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When it comes to trenching alternatives, there are 18-hp walk-behind (pedestrian) units that can dig a 4-ft.-deep by 6-in.-wide trench, and there are 120-hp ride-on units that can accomplish the same task. So which should you choose for your current job?

If you select a machine that’s too small, you will sacrifice efficiency and could, in all likelihood, extend time on the jobsite beyond what is necessary. “Plus, it’s harder on the user and the machine,” says Tim Phelps, product manager, Barreto Mfg. “For example, if you’re in rocks, the machine will want to hop around more. It’s harder on the user because he has to do more of the work vs. the machine doing the job. Those vibrations are also hard on the machine.”

Yet, if you choose a trencher that’s oversized for the task, you could end up spending too much. “It’s not a one size fits all market,” says Greg Adkins, trench product manager, the Ditch Witch organization. “There are a variety of horsepower ranges and boom and chain options. It would be great if one worked for everyone, but Mother Nature doesn’t work that way. We’ve had to come up with a number of ways to defeat her.”

Evaluate ground conditions

When sizing a trencher, first evaluate the specifics of the job, i.e., how deep, how wide and how far the trench needs to be. That will easily narrow the field to a short list of a few models.

Next, evaluate ground conditions. “Learning about ground conditions is very important,” says Bob Wren, Astec Underground. “It’s probably more important than anything.”