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A Trencher is a piece of construction equipment that uses a cutting wheel for digging trenches, laying pipe, cable, or drainage. The first video above is the 6′ diameter trencher from 2013, and the second video is an earlier, 3′ diameter version from 2012.
The Trencher Prototype 2 (v13.10) will be tested by digging water lines for 1″ tubing to the Microhouse in the spring of 2014. We are currently upgrading LifeTrac Prototype 6 (v13.8) curl cylinders to handle larger weight capacity, such as the trencher. We have seen indication that the trencher can bog down in heavy trenching, even when it currently has two 15,000 in-lb hydraulic motors providing direct drive. If that is the case, we may use a Geardown module. The spooling mechanism will be tested during this time. Some other improvements include skids that prevent the universal rotor units from burying into the ground. We have already tested both directions of spin on the trencher, and the direction that assists with forward tractor motion appears to work better, as the tractor can move forward more easily.
