Airspade or other suitable tool?

[Island Lescure]

Hi

Just trying to get info on how good airspades are at digging. Here in India, the ground is super hard when it hasn't rained (most of the time) so I am wondering how effective it would be at digging trenches around tree roots for cabling or when wanting to transplant.

 

Also I have read that it is quite messy. Is there anything else one could use such as a monster vacuum cleaner to do this sort of stuff?

 

Any thoughts appreciated!

 

Cheers,

 

Island

[matelot]

I've seen air spades used for exposing utilities. It seems a reasonably fast process.

 

Could you soak the area before digging?

 

If you google "vacuum excavation" you will see machines that suck up the spoil.

 

It's probably worthwhile having a look on YouTube.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Excavator vacuum!

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suction_excavator

[tree79]

Excavator vacuum!

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suction_excavator

 

 

 

Hi

I have seen utility companies using vacuum excavators around trees, they seem to do a lot of damage

-the vacuum was to powerful, sucking out all the small fibrous roots, damaging roots due to the way the large suction pipe was pushed in the hole, in fact only large roots, 40mm up where left.

-also due to the size of machine, it damaged low branches and the weight compacted the verge around tree.

 

I stopped them working due to the damage. I be only seen the ones used by utility companies so not sure If you can smaller machines.

[Island Lescure]

Thanks for the info!

 

Yes I can and will have to soak areas to dig.

[Dave177]

It really depends on what soil type it is where you are, light sandy soils are no problems heavy clays are a real issue.

[Island Lescure]

It is sandy clay mostly. Soil sticks to digging bars and other tools.