Trenching with a plow

Do you think that it would dig the trench? My uncle, who gave me the plow, used it a couple of times, and doesn't need it. He said that it would dig with no problem if I dug, then laid the dirt over again that was beside the trench, and then dug again. It is a single plow.

I was also advise to refrain from using the draft control. My uncle said that they are easy to break. Any thoughts?

The "secret" to using the plow to dig a trench is to "shorten" the 3-point" top link. Normally, you want the plow share to be "flat & level", in this case you don't. you want the plow to "dig in" by shorting the top link.

You will need to make several passes to dig it 18" deep and that is O.K. Normally, a plow only digs 4-6" deep and turns the slice of dirt on edge. In this case obviously, you want the plow lifting the dirt out of the furrow with the moldboard.

I'm sorry, I would have to respectfully disagree with your uncle and state that I would definately plow in "draft control". Your N-Tractor is designed for that. Place the little handle in the horizontal position for draft control and plow away.

And from just having to dig up my well pressure line to repair a leak. I have NO NICE WORDS for anyone that burys a pipe with out "bedding" it in "sand". The SOB just covered the plastic pipe with boulders, well rocks the size of baseballs, that eventually punctured the plastic pipe. grrrrr!!!!! ..... .Dell

I set the plow up today, and we dug a very nice "experimental" trench at the back of the property next door, that the real estate company is still trying to sell. Hey, why go around trenchin' up my place? (grin)

I shortened the top link as much as possible on this rather large International brand plow, about 4 or 5 passes, and you could almost but a body in the 14 or 16 inch hole. We are going to run heat tape with the pipe, just to be sure. Thanks for the help. Ted/Ga

humm....Everytime I dig a fencepost hole (1) the biggest rock is always at the bottom of the hole, just off to the side and (2) ya' never have enuff dirt left over to fill in the hole after you plant the fencepost.

The ol' farmer, when asked by his city cousin, how he got so many rocks out in his field, he replied "first, ya' plants these lil 'uns and then when they gets all growed up, ya' harvests 'em"..... ...Dell

Now, and this is no joke, he has another, smaller plow that he has had for 10 years. During this time he has insisted that his rather heavy wife, who is really a sweetie, stand on the plow to hold it down, while he turned the garden. I told her about the draft control while we were looking at their tractor. She in turn told me the story about standing on the plow. He came home, she quizzed him about the draft control lever, he in turn relayed the story about how it would break...what else can I say? (grin) - Ted