Air Spade

[Lumberjack]

Well, I am getting into landscaping and need an airspade.

Is it worth the 2 grand, or can I make something that will do nearly as good?

I am caught in my beliefs, I know I get what I pay for, but I dont see where the money is going in the air spade.

Any ideas? This is going to happen this week (tomorrow or wed 95% sure) so what do yall think?

Help :angel:

 

[MasterBlaster]

Think wisely!

 

[Lumberjack]

Got any wisdom on the subject Butch?

Thanks for the cross over, more traffic=more answers=more debate=better results.

 

[begleytree]

I started my company 5 years ago, doing tree care and landscaping. Have yet to ever need an air spade on a landscape job. I could see it on a tree root job.
I'd save my money personally, but if you need it, you need it.
-Ralph

 

[Dadatwins]

Besides the air spade you need the compressor to run it. You will also need a lot of hose to move around. Have a a large diesel tow behind compressor that we use to run the thing. THe city uses it to clear roots for sidewalk replacement inspection when needed. Whole thing is significant investment. Guess you could build something similiar with some pipe and shut off valve, make up some pipe nipples for different size ends. Kit is nice because it all fits in the box but it is $$$$. If you plan on using it enough, might be worth the $$$.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

If you do a search, you'll find a couple threads where I include pictures of a home made air cannon. It costs $35.

 

[Lumberjack]

Here it is. I will use it and then figure out where I want the handles to be. I gotta paint that piece behind the valve, forgot to earlier.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Get some pipe insulation for your hands, you'll want to grab the pipe and it gets hot from the friction of airflow, and a funnel to use as a "blast shield" just above the tip.

 

[Lumberjack]

Didnt consider the friction of the air JPS, but I guess I can see how it could be an issue.

The blast sheild, I had considered that, but was gonna see what it would actually do first. I will put one one.

 

[Lumberjack]

I got a respirator yesterday, havent considered the heat factor. I have a 45* for the air if its needed. I think an elbow would be too much assuming an elbow is 90*.


Right now the tips are nipples in reducers. Pipe to hose?

 

[Lumberjack]

Oh, yeah I knew that, I am hoping to get a pipe to crow foot adapter thingy. Basically a crows foot on one end and threads on the other.

They make those?

 

[Lumberjack]

Its kinda like a glad hand, used to connect 2 hoses together from the air compressor to the tool. Its whats on the little peice of hose, the hose on the compressor has a matching one and they twist together.

I went to the rental comany (RSC), and asked if they sold the crows feet. the said they didnt, and then one retard went to the back and gave me one. Kinda funny to me.

They call them crows feet, I am unsure of the real name. Gladhands connect the air to the trailer on a tractor trailer rig (18 wheeler).

 

[Husky288XP]

Carl,

Do you even know how to do a Root Collar Excavation, Radial Trenching, or Root Invigoration?

These practices are what an Air Spade is intended for, not just blowing around dirt.

 

[Lumberjack]

Yes.

You are wrong about the intended purpose.

Copied from www.airspade.com:

"The AIR-SPADE® Series 2000 is a very rugged and durable handheld tool that produces a stream of supersonic air moving at mach 2. The AIR-SPADE® effectively penetrates and dislodges most types of soil, but is harmless to non-porous objects such as plant roots and buried pipes or cables. In addition, the AIR-SPADE® has been proven to dig up to 50% faster than other air excavation equipment"

"...penetrates and dislodges most types of soil, but is harmless to non porous objects such as plant roots and buried pipes or cables..."

Seems to me its for removing dirt using a less invasive method than say shovels or heavy equipment.

Another listed use is locating underground utilities.

Do you even know what your talking about??

 

[Husky288XP]

Well Carl,

If you know what a Root Collar Excavation is, then explain it to me.

I would love to hear about it.

 

[Lumberjack]

I will explain it after you say what I have done to offend you or make you constantly after me, otherwise, I am going to take the advice of others and ignore you.


The excavation is really a simple concept.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Well Carl,

If you know what a Root Collar Excavation is, then explain it to me.

I would love to hear about it.

That's where you expose the root flare and examine it for problems, like planting depth, Stem Girdling Roots, and root rot.
If it's a planted tree, most likely it's too deep. You can use the air spade to dish out the soil, then cut away SGRs.

 

[Lumberjack]

It would be worth it to know if I pissed in his cereal sometime in the past, oh well, free info!

Mike covered what I was going to say almost to a T! Kinda scary! I was also gonna mention the same basic thing being done in Cali for Armillaria in grape vineyards.

http://www.practicalwinery.com/marapr00/oakrootfungus.htm

 

[Ax-man]

Learn something new everyday here. I thought a crow's foot only applied to a right angle wrench that is used with a rachet and an extension.

Larry

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Crow's foot.
That little set of wrinkles you spot on a women's face, just outside her eyes. It reminds you how fun she is, how many times shes smiled during her life, her appreciation of humor. It reminds you of the love she must make, the laughter, the fun.
Wait a minute, what was the question?