I have been digging trenches for years and never thought of this - I always use a shovel and cut both sides of the trench with the shovel instead of using the Sawzall - good video! Neat idea!

Blown away by how straight he made the trench without a guiding line.

My wife and I just dug a 50’ trench by hand. At 73 I like you sawzall trick better.

If you cut a "V" it's much easier... Basically run each pass at a 60 degree angle or so. Because the blade passes cross over each other, you can completely lift out big sections at a time and then just set them back in place after you've run your line.

It’s always good to have helpers! Woof.

I just watched a guy trench with a sawzall and was impressed how well it worked.

Every working man finds a way to get a job done on the cheap and the results are proof, great simple way to get it done.

Great idea. I blow my above ground lines out with air for the winter. Been working for 30 years so far 👍👍❤...

Harbor freight blade and sawzall, an unbeatable combo I’ve used on roots but never thought of this!! Next time. Thanks for the tip.

Great idea. As I watched a light bulb came on. I frequently divide perennials, grasses and shrubs using a machete and serrated knife. This will be perfect. Thank you for sharing.

Nice video. I have used various trenching machines, including track hoes - but I have also used a Sawzall. You will find if you saw a "V" instead of two lines straight down, you won't need the pitchfork for removing the sod - you can use your hands. You also may not need to remove any dirt since you can place the pipe in the bottom of the V and replace the grass.

Back in the early 90’s I used to trench lawns from the satellite dishes I installed to the house with a chainsaw, did hundreds of them that way and it worked wonderfully

I'm glad to see those pups keeping an eye on things, making sure you're OK

Yeah yeah sawzall trenching. Awesome. That’s one of the coolest looking dogs I’ve ever seen! I like the ears! Good video by the way! 👍

I used this method a few months ago to cut through roots when getting ready to frame and pour a slab. It made digging out the area so much easier

A sawzaw pruning blade is on the way to my house from Amazon as I type! What a simple and great idea. I'm digging a VERY small french drain to get rid of my A/C drip water (South Florida humidity puts out a lot of water). I don't need to go deep or far, so this is perfect. But digging in my yard with a spade or shovel is a constant fight against thick roots, which this will cut right through. I also think this will help when I repair my dead-for-5-years sprinkler system next month as well, allowing me to trench out the sections of line that are broken to repair them. The only thing that MAY have made your job a little easier would've been to snap a chalk line before you started digging so you wouldn't have to keep checking your direction, but your trench was straight without it, so apparently it wasn't necessary for you. I'd need a line it or it would be a curvy mess, LOL! Thanks for the video!

Great idea using the saws all! I’ve used a compressor to blow air through the pipe in the fall and clear it of water before any freezing temps. Works well in case there are any low spots in the pipe.

I did exactly this but with a lawn edger. Same result, but less stress on the back.

Son. Of. A. Biscuit. This is absolutely brilliant. 🤩

Good idea my lawn contractor will use this idea in my yard, but he does not have any dogs supervising the job. Thanks

Dogs are like "Are we gonna get to chase something out of that ditch?"

From many seasons of professional landscaping, I would just use my D-handel spade. Make the vertical cuts, then cut the sod's roots horizontally along the length of the trench scooping out long pieces. I'v don this many many times, put your sod pieces and dirt on tarps or plywood ect, replace it all carefully, rake it over so you hide the cut lines and the (hopefully) little bit of dirt that is on the grass, water it. Most people will never know something was done.

Not bad at all. No paint line but straight cut. Job well done.

Love the dog.🐕

I've used a Diablo carbide tipped pruning blade to cut roots underground with no ill effects to the blade. Hours and hours of using it that way and, other than the paint worn off, the blade was good as new.

I used to install irrigation systems. The hose clamps that you screw down are not the correct ones. The ones made for it you just squeeze them with nippers. They are single-use but they are much cheaper and they're very reliable being buried and they're easy to remove when you need to. They sell bags of them pretty much anywhere that you can get the fittings. If you need to do a lot of that poly pipe you can rent a machine called a cable plow and it will put them underground and you don't have to put dirt back on it puts the sod back in place and everything you just walk on it and then put some water on it to keep the grass from dying. Hit the end of the poly pipe with a propane torch for a few seconds and it makes it easy to slide the fitting on. The cable plow also has an attachment that will allow you to run pipe under a sidewalk, and I think we even did some under driveways. I think the one we used was a Ditch Witch. It's been years since I did it and honestly I don't miss it. In the fall you hook an air compressor up and blow the water out so they don't freeze. They normally use a gigantic tow-behind air compressor but you can use something smaller if you let it build back up and blow it several times.

