Digging holes in roots

[addjunkie]

I use a 2 meter length of 32mm bar, point on one end, chisel style edge on the other end. Helps find the way quite easily when im fencing.

Post auger and me fell out when it tried to break my arm hopless in rocky ground.

 

[MattF]

But...even with two of us on it they are far from funny if you hit something. [and neither of us can be called small]

I'm guessing an onlooker may well find it amusing though.

 

[awemawson]

Those ebay cheepo powered augers don't have much grunt, and the augers are very weakly made. I have one, and on normal but clear ground it's fine, but it can't cope with much in the way of roots, and if our clay soil is baked hard in the summer forget it.

A hydraulic one on a mini digger is a far better option - everything is made much more sturdily.

 

[maz0]

One of these with a nice long blade if the grounds soft. You can literally just cut a circle with it in the dirt. Makes short work of roots.

 

[pedrobedro]

I hire one in from time to time, Last time was 15 quid for two days. The cheap ebay ones are only just ok ish.. if you are lucky .. I saw one twist the shaft of the auger like a bit of rope.

Then you have to store the thing somewhere ... and then they are typical Chinese engines that take a lifetime to start next time you need it.

I bought a cheap Chinese top handle saw for a one off job thinking it would be a disposable item but although it's not the strongest made thing it starts third or fourth pull every time I want to use it after a couple of years and long periods stood in the shed.
If the OP uses an auger he wants to lift out every foot or so and get a post-holer to clear out with every so often. We've done 20 or so holes just using a post hole spade and a holer for clearing out, perfectly feasible if you are not in a massive hurry just do the job over a few days.

 

[hunter27]

This is what you need

 

[Robotstar5]

This is what you need

Proper job

 

[Migmac]

Post knocker on the back of a tractor, roots ain't a problem

 

[awemawson]

Bally awkward in the farm yard when not on the tractor - need chaining to a tree to stop the bally things falling over - sold my Parmiter for just that reason

 

[Migmac]

Bally awkward in the farm yard when not on the tractor - need chaining to a tree to stop the bally things falling over - sold my Parmiter for just that reason

Should of banged a strainer in to rest it up against

 

[Rig Pig]

We normally hire one in for such jobs and they are a godsend, you need to factor it into the price but they aren't as expensive as you think when you factor in the manhours in digging holes by hand, or the cost of an buying a petrol auger, you can save days of digging. With the mini digger you can often reach over flower beds and not touch the plants.

+1 the first time I hired a digger was the last time I planned to dig anything major by hand. I haven't used one with an auger but nearly snapping my wrist with a large SDS has put me off hanging on to large Drills!

 

[S-Rail]

A dew years ago i had to install over 60 barriers around a forecourt of a car sales and each hole needed to be 300 wide by 750 deep , was going to dig by hand but ended up hiring this http://www.yhchireservices.com/scripts/hire-solutions-view-product.asp?idcategory=79&idproduct=341 , cost me £50 for the day . I managed to dig 120 holes in just under 4 hours . the machine paid for itself easily as i had allowed a week of hand digging for two . I is effectively a set of wheels in the middle , a hydraulic power pack at one end and the auger at the other .very wel counter balanced and will rotate to dig and reverse if you hit something to big , it cut through some really stoney ground too . And when the rear handles were folded in , itjust fit into the back of my vivaro .

cheer Sam