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The Wolfe tile plow 
used
by the Frey Excavating and Drainage team was the core of their tiling
operations. It is a massive machine setting on an extended Cat excavator
undercarriage 
and
powered by 400 Cat horses, which is difficult to bog down under even the most
extreme conditions. Elevation of the tile is important, any changes in
grade can ruin an otherwise good tile system. The big advantage of this
large machine is its ability to keep grade. When laying large mains, 
there
were a couple of times that running six feet deep with a ten-inch tile boot
began to test the ability of the plow to continue forward progress. On
smaller machines, sometimes this is a problem, as the angle of the plow laying
the tile can change as the power transfer device begins to spin or dig
out. If the angle of the plow changes, the grade can be compromised,
leaving low places in a main that might make it difficult for water above that
point to drain easily to the outlet. Under these conditions, the large
track undercarriage started to dig straight down, rather than dig in at the back
which would change the angle of the tile installation. The laser system
quickly compensated for these changes, until the plow could work through these
difficult conditions. A smaller plow would have been challenged during
these conditions, but it hardly affected this professional designed $350,000
machine.
The laser controls 
are
monitored constantly as they automatically established grade, to make sure they
are operating correctly. At the end of a lateral run, the laser could be
manually overrode so depth was consistent with good drainage. As we
watched the laser controls as the machine was operating, brief blips of lights
on the controls would flash to show the corrections either in an upward or
downward direction.
Frey Excavation had two tile boots 
for
this plow that they carried on a self-designed trailer. 
One
was for 4-6" tile, the larger could lay 8-12" tile. In many instances the larger main tiles are layer by their wheel excavator,
which can detect previous tile which might affect the operation of the new tile
field. If any previous tile are left in the field, they can hinder the new
tile from working properly. If larger mains are needed, the wheel
excavators, which take more time to work and cover, can be used.
Watching the plow lay laterals was interesting. The
machine seemed to move without effort through the field, 
covering
the tile with disks during the trip across the lateral line. First, a
trench is dug with a backhoe opening up an access
to the main, 
then
the tile plow backs the boot into this opening. the
4" tile is inserted through the boot, 
and
the plow begins to work through the field. 
As
the plow moves away, an operator drills a hole in the main, 
and
attaches the lateral. 
A
plug 
at
the far end of the lateral keeps dirt from entering the opposite end of the
lateral run.
The
yellow cone shaped object made of plastic covered wire is called a beehive
inlet. It was placed above the surface to allow surface water to enter the
tile system when the tile was close to a very low place or a ditch. The
objective was to get any surface water into the system as soon as possible, so
it could be discharged through the outlet before the seep water entered the
system. It also acted like a vent for the system. All tile drainage
systems need a vent for air to enter, so they are able to "breath" to
better allow movement of water in the mains. 
The
orange tower on the left is referred to as a Higginbotham riser, while it can
also allow surface water to enter the tile, it is used more as an air vent in
systems designed by Joe and Mike Frey.
To continue, click on Tile Stringer Truck .