Earth anchors and post hole digger?

[gojira]

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. )

 

[grsthegreat]

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.

 

[MossRoad]

Looks like a beautiful way to lose your arm.

 

[snymat68]

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.

 

[jaxs]

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

 

[snymat68]

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!

 

[nybirdman]

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.

 

[gojira]

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:

 

[gojira]

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!

 

[jaxs]

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:

 

[MossRoad]

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!

Ha! I remember doing that on our swingset, too. :laughing:

 

[mjw357]

Since you are building an enclosed shed rather than an open structure with a roof (like a carport) I really dont think you will need to anchor it.

 

[ddbackhoe]

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:

Go broke...princesses are usually very high maintenance. Hair, makeup, nails, clothes, jewelry all add up. Then there becomes the problem with you and your appearance, your friends, your eating habits, your drinking, your hobbies cost too much....

 

[rgr33]

Just for a different point of view, over the years I have put in hundreds of screw type anchors at each end of vineyard rows. I use a gas post hole digger as shown, with a home made attachment that resembles half of a pro joint.
As a younger and dumber guy, I did once get a sleeve caught in the auger, and it was an experience I vowed to never let happen again. So far so good.