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Dandai

Lesco Brandon
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it's tiny roots like 12 guage wire and just as fucking strong.

sawzall sounds like a good idea when i dig the trench to the new sprinkler head/line that used to be a tree, i'm guess theres tons of old roots there. it's not safe to just stick a sawzall in the ground is it? time to buy another ryobi tool, god!
Generally speaking, no, it’s not a good idea to blindly cut into the ground with a sawzall. However, there *shouldn't* be anything within 36” of the surface. Cable companies are typically the worst offenders for having shallow wires, but plumbing and electrical is all but guaranteed to not be too shallow.

What I do is dig an appropriate distance away from the offending roots, start from the outside and work towards the middle, then wash the roots with a garden hose. For the size you’re talking about, just a foot diameter would be enough. If you know you’re no where near service lines, don’t bother with all that and blindly hack away. Get a short Torch brand sawzall blade. They make quick work of pretty much everything. For bigger roots use an Ax blade from Milwaukee.
 

Captain Suave

Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.
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plumbing and electrical is all but guaranteed to not be too shallow.

Assuming they were done to code. I've got exposed wire in my back yard where a previous owner installed an off-the-books lighting system. He ran the wire MAYBE two inches underground and I didn't even know it was there until it was exposed when the grass died last summer and then rain washed away a bit of soil.
 
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Erronius

Macho Ma'am
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The depth of electrical depends on what it is. Stuff like low voltage lighting or communication can be fairly shallow (6", less under certain conditions). Depends on conduit, not in conduit, certain types of cable like UF, under driveways or roads, under concrete pads, etc etc etc. We always did 'large' stuff 24" or deeper just to be safe.

But of course you'll always find stuff not done to code often enough to expect stuff just under the surface.
 

Aychamo BanBan

<Banned>
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Hey guys, I'm having my "outside ceiling" repainted, and I have these light cans installed that are older, and the trim ring and spring has rusted out and fallen off, long gone. What can I do about this? Should I just get new total cans?
 

lurkingdirk

AssHat Taint
<Medals Crew>
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You can gen replacement rings in just about every size and colour. No need to replace the whole can if they're solid and still working as desired. Google can light trim rings and options a plenty will show up.
 
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Lanx

Oye Ve
<Prior Amod>
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Dandai

Lesco Brandon
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Almost done. Going back and cleaning up the stubborn spots and trim around the windows.

A261D606-31DA-42BB-959E-1DF63E15D186.jpeg
 

lurker

Vyemm Raider
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Will those kinds of lights fit in the cans that are designed for the light trim with the two springs?
If those don't, there are others that will. Some come with both mounting methods. Worst case scenario is you use a couple dabs, not a lot, of adhesive like liquid nails or even clear silicon and glue them up. They're very light and since they're LEDs, they will last a long time.
 

Lanx

Oye Ve
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ok, so digging up a 20ft trench i haven't even gone deep, where a tree used to be, is proving pretty annoying. if my hoe doesn't get stuck cuz of tiny roots, it hits huge roots like with a bang. so far i got the outline dug ("L" shape, i was grabbing the sprinkler from a zone with not many nozzles, i had a straight line available but that would be grabbing from my entire backyard zone with hella nozzles, it's the same length anyway).

Now i gotta dig deep, any advice? i'm just gonna soak it with water (tomorrow) and use a hoe and shovel.
 

Animale

Trakanon Raider
66
29
ok, so digging up a 20ft trench i haven't even gone deep, where a tree used to be, is proving pretty annoying. if my hoe doesn't get stuck cuz of tiny roots, it hits huge roots like with a bang. so far i got the outline dug ("L" shape, i was grabbing the sprinkler from a zone with not many nozzles, i had a straight line available but that would be grabbing from my entire backyard zone with hella nozzles, it's the same length anyway).

Now i gotta dig deep, any advice? i'm just gonna soak it with water (tomorrow) and use a hoe and shovel.
Get yourself a digging bar. Helps immensely.
 

Dandai

Lesco Brandon
<Gold Donor>
5,894
4,443
ok, so digging up a 20ft trench i haven't even gone deep, where a tree used to be, is proving pretty annoying. if my hoe doesn't get stuck cuz of tiny roots, it hits huge roots like with a bang. so far i got the outline dug ("L" shape, i was grabbing the sprinkler from a zone with not many nozzles, i had a straight line available but that would be grabbing from my entire backyard zone with hella nozzles, it's the same length anyway).

Now i gotta dig deep, any advice? i'm just gonna soak it with water (tomorrow) and use a hoe and shovel.
What kind of budget are you working with? A trenching machine will make quick work of it, but probably not big roots.

A digging bar is good for soil with rocks and gravel. A pickaxe is good in general, but it’s not something you should use casually.
 

Lanx

Oye Ve
<Prior Amod>
60,060
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What kind of budget are you working with? A trenching machine will make quick work of it, but probably not big roots.

A digging bar is good for soil with rocks and gravel. A pickaxe is good in general, but it’s not something you should use casually.
it's just 20ft for one sprinkler head, so i doubt i'll be renting any type of machine. that digging bar on youtube just has videos of ppl breaking apart rock, i don't know how i'd use it for a trench really, i'll probably pick up a pick axe to cut the roots.

guess i'll see what happens w/ soil and water, it was just a little bit damp today cuz of sprinklers, i'll drench it tomorrow. (also tomorrow i get my pipe cutter from amazon)
 

Dandai

Lesco Brandon
<Gold Donor>
5,894
4,443
it's just 20ft for one sprinkler head, so i doubt i'll be renting any type of machine. that digging bar on youtube just has videos of ppl breaking apart rock, i don't know how i'd use it for a trench really, i'll probably pick up a pick axe to cut the roots.

guess i'll see what happens w/ soil and water, it was just a little bit damp today cuz of sprinklers, i'll drench it tomorrow. (also tomorrow i get my pipe cutter from amazon)
Digging bar basically fractures super compacted soils that are all but impossible to dig with a shovel. If you’re not having any trouble with a shovel, a digging bar won’t make it any easier.
 

Captain Suave

Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.
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ok, so digging up a 20ft trench i haven't even gone deep, where a tree used to be, is proving pretty annoying.

This is why people don't dig holes for a living unless they have to. I tried this once, only to discover that the soil in my back yard was full of rocks.

Grab a couple day laborers at your local home depot and have a beer while you watch them work for an afternoon, IMO. I'm sure you've got more important ways you could waste your time and/or throw out your back.
 

Lanx

Oye Ve
<Prior Amod>
60,060
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This is why people don't dig holes for a living unless they have to. I tried this once, only to discover that the soil in my back yard was full of rocks.

Grab a couple day laborers at your local home depot and have a beer while you watch them work for an afternoon, IMO. I'm sure you've got more important ways you could waste your time and/or throw out your back.
topeka is rather day laborer free, haven't seen any hangout at the hd or lowes.