Looking for suggestions on a post hole digger

[Kerry Adams]

Good Evening,

Interested in a one or two person gas post hole digger. Opinions and suggestions welcomed.

Thanks,
Kerry

[Lee Schierer]

Most rental centers have these for a nominal rental fee as compared to outright purchase. I would suggest trying the rental ones before buying your own. Some work better than others.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Exactly what Lee said!

[Chris Padilla]

I rented a 1-man post-hole digger once. Pretty cool and did a nice job but I have no idea what the rental cost was.

[Steve Leverich]

I have this one

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200311261_200311261

and a 6" and 8" auger - bought mine locally a few years ago because every time I tried to rent one, I ended up first FIXING the POS, SHARPENING the auger so it would take less than a day to dig one hole, etc... :mad:

There are bigger ones, but this works fine for me - clay soil, few rocks or roots and no helper for the other side - I'd stay small if you'll be using it solo mostly, unless you're bigger/meaner than me :D

Hope this helps - BTW, it's pretty easy to wrap up $400 in one of these if you want more than one hole size... Steve

[Dennis Peacock]

Looks like everyone got you the advice that I would have offered. Rent one and let them maintain it. ;)

[Jim O'Dell]

When we moved into the current house, I had about 200 feet of fence to build, and only my wife to help me dig the holes. I rented a digger from Nations Rent at the local Lowes. It was a trailer built unit that when you go to the site, the hitch tongue would dismount, and you would roll it around on the trailer tires. It was a pendulum mounted hydraulic auger, and the pump was powered by a gas engine. For the most part it was a one man operation, though on the back part of the yard that slopes down hill, I had to have Glenna help me get it back up the slope. Dug perfect holes, and no back breaking work lifting the auger in and out of the hole to clear the auger. I had all the holes dug and the unit back in about 4 hours. I think it was about a 100.00 rental, but worth every penny if you have a lot of holes to dig like I did. Just lay out and mark the holes before you get the machine. Also, if you have a lawn tractor, hook a hitch ball up to it to move the machine around for hills. Jim.

[Dick Bringhurst]

What Jim said. Our home owners assoc. wanted to plant 200 trees in a common area. I had a source for the trees so needless to say I got very involved. We rented the machine Jim described and had 200 holes dug in half a day. Two guys handled the digger but one could do it if necessary. The soil was a moraine which is a bunch of gravel (1" to8") left behind when the glaciers receded. Hand digging is a real exercise in the stuff and would have taken weeks. Dick B.

[Jim Andrew]

Don't really mean to gloat, but I use my skidsteer and hydraulic post hole digger. Works great, if you get it caught on a root or rock, just reverse direction and it screws itself out.

[David G Baker]

I have been shopping for one for my John Deere 3 point hitch mount but haven't found one that is in my price range.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

When building my deck, we used my gas ice auger to make the holes. It's basically the same machine as a post hole digger except the auger blade is shaped a little different.

I've found that a one-man post hole digger is better controlled with two people. It can be hard on the back once the auger acheives some depth and needs to be retracted out of the hole. Also, if it has a firm clutch and short handle bars, it can be difficult and unsafe for one person.

But they do work well and I agree that renting is the way to go. It's not likely to be a tool that a homeowner would need often. Unless, of course, you like to ice fish! :)

-Jeff :)

[Rick Hubbard]

Good Evening,

Interested in a one or two person gas post hole digger.
Kerry

Here ya go, Kerry. One man operation, too.:eek:

Rick

[Curt Harms]

Here ya go, Kerry. One man operation, too.:eek:

Rick

Be kinda hard on the lawn, though.:D

[Bob Rufener]

I rented a one man post hole digger when I built our deck. Power unit with a shaft that led to the auger. Damn near tore my guts out. Our sub soil is really rocky and every time it hit a rock, it lurched. I wound up digging by hand and found it to be tedious but easier on the bod. If I had to do it all over again, I'd find a mason contractor or someone with a power auger on a 3 pt hitch of a bobcat or tractor and pay the price. In my opinion, it would be worth the money.

[Tom Godley]

I bought one of the small one man units from hechengers (sp) when they were going out -- also got a 3 inch auger for it -- I think for about 50.00 :)

Looks to be the same as the link above - I believe it is called an "earthquake"

I purchased the 6" auger for it -- more than the original $50.00. I have used it more than I thought. Just used it to put in a mail box post.

If I was going to put a fence in I would lay out the holes and rent a unit powered with a remote motor -- they are fast and if the soil is full of rocks they are not as hard on the old body.

But having the little unit around is nice -- the 3 inch auger is great for all kinds of small posts or breaking up soil.

[Brian Elfert]

I would rent also. My issue is I have so many tree roots that I have to rent an auger mounted on a small Bobcat as no smaller unit can handle the roots. I once used a smaller two man auger and spent two hours digging to get it untangled from tree roots.

[Kerry Adams]

Thanks everyone,


I am in South Carolina with sandy soil. I think I will rent a one man .

[Scott Shepherd]

I'm shopping for one too. Handy little items. The thing I HATED about the rental one at HD was that the throttle was on the right hand grip, like a motorcycle. The way the auger spins, when it catches a rock or root, it torques it counterclockwise. Take a guess which way the throttle turns when that thing torques to the left. Yup, you guessed it, it opens the throttle all the way. So every time you hit something and it wrenches it, it gives it full throttle which really means you take a beating running it by yourself.

I don't know if anyone does it differently, but when I'm looking for one, that's one thing I'll be paying attention to.

[randall rosenthal]

i like to use hand tools when possible.....put in 200 feet of stockade fence this winter and dug the post holes with an old fashioned two handled post hole digger.....not as hard as you would think......but it took more than a day

[Kevin Stobb]

I work for a large rental company, my opinion is if you are going to rent, listen to what the guy behind the counter says(me). If he asks if your ground is very rocky, be honest, if your not, your back will be very mad at you. We have many styles of augers, and each have their place. The best for all situations is the tow-behind hydraulic auger. The teeter totter style is more balanced, the machine absorbs all of the torque, and hydraulics mean you can back it out if jammed on a rock, root, or suction from wet ground. My other advise is if it says "Little Beaver" on it, don't rent it. We had some of these and removed all of them from our fleet. We gave free chiropractor recommendations with each rental!!