Posthole Digger Posthole Conundrum

[E/S]

Dug a whole bunch of really nice 9" x 4' holes for the llama corral today.

Problem is they have to be a full 4' deep and a regular hand porthole digger will not close enough to hold the dry loose dirt.

The wife is threatening to getting my shop vac and have me string 500' of extension cord.

Any ideas on how to save my shop vac and get me out of just saying "Yes Dear " for the next few days ?

 

[kebo]

Make a "dipper" with a large rounded cup on the end attached to a five foot handle. Would that work? Or maybe build it more like the long handled sand scoops (without the perforataed holes for sand to sift through) that metal detectorists use at the beach?? Yeah, it would still take a while to clean out all those holes but unless someone has a better idea????

 

[rekees4300]

pour some water in the holes to make sticky mud and/or get an auger type digger

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Actually, using the shop vac would work very good as long as all that is at the bottom of the hole is powder. It will take much longer if you have stones much over an inch. Other than dragging out that much cord, the vac would be the easiest way to go in my opinion. I have used ours many times to clean around concrete (rough edges and all) before pouring new concrete against the old.

 

[smstonypoint]

The wife is threatening to getting my shop vac and have me string 500' of extension cord.

Any ideas on how to save my shop vac and get me out of just saying "Yes Dear " for the next few days ?

What gauge cord? You could burn up the vac motor with lighter gauge.

Steve

 

[MtnViewRanch]

What gauge cord? You could burn up the vac motor with lighter gauge.

Steve

10 gauge most likely. If it were me, I would use my generator though, I don't have but 400' of 10 gauge, or are they 8 gauge, now I'm not sure.

 

[zzvyb6]

Dig 'em 5' deep. The key to emptying a hole of the dirt is to stop the auger while its fully in the hole and carefully lifting it out. Add some water if the soli is very fine or sandy.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

You just have to make them bigger around at the top so you can open the handles

 

[E/S]

Thanks for all the replies, I think I will dig out the generator and try the shop vac.

If it works, the wife was right and I win !
If it doesn't work, I tried her way and I still win ( I hope ).

E/S

 

[CurlyDave]

I still have one of those folding shovels, that used to be called an "entrenching tool" by the army.

When I had to dig some 5' holes, I took the wooden handle off and substituted a longer one. The shovel blade can be locked in a position 90 degrees to the handle, and this will scoop your dirt out.

I think a generator and shop vac is a better way to go.