A December 2008 white paper examines some of the major advancements in horizontal directional drilling (HDD) over the years. Dig Deeper Into Your Digging Systems, Part II What to look for in digging system components. Bore-Tek Overcomes Challenges and Obstacles In May 2000, three South Carolinians decided it was time to stop working for others and apply their experience and knowledge to their own directional drilling business. HT300 Featured on CELOG The HT300 is gaining attention on jobsites around the world and also in the virtual world. The HT300 is the subject of a recent post on CELOG, the Constructionequipment.net blog managed by industry best experts who have worked in the U.S., Europe, and South America. Magazine Chooses Zahn R300 <i>Modern Contractor Solutions</i> magazine listed the Zahn R300 among its favorite 50 products that will be exhibited at World of Concrete in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 2-6, 2009, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Meet Selge Construction In the 47 years the company has been in business, Selge Construction, Niles, Michigan, has built a reputation as one of the most respected utility contractors in the Southwest Michigan-South Bend, Indiana, area. Treat Your Tracks With Respect Because they are made of super-tough rubber and supported by steel belts, and because they are capable of manhandling turf and bearing immense weight up steep slopes, rubber tracks seem unstoppable, tank-like. Yes, they can plow through or run over almost any kind of material, but at some point you will need to repair or replace your tracks and/or the components that drive them. The question is when. Water retailer finds a 'hole new way to work A local water retailer plans to make potholes, not fix them. Keeping Your Fleet's Hydraulic Systems Running Properly If your machine's hydraulic system isn't working, neither are you. Here are some common causes of hydraulic system breakdown and steps you can take to avoid them. Trenchless Technology Solving Age-Old Infrastructure Dilemma Roughly 1.5 million miles of buried water line exist in the United States. About one—third of these pipes are in need of replacement or repair right now, and many experts believe that by 2020 nearly half of these lines will need some type of renovation or extension. FTTH Growth Stays on Track as Connections Rise to The upgrading of North America's last mile networks with end-to-end fiber is continuing at a robust pace, with fiber to the home (FTTH) arriving at more than 1.6 million households over the past year, bringing the total number of FTTH subscribers to 3.76 million, according to a study released today by the Fiber-to-the-Home Council. Ditch Witch Equipment Helping With Katrina Cleanup For those not living on the Gulf Coast or in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina and the flooding that followed in late August of 2005 are not given much attention these days. But for residents of these areas, the effects of those devastating storms are still being felt, and restoration of storm damage continues every day. Enhanced Cost Solutions For Buried Fiber Installation Replacing our nation's aging copper communications infrastructure is a monumental task. This is one thing all of the experts agree upon. The disagreements begin when the discussion turns to the most efficient and cost-effective way to tackle the challenge. Dig Deeper Into Your Digging Systems A properly maintained digging system is essential to trencher performance. Here's The Drill The Ditch Witch® organization manufactures one of the most extensive selections of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment in the underground construction industry, from the small and maneuverable JT520 to the powerful, long-range JT8020. They are the only equipment manufacturer that also produces machines used to create the underground bores through which utility pipe is pulled. HDD Just One Of Vac Systems' Many Applications Potholing, exposing utilities, accessing service lines, a multitude of cleanup tasks—companies across the country find a variety of ways to utilize the Ditch Witch FX30 and FX60. 950R Owner Finds Success In International Competition After numerous attempts to qualify for the International Utility Locate Rodeo, John Goforth finally made it—with the help of a Ditch Witch 950R, the same electronic locator he uses on the job at Caroline County Utilities in Virginia. Widening Warwick Boulevard The Virginia Department of Transportation and E.V. Williams, Inc. are in Phase III of a project to widen Warwick Boulevard in Newport News, Virginia. New Trenchless Device Bursts Onto The Scene Your next rehab job doesn't have to tie up a crew of ten, cut off utility service to 2000 customers, or reroute 5:00 traffic. With the new line of Ditch Witch pipe bursting systems, upgrading water and sewer infrastructure is cleaner, less disruptive, and more affordable than ever. The Home Team Versatile compact utility equipment helps fulfill a dream. Producing The Superior Cylinder Every Ditch Witch machine is a sophisticated system of interdependent parts, the great majority of which are manufactured in our 30-acre plant in Perry, Oklahoma. Time For Your Spring Checkup Spring is a great time to prepare your Ditch Witch equipment for the upcoming busy season. A little attention now can help you be ready when those landscaping, trenching, plowing, and drilling jobs start coming in. Vac Systems Branching Out "Vacuum excavation systems have been better known for their association with directional drilling," says Kevin Smith, Ditch Witch product manager. "But over