For long swathes of new fencing, manual post hole diggers are a lot of work, but they are much more efficient than digging holes out with a spade and also give you neater edges so if you decide to use cement to set your fence posts, you’ll have a better set a the base as a result with less soil dilution on the edges.
Should I use an auger or post hole digger? Post hole diggers focus on one task – they dig holes for posts, whereas a hole auger is suited for a wide variety of tasks around the garden. Post hole diggers rely on more work than a hole auger, these heavy hand tools are basically thrown hard into the soil with force then lifted out.
What is the best size auger for a 4×4 post?
Post Holes- If you plan to secure your posts with cement or by tamping dirt, you will need spacing around the post to do so. For example: A 4×4 post (actual size 3.5″x3. 5″) has a maximum width of just over 5″ (diagonally). Therefore, the 4×4 post will likely fit into a hole drilled by a 6″ diameter auger.
What size auger do I need for fence posts? A 12-inch auger, best attached to a heavy machine, will create a hole large enough for a 6×6 or 4×6 post and plenty of concrete. Smaller augers, like 4- or 6-inch options, are appropriate for light-duty work (like mailboxes) as well as metal fence posts for chain-link fences.
How much is a 12in auger?
| This item 12 Inch Earth and Tree Planting Auger | EARTHQUAKE 9800H 2-Person Earth Auger Powerhead with 160cc 4-Cycle, Black | |
|---|---|---|
| Add to Cart | Add to Cart | |
| Customer Rating | 4.5 out of 5 stars (42) | 4.5 out of 5 stars (19) |
| Price | $19699 | $769.99$769.99 |
| Sold By | THUNDERBAY PRODUCTS | Northern Tool + Equipment |
What is the easiest way to dig post holes?
- Step 1: String your line and pound the stakes. …
- Step 2: Carve out a soil divot with a spade. …
- Step 3: Loosen earth with a tile shovel. …
- Step 4: Use your clamshell digger. …
- Step 5: Use a reciprocating saw on large roots. …
- Step 6: Dislodge rocks with a digging bar. …
- Step 7: Tamp the soil with the other end.
Do manual post hole diggers work? – Related Questions
Will a post hole auger cut through roots?
Post hole diggers are not capable of cutting through large roots, and it is time consuming to try and chop the root out by hand. The most effective method of installing a post through a root is to drill through it.
What size auger should I buy?
If you plan on only using your auger to plant plugs, for instance, then a 2- or 3-inch auger will fit your needs. If you anticipate the need to bury stakes or set small posts, then you may prefer a 4-inch auger or another, larger size.
How deep should a 6×6 post be in the ground?
How deep should a post be in the ground:– in general, a post 6×6 or 8×8 that extend 8 feet or more above ground level should be at least 3 feet deep buried in the ground. Posts that extend 6 feet above ground level should have holes at least 2 1/2 feet deep.
How do I choose an auger?
Anything smaller than 4 inches in diameter is typically used for planting seeds, bulbs and smaller plants, with mid-sized blades up to the 9-inch diameter more suited for larger plants, shrubs and small trees. An auger blade larger than 9 inches is most suited for structural work such as digging holes for fence posts.
How deep should a post hole be?
Project Instructions Dig post hole so diameter of the hole is 3 times the width of the post (i.e., the hole for a 4” wood post should be about 12 inches wide). The depth of the hole should be 1/3-1/2 the post height above ground (i.e., a 6-foot tall fence would require a hole depth of at least 2 feet).
How deep should a 7 foot fence post be?
How Deep Should a Fence Post Be? For an average fence post, about 6 to 8 feet tall, prepare to dig a post hole about 2 feet deep. To install a fence post, you’ll need a shovel or post digger, a 6-foot level, soil, and gravel or crushed stone.
What is an auger used for?
Simply put, an auger is a spiral-shaped tool that is used to drill holes into the ground and other surfaces or materials. The spiraling metal shaft with a blade at the end of the device is known as a “flighting”. The flighting rotates to scrape, cut, or siphon out drilled materials.
Is it easier to dig wet or dry soil?
Soil that’s turned over when wet will form clods that will be very difficult to break apart later, Trinklein said. This is because wet soil is more easily compacted than dry soil. He recommends the “baseball test” before you start digging.
How long does it take to dig a post hole with an auger?
Augers are available for rent at tool rental centers at a cost of around $60 a day. Power augers can dig as many holes in an hour as a post hole digger can dig in eight hours, with hole sizes ranging from 6” diameter holes and up.
How long does it take to dig a 6ft hole?
It takes 0.07 hours (4.24 minutes) to dig 1.23 cubic yards of earth in stable soil. This means it takes 4.24 minutes to dig a 6 foot deep hole of 16 inches diameter.
How deep can a post hole digger go?
Post hole diggers have a maximum effective depth of about 3/4 of their handle length, so a five foot pair will dig about 3 1/2 half deep. Very hard earth like clay is extremely difficult to dig with a manual pair of post hole diggers.
How do you dig thick roots?
By keeping the edge of your shovel or spade sharp, you can cut through smaller roots. But when they are thicker than your finger, you will want to use a better tool. If your hole is shallow, a cheap hatchet works well. If the root is really big, a saw may be the easiest thing to use.
How big of a hole do I need for a 6×6 post?
A 6×6 post requires a 10″-diameter hole. Shovel a 6″ layer of gravel into the hole to provide drainage.
Is it worth buying an auger?
An auger gets the job done quicker than a shovel while allowing the operator to stand upright. Because the auger is meant to be held stationary as the hole is bored, there is less stress placed on the hands and arms, as well. For health reasons alone, augers are a worthwhile investment.
Is 6 auger big enough?
As a general rule, the best-sized hand auger for ice fishing is a 6″ model. A 6″ hole is large enough to allow bigger fish up through the hole. In contrast, an 8″ hole takes more physical effort to drill by hand. For panfish and the smaller species of fish, you can downsize to a 4″ or 5″ hand auger.
How do you measure auger size?
Outer diameter is equal to the shaft diameter plus twice the strip width (inside edge to outside edge) of the flighting.
Can you put dry concrete in a post hole?
How many bags of cement do I need for a 6×6 post?
| Depth | 50 Lb Bags |
|---|---|
| 32″-36″ | 10 |
How deep should I bury a 20 foot post?
The general rule of thumb when setting a post is that the depth of the post’s hole needs to be one-third to one-half of the actual above-ground height of the post. So, a six-foot-high finished post ideally needs to be buried three feet into the ground.
How do you sharpen a post hole auger bit?
Do augers work in rocky soil?
For drilling in rocky soils, always recommend heavy-duty augers to avoid damage. These augers are equipped with a more durable tooth and side cutting blades as well as heavy-duty flighting.
Do augers work in clay soil?
Augers are also great for soil that is tough to dig. Heavy clay soils, which tend to clump and stick to shovels, are no problem with an auger.
How long does it take to dig a post hole with an auger?
Augers are available for rent at tool rental centers at a cost of around $60 a day. Power augers can dig as many holes in an hour as a post hole digger can dig in eight hours, with hole sizes ranging from 6” diameter holes and up.
Can I use an auger to dig a trench?
Tilling with an auger can cut down on the amount of work you have to do for a new or large garden. Digging Irrigation Trenches – If you need to dig out trenches for irrigation or a sprinkler system, our augers can make the job simpler and faster.
Do augers work in clay soil?
Augers are also great for soil that is tough to dig. Heavy clay soils, which tend to clump and stick to shovels, are no problem with an auger.
How deep can you dig with a post hole digger?
Post hole diggers have a maximum effective depth of about 3/4 of their handle length, so a five foot pair will dig about 3 1/2 half deep. Very hard earth like clay is extremely difficult to dig with a manual pair of post hole diggers. A rock bar may work on dry clay.
