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  1. #1

    Anyone know how to bore under a walkway quickly/cheaply?

    Hey guys, I have to install between 2 and 4 2" PVC schedule 40 pipes under my walkway in the backyard. Anyone have a good idea on how to accomplish this quickly and cheaply?

    I already dug out on both sides. The walkway is about 36" wide. Cutting into the concrete is a no-go. I was going to try cutting a piece of 2" PVC on a angle, driving it in a ways, twisting it and pulling it out to cleanout the dirt/clay in the section of pipe and reinsert and repeat. If I had only one pipe to run, no biggie. The issue is I have at least 2 and possibly 4 of these bastards to run under the walkway.

    As always, any and all suggestions are appreciated. I know they make some products that are long rods that go in a section of pipe and allow you to drive it through with a sledgehammer, but I don't think I would be able to rent one locally and I would really like to get this done tomorrow so I can fill it all back in before the rains on Friday.

  2. #2
    Post whore
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    Hire a Golfer. Lol

    You might just have to dig bigger holes on each side then get in the holes with a pickaxe and shovel and dig away. It's only 36 inches. You could always go to a True Value and see what tools they have for rent that might do the job faster otherwise you might be digging it out yourself. GL.

  3. #3
    Senior Member..now yer posting!
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    attach a hose to a rod, turn it on full blast and push it through.

    DRIVE A HYBRID MY MUSTANG NEEDS YOUR GAS

  4. #4
    Jack of all Asses Wagonbacker9's Avatar
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    Cut the PVC long, put a hose up the middle of it with some kinda jet nozzle, and just tap tap tap it in. Cut off the excess that you messed up with the sledge. The PVC itself will provide the route for the excess dirt to flush out.
    Last edited by Wagonbacker9; 07-24-2014 at 11:50 AM.
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  5. #5
    I would try a hose/power washer line and bore the hole through with that
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  6. #6
    I can't imagine they don't make some kind of 2-3' auger that you could attach to a drill or something... even maybe a long concrete bit? I'm sure that'd tear through dirt real easy. I wonder if you could couple something like that with a thinwall conduit of the same size to make like a redneck boring machine lol.

    Or you can rent a "portamole" lol love the name.

    http://www.portamole.com/index.html

    The 10' starting trench would be prohibitively long though I think depending on your situation.

    Or something like this:

    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tanaka-3-x...-Case/16821719
    Last edited by animal; 07-24-2014 at 11:59 AM.

  7. #7
    Ol' School -stew-'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LIL EVO View Post
    I would try a hose/power washer line and bore the hole through with that
    Pressure washer will do that easy peasy. Google hydroexcavation.

  8. #8
    Thanks for all the replies guys... Really good stuff here, and I wish I would have looked before starting... Got busy earlier with taking someone to get a catscan done, then a few business calls and was already "late" after lunch so I just got a 2" iron pipe that was 60" long, cut off one end with a chop-saw at a 60 degree angle, filed it to get rid of the burrs and make sure it was razor sharp and used a 12lb sledge to pound it all the way through...

    It sucked MAJOR BALLS!!!

    I did three 2" lines... This is for a pool application so I have a suction line a return line and a spare for either water features or separate pressure/suction cleaner.

    Going in they were all hilter-kilter in regards to spacing left-right (they were all at the exact same level at least), but they all came out within 1/8" of one another in spacing, so they look perfect going up to the equipment pad (which is right behind the garage)...

    I used purple primer and the high-strength PVC cement and put in some threaded fittings where the risers are. I used street elbows going up so flow should be much better than using hard 90s. I am hoping I can get away with using gradual 90s going into the equipment as well to maximize flow, but I am thinking I am be stuck using hard 90s in a few cases.

    Today sucked, but at least all the kids but the littlest one got a workout helping out. I will say my oldest is busting his hump not only digging, but filling back in and hammering away with the 12lb sledgehammer. I was hoping it was going to be big enough and after swinging that biotch a few dozen times you fricken feel it!

    Now all that is left is to trench 65 feet away... YAY! More fun! NOT!!!

    At least my 18 yards of 1/4" traffic-bond is finally going to be delivered tomorrow... All of the damn rain we have been having has made it near impossible to bring quads into the backyard before this...

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