time, customers have continued to find new opportunities to put them to work." Plowing, Piercing, And Pulverizing New Ditch Witch products to help you attack the ground in comfort and style. Chain Of Events The efficiency of any machine depends on the efficiency of each of its parts. In the case of digging systems, one defective part—a stripped bolt, worn tooth or inferior sprocket— can mean the failure of the entire system. Construction Outlook Three industry leaders look to the future. Doing A Little Digging Finding the right mini skid steer for you requires research. Drilling Down Under In the Land Down Under, more and more underground utilities are being placed "down under" by horizontal directional drilling (HDD). One company expects the trend to continue. Fleet Manager's Guide Tips on keeping your fleet's hydraulic systems running properly. What To Look For In A Lender The unique requirements of construction equipment financing. Gentlemen: Retrofit Your Engines California regulation could be the start of big changes for the construction industry. Fleet Manager's Guide Here's the drill on buying drill pipe. Smaller, Quieter, Smarter HDD technology adapts to demand. Keeping Underground Equipment Off The Underground Market Prevention and information are the keys. Ditch Witch HT220 Installing Pipe for Galmor's Inc. Oil and Gas Contractor Galmor's, Inc., of Elk City, Oklahoma, purchases a Ditch Witch HT220 heavy-duty trencher to install pipeline. Burrows Brothers Thrive in HDD Market When brothers Keith and Kevin Burrows started their contracting business in 1999, no one knew the telecommunications market would soon face serious problems with a broader economic downturn to follow. K & L Trenching Thrives in Utility Markets In a volatile construction market that was shaken by the telecommunications bust of the early 2000s, contractor K & L Trenching, Huxley, Iowa, has sustained a steady, profitable business for more than 16 years. Weighing The Alternatives The Charles Machine Works, Inc., manufacturer of Ditch Witch® underground construction equipment, has made a strong case for the use of its horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment for installing fiber to the home (FTTH). Caldwell Tree Care Realizing the Big Potential of Caldwell bought the SK500 and four compact utility attachments for his line of work: a grapple fork, trencher, bucket and auger. He has since added a Ditch Witch multitask tool and log splitter to his inventory of attachments. The SK500 is capable of running more than 70 compact utility attachments. Mini Skid-Steer Loader Operation "Best Practices" More and more mini skid-steer loaders are appearing on a wide range of construction sites, clear evidence of the growing popularity of these compact and versatile machines. And the array of specialized attachments makes mini skid-steers highly-maneuverable mobile tool carriers, allowing one machine to handle a variety of tasks. Willey Wildscapes Achieves Dream Job For its first year of operation, Willey’s Wildscapes has exceeded projected billings with 2005 projected to be even better, and Willey is ready to implement expansion plans as workloads increase. Willey credits the multi-purpose mini skid steer loader—a Ditch Witch® model SK500—as one of the keys to the new company’s successful first year. Boring Anything But Boring To Tulsa Telecom & Utilities Cavin Coffelt and Mike Kyles, both twenty-year veterans of the underground construction business, joined forces in 2003, establishing Tulsa Telecom & Utilities, LLC. It was good timing for the two, who specialize in using horizontal directional drilling for the installation of new water, gas, sewer, and telecommunications services. Ground-Penetrating Radar, One of Many Recent Advancements in Utility Location Damage prevention is still not an exact science, but locating strategies, tools and processes are helping to reduce the possibility of damage during utility installations. One of the technologies for identifying and locating utilities is ground-penetrating radar (GPR). XT850 Fills Need in Natchez To work in such areas more efficiently, the city recently placed a new compact machine in service. The Ditch Witch XT850 excavator-tool carrier is only 52 inches wide and 120 inches long, so the machine can access areas that previously required hand labor. Weighing only 3,980 pounds, it can move across landscaped areas and paving without tearing up surfaces. Bland Landscaping Keeps Busy Bland recently added a new machine that combines the benefits of a skid steer loader and mini excavator. The Ditch Witch® XT850 has a digging boom and bucket on one end and tool carrier component on the other. The tool carrier can be equipped with many types of interchangeable attachments, making the machine a multi-purpose product that can excavate and perform multiple special jobs. Tarra River Construction All bores were made with a Ditch Witch JT2020 directional drilling unit that develops 17,000 pounds (76 kN) of thrust and 20,000 pounds (89 kN) of pullback, 1300 foot-pounds (1763 N·m) of torque, and has a maximum spindle speed of 150 rpm. Trencher Maintenance Proper maintenance is essential to keep trencher units operating efficiently. Performing routine maintenance and repairing minor problems as soon as they are identified reduce the chance of breakdowns in the field, and an effective maintenance program extends equipment life and protects the value of equipment. Trencher Safety Today, as it has always been, safety is a personal choice that each person must choose. We make that personal choice every day, even as we drive to work, when we