In early 2006, several customers came to us, at Ditch Witch in California, asking us to find a solution to cut a 3/4" wide trench in asphalt to place a small fiber conduit 6 to 9 inches deep. We investigated our options, and looked at everything from plunge cut stone cutters to traditional diamond saws. With little available, and no real demand, we shelved the project. Again, in 2007 other customers came to us, again, asking for a solution, so we began an initial process to search out answers that we could provide, using Ditch Witch equipment. In March 2008, after more customers continued coming to us, we started to build and test, various products, from the Ditch Witch Zahn 4WD units, to the Ditch Witch Compact Utility SK650 with front mounted narrow saws. As we continued to test, we decide to chase the solution with more horsepower and started to test traditional type saws and diamond blade attachments on the Ditch Witch 420SX frame and then the Ditch Witch RT40 rubber tired tractor, pulling the cut, rather than pushing the cut, (like traditional diamond saws). Initial tests proved we were on the right path, but had a long way to go.
In late summer 2008, we started to make more progress, with Custom Products at the Ditch Witch factory, building "miniaturized" version of saw attachments to fit our needs. We tested these with limited success on a few jobsites, where micro-trenching was being employed, but where the contractors were still using the 40 to 80 horsepower diamond saw, with many limitations. By January 2009, we jumped up in horsepower on the tractors and added an FX60 vacuum to the equation, and we started to make better progress. A few months later, Quanta Services saw what we had been developing, bought in that micro-trenching was a tool for the industry, and joined forces with the Ditch Witch factory in the development of a "better way" for Micro-Trenching, as well to also test market units. Throughout 2009, we continued our trial and error in California, building various iterations ourselves locally of units, to continue the development. When the Ditch Witch factory introduced a "quick change" blade, and designed a few new style blades, things began to take off. Today, we believe, unquestionably, we have developed the answers for the Micro-Trenching projects that are continuing to unfold in the US, and especially California. We believe we have a product, with a 55HP Class tractor, coupled with a vacuum with high CFM, where we can trench, provide a clean cut, clean trench and quickly change a "rebuild-able" blade on the jobsite, for lower dollars in cost than ever before. Below are just a few slide shows of the recent test and developments.
Look for more to come from Ditch Witch, both our dealerships in California and Ditch Witch worldwide, in the coming months that will continue to solve the riddle of how to effectively, efficiently, productively and profitably "micro-trench".
Google hold Micro-Trenching Competition
Micro-Trenching with Praxis Associates in the Bay Area
Grout King makes a mixer available for Micro-Trenching
