# Inside Basement hydraulic pipe pushing



## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

Here is a link to Roddie, they have come up with a neat little hydraulic Pusher/Drill unit.
http://roddieunderground.com/basement-buddy/#prettyPhoto

This is like a mini directional drill unit that can be taken inside or used outside. What makes it different is the fact that it turns like a drill and pushes. It is 6k pounds thrust and pull, while that is not a lot of pounds it's the fact that it also drills so it does not need 10k psi like other types. The stake down system looks a little weak for the ground I usually encounter but I think a better system could be used on a as needed basis.

Here is the newer power mole system called the PD-2 which is very light but has a similar stake down system.
http://powrmole.com/directional-trust-boring-pd2.html
It has 10 k psi but the only way you can steer it is manually with a pipe wrench on the rods and use a sonde in the head.
Both these systems are small so I will be picking one up in the future as of right now I haul the pd-4 inside on occasion for water lines.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

That Roddie HDD is on my list for sure. Going to be getting a close look at the WETT Show.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

I noticed they have a 6" bursting head that you can buy 8" shells to enlarge it for doing 8". Just need to get bulldozer to buy it and tell me how he likes it lol


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Cuda said:


> I noticed they have a 6" bursting head that you can buy 8" shells to enlarge it for doing 8". Just need to get bulldozer to buy it and tell me how he likes it lol



Buy it? Hell, he's probably already built one. :laughing:


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## bulldozer (Jan 11, 2009)

Lol. Were guys in my shop again? We have the roddie unit. We aquired it through a work trade. It was brand new when we got it. Heres the story on it. Hands down the best machine we have ever aquired. There is a definite learning curve. Cuda is right. The anchor system is a little weak. But you are drilling not pushing. Heres the beauty of this rig.
1. You can carry it in the back of a vw bug
2. You can shoot out of the basement on grade on target.
3. You can install a water service while leaving the old one active
4. If you have bursting equipment you can drill out pull your chain or cable through then pipe burst a new line.
5. Roddie is one of us. He is a contractor and is hands down one of the most intriguing fabricators I ever met. He is humble and will help you with anything you can dream up!
We drilled a 250 ft. Waterline on grade with out a hitch. But in fairness I love power mole to. They are a good solid machine and I wish they get more coverage they deserve in the trenchless industry.


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## bulldozer (Jan 11, 2009)

And I hope to meet both of you at the show!


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## bulldozer (Jan 11, 2009)

Cuda. You are welcome to borrow our 8" expander head anytime you want. It works pretty well. What you need to check out is jay's from Utah pipe burstings double bursting head. That thing is sweet!


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## saysflushable (Jun 15, 2009)

You guys have some cool stuff. to think my most advance piece of underground repair equipment is a shovel. oh how sad


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## Pipeshark (Oct 24, 2011)

I know I'm late to this conversation but I just wanted to add my experience with the Roddie mini directional drill (the Basement Buddy). We recently put one into service. Our first jobs were all to be done from outside excavations. Rod Herrick (the inventor/manufacturer) told us that it was designed to be carried in the basement and bolted to a floor. For that he felt the stake down system was adequate. He said he's been surprised at how many people want to use it outside and said he's now creating a better stake down system for that. 

We've only used it a few times and are getting better at using the guidance system and anticipating where we want to make directional changes. One of the applications we used it on was at a horse stable where we were relocating a well tank into the building and re-routing water lines. We didn't want to create any disturbance to the residents (horses). We dug holes outside on either end of the building (about 120' apart) and drilled from one to the other, going under horse stalls and the heated tack room in the process. We then used our pipe bursting equipment to pull back 4" HDPE pipe. Where the well tank was to be placed in the tack room, we cut the floor and dug down to the 4" pipe. We used the 4" pipe as a conduit for a 1" line to the well to the tank, a 1" water supply out from the tank to water stations and hydrants, and a conduit for the electric. So in the end the lines all ran under a row of stalls and the only time the horses were moved out was when we were drilling and we wanted to track the drill head's progress under the stalls with the receiver. 

We ran another line about 250' out to a pasture and installed an anti-freeze horse waterer. We did it in two shots since we didn't have enough rod to do it in one. That was through some type of sand stone. The owner told us he had used a jackhammer to dig the post holes for the fence. Because of how hard the ground was, we felt that we couldn't pull anything back larger than the hole we drilled. Although we really only needed 1", we pulled back a 2" pipe. That way if there ever is a problem with the piping, a 1" line could just be pushed through the existing one. 

