Â* 9" in diameter big holes . Thru rocky ground with a lot of roots .
And 24" deep , but I didn't do it by hand this time , I rented a powered
auger .Â* Things I learned include when you feel the auger start bumping
get it outta the hole NOW ! Rocks usually just stop the machine from
drilling deeper , but a root can and will trap the auger and suck it
down faster than it can dig , stalling the machine . Then ya gotta
uncouple the power head (this is driven via a drive cable and torque arm
to a worm and pinion) from the auger and use a wrench to reverse it out
of the hole . Don't forget to cut that root before you continue ... any
way , the reason for this task is to build a carport structure over our
camper . It'll be 12' wide and 11' tall clear dimensions , and 30 feet
long to accommodate the camper and both Harleys . That's bigger than
needed for the camper both wide and tall , but we're considering moving
up to an RV in the future , it's going to be big enough for anything but
a Class A (I think that's the big'uns) which is way bigger than we're
considering . And my back still hurts , but nowhere near as much as if
I'd dug those holes by hand .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

On Sunday, March 24, 2019 at 11:40:37 AM UTC-4, Terry Coombs wrote:
Â* 9" in diameter big holes . Thru rocky ground with a lot of roots .
And 24" deep , but I didn't do it by hand this time , I rented a powered
auger .Â* Things I learned include when you feel the auger start bumping
get it outta the hole NOW ! Rocks usually just stop the machine from
drilling deeper , but a root can and will trap the auger and suck it
down faster than it can dig , stalling the machine . Then ya gotta
uncouple the power head (this is driven via a drive cable and torque arm
to a worm and pinion) from the auger and use a wrench to reverse it out
of the hole . Don't forget to cut that root before you continue ... any
way , the reason for this task is to build a carport structure over our
camper . It'll be 12' wide and 11' tall clear dimensions , and 30 feet
long to accommodate the camper and both Harleys . That's bigger than
needed for the camper both wide and tall , but we're considering moving
up to an RV in the future , it's going to be big enough for anything but
a Class A (I think that's the big'uns) which is way bigger than we're
considering . And my back still hurts , but nowhere near as much as if
I'd dug those holes by hand .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

You could have done it the easy way. Just throw a shovel of concrete on
the ground for the footers. That's what they did in a 120 unit condo
development where I once lived. Found it out when the decks started
sinking. The building inspector, I think he was last seen headed
for Montana. The FBI raided the home of the mayor a few years later.
The mayor, who was also the paid fire chief in a nearby town, had $50K
in cash hidden in his attic. He plead guilty to multiple bribery charges.

I worked with someone who was drilling postholes on his farm.

Somehow the auger snagged his sleeve, picked him up and threw him. He landed without the shirt but with two broken arms and two broken shoulders, and it happened in such a blink nobody could react.

I think I would just hire it done, rather than renting an auger.

On 3/24/2019 12:47 PM, TimR wrote:
I worked with someone who was drilling postholes on his farm.

Somehow the auger snagged his sleeve, picked him up and threw him. He landed without the shirt but with two broken arms and two broken shoulders, and it happened in such a blink nobody could react.

I think I would just hire it done, rather than renting an auger.

Â* Well Tim , that's the difference between you and I . I've always been
a hands-on kinda guy . I'd much rather do it myself than pay some
jackleg to **** it up and still end up doing it RIGHT myself . I work on
my own car , my own motorcycles , I'm building my own house and since I
have a well-equipped machine shop with 4 different kinds of welders I do
that stuff for myself too - and others , if I like them . The end result
of doing for myself is a massive collection of tools , money in the bank
that I didn't pay someone else , and a great deal of personal
satisfaction . BTW , I worked in many aspects of construction over the
years , retired as a master cabinet maker . I'm the guy that built the
$35,000 reception desks with exotic wood inlays and curved sections .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

On Sun, 24 Mar 2019 13:22:51 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

On 3/24/2019 12:47 PM, TimR wrote:
I worked with someone who was drilling postholes on his farm.

Somehow the auger snagged his sleeve, picked him up and threw him. He landed without the shirt but with two broken arms and two broken shoulders, and it happened in such a blink nobody could react.

I think I would just hire it done, rather than renting an auger.

* Well Tim , that's the difference between you and I . I've always been
a hands-on kinda guy . I'd much rather do it myself than pay some
jackleg to **** it up and still end up doing it RIGHT myself . I work on
my own car , my own motorcycles , I'm building my own house and since I
have a well-equipped machine shop with 4 different kinds of welders I do
that stuff for myself too - and others , if I like them . The end result
of doing for myself is a massive collection of tools , money in the bank
that I didn't pay someone else , and a great deal of personal
satisfaction . BTW , I worked in many aspects of construction over the
years , retired as a master cabinet maker . I'm the guy that built the
$35,000 reception desks with exotic wood inlays and curved sections .

Bam! bam, bam...

On Sun, 24 Mar 2019 10:47:32 -0700 (PDT), TimR
wrote:

I worked with someone who was drilling postholes on his farm.

Somehow the auger snagged his sleeve, picked him up and threw him. He landed without the shirt but with two broken arms and two broken shoulders, and it happened in such a blink nobody could react.

