# Trail Building w/ Mini Skidsteer (ditchwitch) Advice/Attachments



## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Hello fellow trail builders, glad I have the chance to post in this sub forum. I am a trail liaison for one of our local trail systems, and have some ideas for trail building and improvements, and would like to utilize our bike clubs mini skid steer. While I would prefer to build some of these trails by hand, I don't have the time or energy, and getting people to volunteer has been a challenge. 

Our club has a mini ex, and a mini skid. The mini ex is spoken for in the spring, but I am able to use the skid. I don't have experience using a skid steer, but from the videos I have watched on general use, it seems like it might be a better material hauler then it is a digger. 

Which that being said, our dirt is fairly loose and sandy, but packs well and drains really well. The biggest challenge is clearing the organic layer off, which usually has a fair amount of roots. We do a lot of benching, otherwise the trails end up sliding down hills (which is basic trail building I guess). 

So my question is this. How are you guys using mini skids on side hills, cutting trails and benching? I assume I would need to start with a flat area, and just starting moving forward, benching as I go. Any tips on attachments that would work? I was initially thinking about using/renting a 5 way blade that could be tilted horizontally to compensate for when the skid is on uneven ground. But I don't know how good the blade would be at pushing the organic out of the way. So then my other thought was using a tiller attachment to break up the soil, then coming back with a bucket or blade to move and push. My OTHER thought was also to use a ripper of some sort to tear up the organic.


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## drag_slick (Sep 24, 2004)

I'm going to make an assumption that your mini skid is rubber tracked and so depending on how thick that root layer is, it's not going to have the easiest time breaking through it. I've worked mostly in prairie sod up here and the root layer is super thick. The fastest way i've done it was to till through the root layer then use the angle blade to bench it and set the outslope. I use a bradco 6 way Dozer Blades, Mini | Paladin Attachments


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

^That dozer blade is exactly what I was referring to. And I was thinking instead of tilling, that a ripper setup might be nice.


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## drag_slick (Sep 24, 2004)

Yeah, something to give you an open edge to get the blade into and start rolling the sod up. There's a technique to it, but as with everything, practice makes perfect. What brand of mini-skid you using?


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

drag_slick said:


> Yeah, something to give you an open edge to get the blade into and start rolling the sod up. There's a technique to it, but as with everything, practice makes perfect. What brand of mini-skid you using?


That is what I figured. It's a ditch witch.


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## drag_slick (Sep 24, 2004)

Ok, i was going to suggest if you had a bobcat, you can get an operator platform that doesn't have that stupid wheel on the back. Ditch witch makes a nice machine, my second favorite after the Vermeer.


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## HypNoTic (Jan 30, 2007)

I own a 7diamond 6way blade for our Ditch Witch. It's heavy and with some skills, can benchcut faster than a mini-X in gentle slopes. Yet we use the mini-X most of the time because it leave a cleaner trail behind. YMMV


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

HypNoTic said:


> I own a 7diamond 6way blade for our Ditch Witch. It's heavy and with some skills, can benchcut faster than a mini-X in gentle slopes. Yet we use the mini-X most of the time because it leave a cleaner trail behind. YMMV


Yeah I learned we have a tilting plate for the ditch witch, which means we can tilt our attachments at any given angle to help with benching. I am very much looking forward to getting the chance to try it out, and it it doesn't work great for cutting in new trails, I know it will work great for moving dirt around for the various berm projects I have planned.


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

What model number DW are you using? How well the Ditchwitch works will depend a lot on how rocky the soil is and much side slope you are building on. If you have a lot of large rocks and steep side slope you will want the mini-x to tackle those sections. If you are working in clay or loamy soils it will work great. You can use the DW on steep side slopes it just takes time. You will find a 6-way blade helpful since this is your first time, however they do require an add on switch modification installed to the machine. You can bench cut trail fine with a 4-way blade there is just more of a learning curve in learning to modify the angle of attack. When you have your bench cut completed you will want to a final pass "back floating" the blade to smooth it out to avoid the rough tread HypNoTic mentioned. (Having the blade pressure in neutral engagement and put the machine in reverse will smooth fill your work.) Ideally whether use a mini-x or a ditchwitch having someone follow behind you with a plate compactor is best practice.


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

^We have pretty ideal soil conditions for digging actually, with the major hurtle being lots and lots of roots. It is a Ditch Witch SK650, as our trails generally are winding their way through the woods, and bigger machines just wouldn't do very well.


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

I've used the SK650 it is able to break large roots. Part of it utilizing the hydraulics of lifting the blade in addition to the power and mass of the machine pushing.


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## Fattirewilly (Dec 10, 2001)

Work from top of hill down, gravity is your friend. If a section of hill is too steep to simply turn around on and drive back the other way, you're at or very very near the machine's limit to work. If you're saying "I can just push enough dirt into that steep area to make it past" you better identify how you're going to get the machine out of there before trying. Griphoist to raise or lower down the slope? 

What happens on steep areas is the track spins out the spoils you just put in place and then you're stuck needing a pull or tow to get back to your prior more stable trail section 10 feet behind you up the hill. Leave the steep stuff for hand-benching or the mini-x. Repelling a skidsteer down a slope can kill and afternoon...


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks for the insight guys! All of that makes sense!


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Well, had a chance to get the ditch witch out into the woods. Hauled a lot of rock, rebenched 4-500 yards of trail, moved a bunch of dirt for improved berms, and generally made a giant mess. After 20 hours in the woods, I feel like I have gotten in too far over my head with all the hand cleanup work that is needed! Haha


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