Cable Tunneling: Mystery Mole?

I'm seeing a lot of this

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around here.

Tried searching, and came up with a lot of hits on "mole" devices, but they all required a sizable hole dug at the beginning (and end?) of the run and the run seems to have to be straight-line and level:

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Whatever is putting in that orange stuff seems to be doing it without any holes at either end of the run. It's as if the mole can be directed down, curve under the surface, bore to the other end, and then re-surface.

Or am I missing something?

If not, can anybody hang a name on the device that does this?

I should add that his is totally-idle curiosity. I just went through the conventional process of digging a trench and laying conduit and the job's done.... but it was sooooo messy and labor-intensive that seeing installations like in the first link has me going on how it was done.

Reply to
(PeteCresswell)
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That is a drill not a mole. The drill can be steered. There is also a plow for cable.

Reply to
Pat

Trenchless Technology is the formal name and is used a lot in my neck of the woods, especially by the cable company. They ran a new line to my neighbors from the junction box on my property in a day, from the far edge of their property, under my driveway and into the bottom of the light standard where the junction is.

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The link above shows one type of machinery involved, Vermeer is another manufacturer/

Reply to
PV

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Reply to
Wes Groleau

Per "PV" :

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seems to show the process.

Looks like I was off-base thinking that it could do curves.

I'm guessing that the operator keeps it level just by experience and luck and that gray device that the helper is carrying along as the bore progresses is just a sensor to tell where the bit is.

Reply to
(PeteCresswell)

The drill bit can be steered using the location info supplied by the gray device.

Reply to
Pat

No they can be steered. The drill bit is assymetric. When it is rotating as it advances it goes in a straight line. To be steered off, it is hydraulically pushed while not rotating. Due to being eccentric, it then goes off at an angle. There is an electronic device inside the drill bit communicates it's orientation so the direction can be determined

Reply to
harryagain

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