Well today I learned 5 things about post hole augers

[neilkingent]

Just wait till you screw It in through roots and the only way out is to back it all the way out with a pipe wrench

I thought about doing that but it seemed like too much work.

 

[ICGREEN]

Once I get the hole to depth I'll raise and lower the auger several times and let the dirt fly off. That really helps keep the manual post hole diggers to a minimum. I've not had the "joy" of backing the auger out by hand yet but I have broken plenty of shear bolts. Keep a good supply. As for the post pounder, that's just something to keep all us low usage guys jealous.

 

[ning]

Once I get the hole to depth I'll raise and lower the auger several times and let the dirt fly off. That really helps keep the manual post hole diggers to a minimum. I've not had the "joy" of backing the auger out by hand yet but I have broken plenty of shear bolts. Keep a good supply. As for the post pounder, that's just something to keep all us low usage guys jealous.

I find that the amount of dirt left behind varies greatly by the type and moisture content of the dirt.
If I use my phd in late summer.... assuming it gets through the hard pan, it leaves a ton of finely ground dirt at the bottom of the hole which isn't too easy to get up with with the manual digger either. If the soil is wet, pretty much don't have to clean out the bottom at all, though you have to help get the clay off of the auger occasionally as it won't fling off at all.

 

[Rob41]

I love threads like this. Hopefully what I read here will keep me from doing at least a few of the mistakes. Lots of good info here.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Mine got stuck on a rock, pulled it out of hole and it bent the cutting edge down.
I had forgotten about it, my neighbor asked to borrow it, he fixed it.

 

[ning]

Mine got stuck on a rock, pulled it out of hole and it bent the cutting edge down.
I had forgotten about it, my neighbor asked to borrow it, he fixed it.

That's one fine neighbor!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

That's one fine neighbor!

Yes, I have a great neighbor. Couldn’t ask for a better one.

 

[Raul-02]

First go slow lower til point is on place want hole, move tractor forward so that digger is at approximate 10 degrees. Then start auger. The arc of penetration will give you a straight hole or at least close enough. Dig slowly and lift auger a few times (but not out of hole) to throw dirt out. When hole is deep enough stop auger and lift out of hole. If done as stated very little dirt will remain in the hole. This works for me.

The 10 degrees part that's real helpful thanks
I've taken to getting the last of the dirt out by dropping the auger all the way in and hitting the revs and snapping it up but not all the way out of the hole. It actually works. My auger won't twist the pto drive shaft if it's running at the top of its arc. I've seen a video of one that did.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Maybe I am odd man out on this one.

I needed to run a new chain-link fence and really didn't want to spend days doing it by hand. Off to Tractor Supply! I learned 2 lessons very quickly.

1. Be careful which hole you connect to your toplink. I shattered the rear window out of the tractor on the 1st lift.
2. If you have rocky ground - SAVE YOUR MONEY. Either opt for a more expensive FEL version, or go rent a skidsteer with an auger.

$499 for the auger. A few hundred for the glass. Still dug 90% of the holes by hand.

 

[jacric2005]

Yes, my wife watches the auger as it goes down and motions me to move the tractor forward as it goes deeper. One trick to minimize how much dirt you have to dig out with the manual post hole digger: Turn your auger off before you lift the auger out. Much of the dirt will stay on the auger blade.

I assume you are putting in wooden posts. I pre-mark the ground level required on the posts before hand with a felt pen so I can get the hole to the right depth easy. I also over drill the auger holes and keep sand in the tractor bucket to fill the hole back to the right depth. I also make a tripod out of 2 x 2 sticks (attached to the pole with construction screws) to hold the pole straight and level while backfilling.

Backfilling is the hardest and most time consuming part of putting a post in. I went from a 9 inch to 13 inch diameter auger to allow for more error in hole location and straightness, and to allow more room for a tamping stick. Contrary to one's intuition, it is actually quicker and easier to backfill and tamp an oversized hole.

Do you back fill with dirt or gravel? Every use concrete?

 

[ning]

Do you back fill with dirt or gravel? Every use concrete?

I find that when back filling with concrete and the round posts, I get "good enough" without any tripod to stabilize. "Good enough" is about all you can get with these posts considering they're somewhat irregular and often have a slight bend...

 

[Cougsfan]

Do you back fill with dirt or gravel? Every use concrete?

I use dirt for all wooden fences. (I prefer dowelled fencing for horses, but cows are rough on them without a hot wire). Dirt makes it easier to replace a post if something goes wrong (even pressure treated rots). If I ever had enough sand, that might be better than dirt. Gravel might be better for drainage, but I have never done it because I am concerned the post might start leaning If an animal rubs against it (that is just supposition though). I do have some 6" pressure treated rounds that I use to change direction on a barbed wire fence that I backfilled with concrete to keep the pole from leaning from the pull of the fence.

 

[Raul-02]

If you have rocky ground - SAVE YOUR MONEY. Either opt for a more expensive FEL version, or go rent a skidsteer with an auger.

Wouldn't it be easier to just get a bigger auger? It'll handle the rocks easier.

 

[beowulf]

Maybe I am odd man out on this one.

I needed to run a new chain-link fence and really didn't want to spend days doing it by hand. Off to Tractor Supply! I learned 2 lessons very quickly.

1. Be careful which hole you connect to your toplink. I shattered the rear window out of the tractor on the 1st lift.
2. If you have rocky ground - SAVE YOUR MONEY. Either opt for a more expensive FEL version, or go rent a skidsteer with an auger.

$499 for the auger. A few hundred for the glass. Still dug 90% of the holes by hand.

I have been there. Spent a lot of time hooking it up, getting into position to start, discovering I was not really in position to start, starting, not making progress, exiting the holes, using a pry bar to chip away at the 'too hard' dirt and rocks, trying other locations where the dirt might be easier to dig in, and then abandoning it all and digging my holes by hand.