It was pretty cool to be able to do the job. Like everything, there is a learning curve and we found Rod and his team to be a great guide through the process. The Basement Buddy on its own is great and I can see a lot of uses for it. The Basement Buddy coupled with pipe bursting equipment creates a huge amount of options for solving problems with minimal disturbance. We still have to get our confidence up by working with it more before we sell a lot of jobs. But it sure beats our old pneumatic mole or water drill. 

The equipment is great and when you have a question it's nice to talk to the guy who invented it, manufactured it, and uses it.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

pneumatic moles = point and pray lol, I very rarely even break out the air moles anymore. The Digitrak system is the Cadillac of systems we started using the Ditch Witch subsite system which worked but we had no idea what a real system was like until we got the digitrack f-2 to use with our directional drill. But man you pay for it though we just bought 2 sondes at $3500 each I keep them next to my bed at night lol


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Pipeshark,

Thanks for stopping in to share some of your experience with the Basement Buddy. I can't wait to get a closer look at the WWETT Show.

An intro is requested from all new members. In case you missed it, here is the link. http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/. 

Your business and trenchless experience will be greatly appreciated here. 

We look forward to your valuable input.


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## MAT (Dec 31, 2014)

We use the Roddie R2 pipe bursting system and Basement Buddy several times a week and have found it to be a great addition to our toolbox. Because we are able to drill from inside the house or a pit we are confident that we can solve our customers underground drain and water line problems without destroying landscaping or hardscape. We use the DCI F2 locating system and can drill sewer lines on grade to within 1/10th of a percent. Because it's light and simple to use our guys get the jobs done in less time and effort. For the residential and light commercial water line and sewer installation or replacement this is by far the best equipment on the market today.


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## bulldozer (Jan 11, 2009)

saysflushable said:


> You guys have some cool stuff. to think my most advance piece of underground repair equipment is a shovel. oh how sad


To this day my shovel is st ill my number one tool. "T this is my shovel, their are many like it but this one is mine. Without my Shovel I am worthless, without me my shovel is worthless" all these trenchless toys are nice but it still takes grit, sweat, and sleepless nights to make them go. I Havent met one person who has mastered the trade. Everyday is a learning experience and another chapter in the book.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

No offense but glowing perfect testimonials from people who have never posted before that don't have history on the forum never carry much weight with me. Because all the trenchless techniques have the pluses and flaws. Directional boring has it's problems, usually the bore is over done so that an easy pull can be done, I realize just using a unit to create a bore hole then using a pipe burster to pull in the final product is different, we do it all the time with a power mole pd-4 but we don't have to switch machines as it can be used as the burster as well.
But also directional drilling uses drilling fluids or at the very least water during the boring process and they can make a mess that we have to vac out. Adding a vac is adding another machine that needs to be on site and then the debris disposed of.
Knowing when to correct the drill string and not over correcting it take practice, drill steel can be costly when bent or worse lost.


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## bulldozer (Jan 11, 2009)

Cuda. I would normally be there right with you. But I actually know both of these posters personally. Pipe shark probably has more experience in trenchless then me and you together. He was and is my business mentor in trenchless. I'm actually doing a bursting job with him in New Jersey on Monday. And Mat is also a trenchless operator I have come to know over the last few years. I realize a proper intro is required but I will assure you that both of these guys are legit. Sometimes when posters get on the plumbing zone it can be a little confusing as it was for me when I first joined. I realize it looks like a sales pitch for rod die equipment but I will say for a fact what they say is true. Roddie is also a trenchless operator who built his own equipment over the years. He is not tric, or hammerhead, or any other heavily marketed brand like we're used to. he is an innovator in our industry and his guys actually uses the equipment he designs. I will personally verbally spank these culprits next Monday after we get some pipe in the ground!


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

Right on! It just felt for a second there like someone knew I was born at night ...but it wasn't last night.


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## bulldozer (Jan 11, 2009)

I here you loud and clear! I would have thought the same thing. And you are spot on about directional drilling. But this system is a little different. What these guys are saying is 100 percent true. By the way I'm in the race for the spray on liner. I'm talking or I should say trying to talk with a company that is doing the spray on liners in Sweden. They are doing strictly residential spray on liners and its been interesting the pros and cons with it. I'm not ready to pull the trigger but these guys are close to being on to something big. I will keep you posted if momma gives me my allowance to make the trip over there to see it in person. Hopefully someday I can make it out to your way to play with some of your toys!


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