Today we are playing an expanded version of sardines in the backyard. We are trying to see how many large powerful machines will fit in a small area in addition to the trailers and borrowed tractor. So far we have an additional orange tractor, a strange underground drilling apparatus, and a big truck with tanks of fluid. And its my job to supervise the proceedings…
Fortunately, we had found Charles Parks, owner/operator of Accurbore, when we were looking for options for placing our electrical service underground. He told us that the thing could be done by boring instead of digging a 5 foot trench for 95 feet. This meant much less destruction to the landscape and much faster progress. He had the knowledge and contacts to get it done for a price we judged reasonable.
Everything began with forming a hole some feet out from the power pole, opposite of where the conduit needed to be placed. This hole was filled with a slurry that would both lubricate and cool the boring rod. Boring was begun at this point, so that it would be far enough underground when it got to the point where the conduit would start.
It was strange to walk along the ground over the area where the boring rod was working. I had a brief sensation of the ground caving in. When I mentioned it out loud and laughed nervously, I was told that only happens with a different type of boring process, which has been known to rip peoples legs off… Just the same, I tended to steer clear of being directly above the forming tunnel.
One man operated the machine, while the other operated a $20,000 mobile device which digitally communicated with the machine. He walked ahead, noting where the tip of the boring rod was, but also sending signals so that the aim could be maintained. This was all happening through about 6 feet of dirt and rocks.
When the boring rod had passed under the location where there would be digging for the swimming pool, the men began to aim it upward so that it came up exactly in the hole cut out of the concrete patio attached to the house. At that point, a gargantuan clip was used to secure the conduit to the boring rod and it was pulled to be placed in the tunnel.
This job is small compared to others they told me about. They had recently worked on boring to successfully run utility connections under a freeway. But the most impressive job they mentioned was the company boring under the Snake River to place a gas line! Absolutely amazing stuff!
The project is now ready for our electrician and Idaho Power to work together placing and connecting the wires. About a 6 foot trench did have to be dug right next to the power pole for the power company to do their work. So, we have a lot of holes in our yard right now. Dear hubby says it looks like a bombing range.
Wow, so the wires are going to be buried under the swimming pool? That’s deeper than I had imagined! The way they do this is fascinating!
Yes, encased in the thick pipe. It ended up being deeper than I thought it would, but, if I understand correctly, it was easier to drill/bore at that level because it was under the hard pan (which would have to have been dug through the whole way if it was trenched).