Earth anchors and post hole digger?

   / Earth anchors and post hole digger? #1  

gojira

Bronze Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
52
Location
Central NH
Tractor
JD X590, MF GC1710
I'm going to build a 8x10' storage shed and I've been thinking about how to attach it to the ground. The shed will be wood with a sheet steel roof, so I'm guessing it'll weigh about a ton when complete.

One idea was using these 46" Penetrator earth screws from American Earth Anchors (here's the PDF of the screw.) It has a 2" hex head for a socket, and their website had a 30 second video of someone screwing one in with a PTO-driven post hole digger.

I'm trying to figure out what they used to connect to the digger and the screw end to make that work. Are they soft bolting it through the digger and the screw? Something else I don't know about? Has anyone used these or have an idea of how they're doing it? Maybe it's just overkill for that shed too! (Maybe I should just not overthink this - grade, put down some rip-rap and hard pack and use some cement blocks. :) )
 
   / Earth anchors and post hole digger? #2  
Why do you need to anchor it? Is it a requirement in your area. Here in idaho sheds are simply placed on skids.....ie portable. I put in a 12x16 last year.
 
   / Earth anchors and post hole digger? #4  
Looks like a beautiful way to lose your arm.

Seriously. Why is his hand even in the vicinity? He's doing absolutely nothing to aid in the install of the screw.
 
   / Earth anchors and post hole digger? #5  
Overkill and waaaay more effort to install than required. The dish type from home depot used to anchor swing sets are fine.
 
   / Earth anchors and post hole digger? #6  
Overkill and waaaay more effort to install than required. The dish type from home depot used to anchor swing sets are fine.

When I was a kid everyone just dumped a little concrete around the swingset legs, if anything at all. We used to swing hard to see how high we could lift the legs out of the ground. Never flipped the thing over, but came close a few times!
 
   / Earth anchors and post hole digger? #7  
Totally unnecessary to anchor unless required by code.I have had a 12'x14' set on skids(on crushed stone) for about 12 years with no movement.Pre-built and dropped in place.
 
   / Earth anchors and post hole digger?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Why do you need to anchor it? Is it a requirement in your area. Here in idaho sheds are simply placed on skids.....ie portable. I put in a 12x16 last year.

Nah, I'm overthinking things as usual :)

Looks like a beautiful way to lose your arm.

Seriously. Why is his hand even in the vicinity? He's doing absolutely nothing to aid in the install of the screw.

Yeah I would not be anywhere near that when putting it in. In retrospect, that's pretty goofy for the website to put that one up.

Overkill and waaaay more effort to install than required. The dish type from home depot used to anchor swing sets are fine.

True, it was what I was originally looking at - just a couple of cable anchors. I got distracted by the "Ooh shiny" factor :laughing:
 
   / Earth anchors and post hole digger?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Totally unnecessary to anchor unless required by code.I have had a 12'x14' set on skids(on crushed stone) for about 12 years with no movement.Pre-built and dropped in place.

No problem with code here. Yep I over thought the problem!
 
   / Earth anchors and post hole digger? #10  
I got distracted by the "Ooh shiny" factor :laughing:
Pretty blonds have the same effect on me,then I ask myself what I would do with one if I had it. Usually just wind up feeling sorry for myself.:worried:
 

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