While that won’t make a lot of difference if you have loamy, soft soil to begin with, for those who have hard-packed clay soils it certainly does. If your soil is very solid, or has a lot of rocks, a post hole digger is an essential tool to have.
Do post hole diggers come in different sizes? 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 do you dig a post hole with a mini excavator?
What is the best tool for digging post holes? You can use a post hole digger or power auger to dig the hole. A post hole digger is a manual tool and will get the job done in average soil. If you have hard, rocky soil or a lot of roots – you may want to opt for a power auger.
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.
Is a post hole digger worth it? – Related Questions
How deep do fence posts need to be in the ground?
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). Add about 6 inches of QUIKRETE All-Purpose Gravel into the bottom of the hole.
How long does it take to dig a hole with a mini excavator?
A project that would take one person a full day to dig, a mini excavator could do in an hour or less.
How deep can you dig with a mini excavator?
Mini excavator applications Generally speaking, these machines are used for digging, trenching, backfilling, leveling, grading and even drilling. When it comes to digging, a 3,000-3,999 pound mini excavator can dig a 7.8-foot-deep hole, while 7,000-9,999 pound excavators can dig as deep as 10.2 feet.
How much can a mini excavator dig in a day?
One of the biggest factors that impact how much an excavator can dig in one day is the unit’s bucket size, which typically ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 cubic yards of bucket capacity. Most common regular-size excavators have a 1 cubic yard bucket capacity, and mini excavators are closer to the 0.5 cubic yard capacity.
What is the fastest way to dig a hole in a shovel?
Do manual post hole diggers work?
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.
How do you dig a small deep hole?
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.
How big of a hole do you need for a 4×4 post?
The diameter of your post hole should be three times the diameter of your post. So, if you’re planning on using a four-inch round or 4×4-inch square post, your post hole will need to be 12 inches in diameter.
Can I use a shovel to dig a post hole?
With the turf removed, a long-handled shovel does a good job of removing the dirt. Dig with the blade plumb and the handle pushed forward to keep the walls of the hole straight up and down.
Will an auger go through rock?
Augers are very powerful machines with a lot of torque that can throw you like a sack of potatoes if the auger bit encounters a rock or a root. If your soil is loamy or sandy, you too can drill 30 holes in a day’s worth of rental. But rocky ground or heavy clay can stymie even the most powerful auger.
How deep can you dig with a post hole auger?
If you’re wondering how deep can a post-hole digger dig, the answer depends on the application and the tool. Most augers dig about 3 feet deep, but an extension rod can be used to gain another 12 inches of depth.
Can you use an auger in wet soil?
Especially if conditions are wet, the grass and vegetation may clog the end of the auger, sticking in place and making it impossible for the blades to get a grip on the soil below. Save yourself some time (and your auger a little trouble) by using a shovel to remove sod before you drill.
Which side of the fence should be your post?
Many customers are concerned about ‘Which side of the fence do the posts go on?’ or ‘What side of my fence should face the neighbor?’ , and understandably so. The ‘quick’ answer is that the finished, or good side of the fence faces the outside of your property, visible to neighbors and the outside world.
Should fence posts be set in concrete?
Concrete provides a strong foundation for wooden fence posts, but can rot them more quickly. Setting them in dirt, with or without gravel or crushed rock depending on your soil type, can help the posts last longer before going rotten. You can also use metal fence post anchors to prolong their life.
Can you set a post with dry concrete?
Fast-setting concrete is ideal for setting posts because there’s no mixing—you simply pour the dry concrete from the bag right into the hole, then add water.
Is it worth hiring a mini digger?
Despite their size, mini diggers are powerful and can handle a variety of jobs such as digging holes, creating trenches, demolishing small structures, removing stumps, digging garden ponds and even ploughing snow. Essentially, mini diggers are great for jobs that are too big to do with a shovel or other basic tools.
Can you push dirt with a mini excavator?
If you have a swing boom or variable-angle boom, you can swivel the boom and dump the dirt. Or turn the mini excavator and drive the dirt to the established dumping location.
Can a mini excavator dig a pond?
If you intend to dig a small-sized personal pond, a compact excavator should do the job effectively. However, a standard excavator is more advisable if you plan to dig for a pond that is over 14 feet deep.
What size mini excavator is best?
Mini Excavator size: 3 to 5 tons This is the most versatile machine and the best size mini excavator for many projects. A machine in this size bracket is a full-function mini excavator, suitable for everything from removing stumps to leveling a driveway or digging in a hot tub.
What is the smallest digging machine?
The world’s smallest excavator, classified as a rideable mini excavator, is the Komatsu PC01. The PC01 is powered by a 3.5 HP Honda gas engine, has a 661 pound operating weight, and has a 2.1 gallon bucket capacity.
Can a mini excavator remove trees?
And to answer the question of if a mini excavator is ideal for this type of work, the answer is a resounding “yes!” Mini excavators can make quick work of brush clearing and mulching, taking out vegetation and trees in a matter of minutes if the right attachments are connected.
How fast can you trench with a mini excavator?
We average 280-300 ft per hour digging a 48″ deep trench with an excavator putting in non grade lines to pivots. Usually we step the trench about a foot for ease of access.
Is it hard to use a mini excavator?
Operating a mini excavator is pretty easy as long as you know how to drive a car. However, it is slightly more complicated than sitting in the driver’s seat and using the pedals and gear shift. With a little bit of care and some knowledge about the beast you’re in, you can easily get the task done!
How much earth can a man dig in a day?
At normal soil, 1 m3 may be excavated in 8 hours for one man. If soil is not hard enough than 2.5 m3/ day/man can be achieved.
What is the diameter of a post hole digger?
Best Heavy-Duty Post Hole Digger It also comes with three auger bits ranging from six to 12 inches in diameter.
What size auger do you need 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 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 wide is a post hole digger?
Product Width (in.): Less than 15 in.