I think I would just hire it done, rather than renting an auger.
Rent one that fits the 3pt hitch of the little tractor. Ot would take
quite a root to throw a little Kubota or an old Ford 8N

I worked with someone who was drilling postholes on his farm.
Somehow the auger snagged his sleeve, picked him up and threw him.
He landed without the shirt but with two broken arms and two broken shoulders,
and it happened in such a blink nobody could react.
I think I would just hire it done, rather than renting an auger.


Rent one that fits the 3pt hitch of the little tractor. It would take
quite a root to throw a little Kubota or an old Ford 8N


My old neighbour - Reg - had no electricity or running water -
but he had 3 Ford 8N s !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_N-series_tractor

Each had a name and a separate purpose
and according to Reg a personality ...
One Christmas, we sat by his stove and listened to scratchy
Johnny Cash - 78 rpm - on his crank-up player ..
.. and had a beer.
John T.

On 3/24/19 3:57 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sun, 24 Mar 2019 10:47:32 -0700 (PDT), TimR
wrote:

I worked with someone who was drilling postholes on his farm.

Somehow the auger snagged his sleeve, picked him up and threw him. He landed without the shirt but with two broken arms and two broken shoulders, and it happened in such a blink nobody could react.

I think I would just hire it done, rather than renting an auger.
Rent one that fits the 3pt hitch of the little tractor. Ot would take
quite a root to throw a little Kubota or an old Ford 8N

Tractor House still has Dearborn farm equipment to fit the 8Ns.
http://tinyurl.com/yxekh7z5 or
https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/list/manufacturer/dearborn

On Sun, 24 Mar 2019 18:17:12 -0500, Dean Hoffman
wrote:

On 3/24/19 3:57 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sun, 24 Mar 2019 10:47:32 -0700 (PDT), TimR
wrote:

I worked with someone who was drilling postholes on his farm.

Somehow the auger snagged his sleeve, picked him up and threw him. He landed without the shirt but with two broken arms and two broken shoulders, and it happened in such a blink nobody could react.

I think I would just hire it done, rather than renting an auger.
Rent one that fits the 3pt hitch of the little tractor. Ot would take
quite a root to throw a little Kubota or an old Ford 8N

Tractor House still has Dearborn farm equipment to fit the 8Ns.
http://tinyurl.com/yxekh7z5 or
https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/list/manufacturer/dearborn
Among hobby farmers the 8N is still an extremely popular tractor.
(along with the older 9N and 2N) In running condition they still
command a pretty decent price.

On Sun, 24 Mar 2019 10:40:33 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

* 9" in diameter big holes . Thru rocky ground with a lot of roots .
And 24" deep , but I didn't do it by hand this time , I rented a powered
auger .* Things I learned include when you feel the auger start bumping
get it outta the hole NOW ! Rocks usually just stop the machine from
drilling deeper , but a root can and will trap the auger and suck it
down faster than it can dig , stalling the machine . Then ya gotta
uncouple the power head (this is driven via a drive cable and torque arm
to a worm and pinion) from the auger and use a wrench to reverse it out
of the hole . Don't forget to cut that root before you continue ... any
way , the reason for this task is to build a carport structure over our
camper . It'll be 12' wide and 11' tall clear dimensions , and 30 feet
long to accommodate the camper and both Harleys . That's bigger than
needed for the camper both wide and tall , but we're considering moving
up to an RV in the future , it's going to be big enough for anything but
a Class A (I think that's the big'uns) which is way bigger than we're
considering . And my back still hurts , but nowhere near as much as if
I'd dug those holes by hand .

I know about roots

As a teen ~15, I helped to clear 5 acres of land with palmetto roots
and stands. Had a plow blade on a tractor. Got the blade stuck bad.
Could not move back or forth. I shut the tractor down and waited for
help.

On 3/24/2019 1:38 PM, Oren wrote:
On Sun, 24 Mar 2019 10:40:33 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

Â* 9" in diameter big holes . Thru rocky ground with a lot of roots .
And 24" deep , but I didn't do it by hand this time , I rented a powered
auger .Â* Things I learned include when you feel the auger start bumping
get it outta the hole NOW ! Rocks usually just stop the machine from
drilling deeper , but a root can and will trap the auger and suck it
down faster than it can dig , stalling the machine . Then ya gotta
uncouple the power head (this is driven via a drive cable and torque arm
to a worm and pinion) from the auger and use a wrench to reverse it out
of the hole . Don't forget to cut that root before you continue ... any
way , the reason for this task is to build a carport structure over our
camper . It'll be 12' wide and 11' tall clear dimensions , and 30 feet
long to accommodate the camper and both Harleys . That's bigger than
needed for the camper both wide and tall , but we're considering moving
up to an RV in the future , it's going to be big enough for anything but
a Class A (I think that's the big'uns) which is way bigger than we're
considering . And my back still hurts , but nowhere near as much as if
I'd dug those holes by hand .
I know about roots

As a teen ~15, I helped to clear 5 acres of land with palmetto roots
and stands. Had a plow blade on a tractor. Got the blade stuck bad.
Could not move back or forth. I shut the tractor down and waited for
help.

The thing about this unit is that it's uncontrolled gravity feed . By
the time I finished my 8th hole I had it figured out . You brace your
leg under the torque rod and pull the thing out of the ground far enough
to clear some dirt from it every few inches . Takes some of the load off
and makes it much easier to control . Here's a link to the ad for this
unit: https://www.littlebeaver.com/product...-earth-drills/ The
head with a 9" auger weighs probably 75-80 pounds .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !