Buying or hiring a mole
Discussion
Yes - from specialist plant hire companies - but they're an expensive bit of kit with potentially expensive implications (like if you manage to burrow into somebody else's utilities), so expect to have to convince them that you're a trained and competent operative, not a DIY Joe Bodgit.
Hi i use these a fair bit as i lay gas mains and services. Have you got any experience in using them or moling in general? Even we have to now have permits before we can fire one, aswell as prove all seperate underground plant and drains. As someone said they can be brilliant but can also take a small deflection and go mega deep and if you can't get it into reverse you've gotta find it and dig it out.
My advice to you is to do little shots at a time, only 5-6 meters as a novice. Find all your electric services and check drain depths and the likes (don't wana hit them) and make sure you wear the di-electric boots and gloves they should supply. Oh and don't hold on to the hose once you've shot it!
good luck could save yourself a fair few bob doing it by yourself.
My advice to you is to do little shots at a time, only 5-6 meters as a novice. Find all your electric services and check drain depths and the likes (don't wana hit them) and make sure you wear the di-electric boots and gloves they should supply. Oh and don't hold on to the hose once you've shot it!
good luck could save yourself a fair few bob doing it by yourself.
No your getting far two technical. You can use a staff and a sight that sits on the mole in its launch craddle if you choose to use it. Personally for small shots like I suggested i would just set the mole into forward and get about 12" into the rough direction and depth you want it. Then with the shovel and a good eye line up the direction and use a spirit level to make sure you haven't got the nose diving or sitting to high as it will pop out the ground early. Just take your time and deppending on how well the ground moles don't get to ambitious with it. Little tip also would be two either tie a thin ish rope onto the hose as you fire it and when it gets to were you want it dont bother reversing it up just as they can some times clog on the way back. Then cut a tapper onto your pipe a drill a hole into the tapper and use the rope to pull it through whilst someone else pushes at the other end.
Ive seen some real nightmare situations with these. Watched a bloke once send one into a seller and ended up banging on the back of an old ladies telly. Also saw a shot no more than 6 meters go from a depth of 400mm deep to well over 6'2 the other end.
Ive seen some real nightmare situations with these. Watched a bloke once send one into a seller and ended up banging on the back of an old ladies telly. Also saw a shot no more than 6 meters go from a depth of 400mm deep to well over 6'2 the other end.
Blimey, that's no better than a free flight powered model plane! Seems like some kind of attitude sensor might overcome all these problems!
I'm thinking 'very slow underground torpedo'. GPS wouldn't work but a simple gyro feedback/servo system might do the trick. Then if it hits a brick, instead of ending up in Australia it will recover and return to track.
I'm thinking 'very slow underground torpedo'. GPS wouldn't work but a simple gyro feedback/servo system might do the trick. Then if it hits a brick, instead of ending up in Australia it will recover and return to track.
Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 18th November 21:10
i agree but that all sounds very delicate equipment and you have to think that this is just one of many tools that we have in our possesion that gets dropped, slung in the van and generally not wrapped in cotton wool.
We do use directional drillers for larger diameter that can be steered and guided aswell as carefully measured all the way. You often see these when laying under rivers, motorways and places that you need a little more accuracy.
We do use directional drillers for larger diameter that can be steered and guided aswell as carefully measured all the way. You often see these when laying under rivers, motorways and places that you need a little more accuracy.
sheldo said:
We do use directional drillers for larger diameter that can be steered and guided aswell as carefully measured all the way. You often see these when laying under rivers, motorways and places that you need a little more accuracy.
Ah OK, it's a question of scale then and such things do exist. Carry on 
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