Thread: Post-Hole Digger

Don't forget, where there's clay, there's sandstone rock as well

You will probably find it will do the job. These sorts of things take longer and don't last as long but then you can often but 3 or 4 cheap ones for the price of an expensive one. (I have never used a motorized post hole digger)

I recently hired a two person one to dig new footings in our kitchen. In clay that had not seen rain in 100 years it barely scratched the surface until you threw a bucket of water on the hole and let it soak for 20 minutes or so and then it would dig a few inches and we repeated the process.
I'd be a bit dubious about being able to hang on to one of the ones on ebay with one operator, it was tossing me and the wife around with a two person one. I'd hire one as after using it you will be glad to see the end of the @#$% thing
Regards,
Tote

I used to be a fencing contractor, years ago when I was young and fit. What size holes do you need? What's the soil type?

1. I wouldn't use a 300mm auger bit, it will throw you if it bites something, ie: tree root, cable, rock, etc.
2.They work fine and the price is good but you do need to brace yourself against kickback, no matter what the ad says about "anti-kickback".
3. The type of ground you are digging will determine how effective the auger is. Sandy loam is a breeze, heavy clay is hard work and rocky or root strewn is shovel and crow bar work.
4. For rural fencing the usual method is a tractor with a ram, no digging!

Danny

Originally Posted by kaa45

I used to be a fencing contractor, years ago when I was young and fit. What size holes do you need? What's the soil type?

...........
4. For rural fencing the usual method is a tractor with a ram, no digging!

Danny

Not round here it isn't, except for steel posts - try that for anything blunter than a star picket it will either bend or shatter, and some places you even have to drill holes for the star pickets.

John

While we are on the topic I have a (much shorter) fence to erect but the ground is VERY root strewn. Very. Like almost a carpet of roots. I was thinking of getting a bloke with a dingo and auger attachment in to do the work. Worth every penny I reckon !

Now just to find the pennies.....

Thanks for the replies so far. The ground is mainly clay with the occasional rock. There is sandstone but it's about 1m down.
The original fence is two strand wire through split posts. They look as though they have been rammed in.
If I was doing all the fences at the same time, I would get someone to do the holes for me but we can't afford that.

My main concern is that I'll buy one of these and end up having to do it by hand because it is simply not up to the job.

Originally Posted by VladTepes

Now just to find the pennies.....

My problem!