18" PHD Auger on B7800

[RickHouTX]

Re: 18\" PHD Auger on B7800

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Rick: I share the question expressed earlier as to why you want to drill 18" holes for a 6x6 post. The diagonal of a 6x6 timber would be a shade under 8 1/2" or, if nominal 6x6 and actually 5 1/2" square, would be a bit over 7 3/4". Either way, you'd want a bit of room to get the post in, make adjustments to set it vertical, and have enough room to tamp your backfill down around it or pour concrete, whichever you are planning on.

I think you could do all that pretty easily with a 12" diam hole or even, perhaps, 10". Why do you want to go so much wider"? Maybe I'm missing something. )</font>

MadDog, you pose a really good question. I am not so sure I need to go any bigger than 12". I have a neighbor that overbuilds everything, and when I told him I was thinking of using 12", he as usual suggested I go bigger. Then I looked on the web and saw a few folks who were building barns using 18" holes for 6 X 6's. Here is a link to one such barn: http://community.webshots.com/album/319179100tidBsg/0 . I really like the construction of this barn and was going to try to mimick it. The 18" holes are probably not necessary in reality. That is why I wanted to ask in this forum. I thought I could get a few second opinions.

 

[etgjr]

Re: 18\" PHD Auger on B7800

Hi Rick,

I used my 12" auger to dig 10 holes for a post foundation. I vowed not to dig another hole until I got a bigger auger. What would happen is if the hole was not perfectly placed or I hit a rock the auger moved, the hole would not be where I wanted it. Then I was doing a lot of hand work trying to shave the sides of the hole and dig out the spoil with a shovel modified into a "spoon". Get the bigger auger.

-Ed

 

[bota7800]

Re: 18\" PHD Auger on B7800

Thanks, Henro. We usually refer to the ground here as clay but I don't know if it really is clay. It sets like concrete sometimes but the mud condition does not sound the same as you describe

I know if I hit rock that is a special problem. If I hit rock I just want to be able to get the auger out. I may have to finish some holes but hand /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I would spend slightly more adding remotes and buying a hydraulic PHD than the skidsteer bid but I would have the remotes and an asset. What I don't know is if even that would solve the problem. Normally I would lean toward buying and doing it myself but the risks and unknowns in this case are high.