I do something similar, but I use a 2x6 and cut on both sides.

thanks for a super cool idea! also I loved how curious your puppers were! so cute!

Those sawzalls are great; I use one specifically to dig up stumps with the same blade!

Used a the saw before for cutting a trench, but as noted, always sprayed the lines before, since walking backward using a saw in the ground makes for a crooked trench.

Come do that in TX, where our ground hasn’t seen rain in over 2 months😂

I would lay a board the width of the desired trench and just cut next to each side for a convenient, easy to follow guide line. Thanks for the idea!

I am putting in a french drain this spring, im gonna use this method for taking off the sod. That is creative way of doing it.

Texas gramma here. Loving the music, an the 2step at the end. Nice to the point video. I think I can do this. Pups are a big help also.

Bravo young man………..Thank you for this demonstration, helps me a lot

I am amazed how you cut a straight line while walking backwards! I'm going to try this but I will need to spray paint a straight line first on the grass.

Thank you for this idea. Much cleaner than other options.

10/10 for the creativity! Too many rocks where I live to do that.

Fun to watch. Especially your dogs!

Only difference, I'd cut in a "V" and just lift out by the grass w my hand. Great idea!

i have done this many times on the sod grass we have around the townhouse complex,works great also I use it when removing some small unwanted trees to cut the roots then rock the tree loose and out of the hole

Just came across your video. A trencher around here cost $300 a day, so your great idea is it. Thank You

That black dog was....." Hmmm, this Hooman b crazy! No chalk line, no string....wait a minute, If I dug up the yard the Hoomans b mad at me. Yet this hooman tearing up the yard!!!"

Thanks for your video. I used mine around my above ground pool. I needed to cut tree roots growing under the liner.

Great idea! The video was well made too; liked the fast forward and comic relief clips.

Such a brilliant use of a versatile tool. Thanks.

Dang ... That's a great idea. Good job. 👍 I'm going to do the same for my irrigation set up.

Nice. I'm putting in a 48x16 detached deck with a gravel filled retaining wall. I'm gonna go with a bigbox bed edger for $40 1/2 day because I'm lazy, but this was an excellent solution for shorter runs.

Very cool idea to use the sawzall!

Simply brilliant and effective! Well done

Love this! Great job. Gives me courage to tackle some tree roots sticking up too high in my backyard with a sawzall. Thank you.

I used an old circular saw to do the cuts on mine, but your use of the pitch fork instead of digging looks a treat! Thankyou !

So thrilled with this, thank you. I have runaway raspberries and this will be brilliant for cutting the roots and getting them out of the ground, as well as burying some hoses that I have been moving for mowing.

It's hard to beat the utility of a recip saw. I like it. Simple solution to the problem

I have always used a singlr-bottom plow for trenching. Now that I don't have acreage I'll have to keep this method in mind.

OK, this is amazing. I'm about to trench a short path between some stuff where I want to get rainwater from the collection up by my house to a more usable area, and also run power to that area. This will work well for both, although I might have to make the electrical a bit deeper, it is a great way to remove the sod!

Interesting…. I might give that a try for my next short trench. Thanks!

That looks surprisingly effective.

Very good demo. Just so you know, that’s a garden fork. A pitchfork has round, thin tines with a long handle and is used to move (pitch) hay or straw or other stuff…cow chips!

A great tip for short runs!

Great video. I'll use this fall to run a couple additional irrigation circuits. Looks like a sharp shooter shovel would pop this stuff right out.

I've been contemplating doing this exact thing, but thought I was being crazy! So glad to see it's not just me. :D And I wouldn't have even thought of the pruning blade (was going to use a demolition), but those huge openings are perfect!

I'm so glad to see this video because I have to get water to my garden, thank you

Looks good to me. Simple, straight forward. I might have tried one of the new carbide wrecking blades. Cost probably equal to your Harbor Freight blade. Carbide more money,, but lasts longer.. Although,,, the carbide wrecking blade I have in mind is sometimes not easy to find. Well done !!