choose whether or not to obey speed limits. Proper operating procedures, like speed limits, are put into place to protect not only the operator, but everyone that may be around from co-workers to bystanders. Winterizing Article Take the time to winterize your equipment this year. A few minutes spent could save you time and money in the months to come. The amount of winter care your equipment needs depends both on the climate and how it is used. Financing HDD Equipment DWFS is a highly competitive finance program intended to give Ditch Witch customers, small to large, the best financial service available in the industry. HDD Altering The Construction Landscape Advances in electronic utility locating equipment are also helping crews avoid damage to existing utilities and provide mapping capabilities for newly installed infrastructure. “Every Ditch Witch Jet Trac® HDD unit comes complete with an integral Ditch Witch-brand electronic tracking and locating system,” adds Levings. Replacement Of Old Pipe Without Extensive Excavation The problem: Replacing a segment of failing sanitary sewer pipe without disturbing other buried utilities in an already-crowded easement or damaging streets, driveways, and other surface improvements above the old pipeline. Right Equipment, Diversity Keeps Texas Contractor Busy U/G Entergy’s business remains strong in the fast-growing area between Galveston and Houston. We are completing the electrical distribution systems for three subdivisions, and averaging installation of 28,000 feet of conduit a month. Heat Can Oil Strikes Again Bartholomew chose the right machines for the territory. The 5110, 8020, and RT95 are among the most productive and dependable trenchers/vibratory plows in their respective categories. Each is designed to install power and communications cable, natural gas, water and sewer distribution lines, and commercial sprinkler and agricultural irrigation systems. SK500 Makes Short Work of Biking, Hiking Trails This tripling of productivity is drawing the attention of numerous city, state, and national park departments, as well as other government agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers. The SK500 figures prominently into this cost-saving formula, and Edwards is eager to show anyone and everyone how. During the first week of May, for example, he conducted a workshop at the 2005 Governor's Conference on Greenways, Blueways and Trails in Richmond, Virginia. Wagner Landscape Gets Beautiful Results with the SK500 Each spring, Wagner offers landscaping demonstrations for his customers. With the SK500, he was able to include do-it-yourself rock placement and waterfall landscaping. Wagner began to see business pick up dramatically as his customers learned how easily they could create their own water features using the tough, versatile SK500 with bucket, auger, and pallet fork attachments. Fastest Drill In The West The cable route passed through both residential and business areas and included four Arizona Department of Highway crossings, 54 crossings of major city streets, four canal crossings, and crossing under four flood control channels. Compact Skid Steer Units Skid steer loaders are standard equipment for general contractors and many specialist contractors, including road and bridge builders, landscaping firms, driveway and sidewalk contractors, demolition contractors, farmers and ranchers, recycling firms, operators of golf courses and outdoor sports complexes, facilities maintenance departments, and city, state, and federal government agencies, including park departments and the military. XT850, 1330 Energize New York Company In 2003, he replaced the used trencher with a new Ditch Witch® 1330 walk-along trencher. When the engine of the loader-backhoe failed in the summer of 2004, Stienstra purchased a new Ditch Witch XT850 excavator-tool carrier, a unique new product that is an excavator on one end, and extending from the other end are twin lift arms for mounting interchangeable attachments for scores of specialized applications. Drilling Down Under The sewer installation was for Sydney Water, and we used the JT4020 with a mud motor and fluid recirculation system. This was a difficult installation due to several factors, beginning with the rock. The route was beside a major arterial road which snaked through a valley, and we had to keep within very narrow tolerances and maintain a negative fall. HDD was used because trenching would have caused major traffic disruptions. Selecting The Right Trencher Trenchless procedures are best suited for jobs where surface improvements, existing underground utilities, and restoration costs make excavation impractical or impossible. But because many utility construction projects continue to be in open country where these factors are not issues, trenching often is the most efficient and cost-effective method of installing underground cable and pipe. Vacuum Excavators What sets vacuum excavators apart from other machines that dig is their “soft” excavation technology, which, depending on make and model, displaces soil using either pressurized water or pressurized air delivered by a hose to a nozzle held by the machine’s operator. As digging progresses, the unit’s vacuum sucks up spoil which can be used to refill the hole later or be transported offsite. Bullseye Boring Mills says its size and capabilities are well suited to the variety of work Bullseye is called on to do. The JT1720 is compact enough to work in small spaces to install service lines, but has the power to pull in several hundred feet of water main pipe or multiple lengths of smaller-diameter conduit. |