I did this but I cut a “V” into the soil and I could just lift the grass and soil out of the trench no digging… I put the pipe in the trench and just rolled the grass and dirt sod back into the trench… It’s was so easy… Your idea works great to… Nice video…

Wow! Amazing! A new way to get hosed!

Seems to work well. I just watered the ground well and made a single cut with a square spade, rocking the shovel back and forth to open a V shape. Take the pipe or in my case, ground contact rated cable, and push it in 5 to 6 inches with a board. Stomp the sod back together. Very quick and minimal disruption of the grass.

Thank you, this was my idea exactly, I have to do more the that amount so I will defiantly take my time.

I use a Harbor Freight corded sawall because it costs $19 and I distroy them cutting roots. I use the sawall to cut tree roots. I use a flat bladed sharshooter shovel. I drive the shovel in about 8” and rock it back a fouth to widen. When the trench is done, I drop the hose on top and shove it down the gap with a wood stick like and old axe handel. Once it is all in I walk it in like you did. You can’t see the trench afterwards. For the winter I blow out the water with an air compressor and a special fitting I made to fit the hose bib. Apply compressed air and open the other hose bib, at the end of the line, bam, done. A little water left in the hose will have room to expand.

What a great idea, I used an edging spade and it took ages, wish I’d come across this a year ago .

Like your helper! 🐶

Great idea Bud.

😝😂😆🤣 Adds a whole new meaning to the “Right tool for the job”!

Loving the dog!

Nice tip ,I need to put up my fence poles an I think it will work!! Thanks man!

Your dog was perfectly cued at 1:49 when it shook its head and was thinking, “Wait, I’m I hearing this right? A sawzall blade? Hey everyone, watch this. Whoa, but it’s a sawzall!” Thank you for sharing.

I see all the hate comments about just using a shovel. Shovels don't work when there are roots running all directions. The recip is a work saver. ONE QUESTION: Why saw both sides of the trench? Why not just saw one side, lift the sod, and roll it back? Just a thought. Also, two words for cleaning out the trench. Trench Shovel. 2" or 4"; your choice.

I've cut sod using a sawzall. Does a great job.

I use a reciprocating saw and an old blade to cut roots and remove tree stumps. It cuts through them like a hot knife through butter!

Nice job! Great idea. I have to dig a small trench to relocate rain water next to our garden. Based on another comment, I'll wet the soil first and then hit it with the Sawzall. Cheers, Bob

Love the music you chose for this video!

If you sat on a small wagon and worked your way backwards you would save your aching back. But good idea. I use sawzall to cut stump roots. 200 ‘ cord.

A great idea, thank you for sharing!

A Diablo 3 tpi carbide tipped blade is made for digging in soil. Those HF fleam blades aren't good for cutting wood, glad they cut something!! Great video!!

What a great idea and job! Wonder if in the fall just use a shop vac to empty the line. Thanks for the video.

Great idea. Thank you

I do this to replace grass. Really good. Make sure not to get mud next to where the blade meets the machine, because it will keep the removal of the blade from happening when you want to. I have removed roots of rose bushes also, or. roots from bushes.

Great idea

great idea!

Excellent idea. Thanks

@2:24 Dog is thinking..."What the Hell is this Dude doing now?"

Wow, i just might adapt your method to install the ground radials for amateur radio antenna, which won't need the trenching for the radial wires... All the Best! 73 DE W8LV Bill

This is really helpful! Thank you!

Not a pitchfork...garden fork. Pitchfork has round, sharp like needle tines for stabbing into stuff like hay. Garden fork has wide, flat tines for digging in dirt. Great idea you had and timely for me as I begin running conduit out to a shed.

What a great idea. I’ve got the same situation plus a power cord for my electric garden fence. I wonder if I couldn’t throw in a 12 gauge UF electric wire by the water pipe! This WILL save a lot of hassle when mowing. Thanks again for posting.

Brilliant! Guess I am heading to Harbor Freight today.

You can rent at Home Depot or numerous places a small trenching machine for about $55 a day and have all your trenches dug within a few hours and never have to bend over digging your Trench.. It saves your back and a heck of a lot of work..

Hehehe ohhh my like to see that used where I live. Waterline must be 36 inches deep. Happy this works where you live nice video

Good idea. An edger works good too

A buddy ran electric service by trenching 90 ft to the garage. Made the cut with a rented chain saw. :)