Posthole Digger Post hole digger basics - getting the dirt out

[Mosey]

Up until today I've only used my post hole digger to plant tree seedlings, so I've only dug holes about a foot deep. I tested it today to see how deep I can dig a hole. It dug down until the PTO shaft hit the ground, but it left about 1' of loose dirt in the bottom. I tried speeding up to about 1600 RPM and lifting it out of the hole real quick and that flung some out, but it still left about 6" of loose dirt at the bottom. I scooped most of it out with a hoe, and it measured 40" deep. There's still about 2" of loose dirt. What's the best way to get it all out?

 

[Tinkerman]

Mosey,

While working with my neighbor putting in some form footers, we were using a post hole digger to 3 1/2 ft in hard clay. We ran into the same problem...The most efficient way we found was to turn it very slowly the last foot or so, stop the auger (down position), and lift it out slowly like a cork from a bottle. It didn't work every time, but it was the best way we could figure out. Hope this helps.

 

[cowboydoc]

Sounds like you need a longer auger. To get it all out with the auger that you do have lift it up and down a few times. Then stick it in as deep as it will go and turn off the pto and lift it out. That will get most of the dirt out. Don't turn it off though before you've got the hole bored out pretty good or you won't be able to lift it out.

After you've got all of that a pair of posthole diggers are your best bet.

 

[MikePA]

Danny,

I agree with Tinkerman and doc because I've used all three methods /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. I've even reached in the hole and scooped out the dirt by hand, although a 42" deep hole is a little deeper than my arm is long. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[radman]

A good old fashioned hand digger works about the best for getting out that last bit of dirt. Buy a good pair with a relatively long digger and handles. The ones with short digger ends IMHO don't work near as well. Most of the time the remaing dirt is usually fairly loose and removed easily. Occassionaly, the top of the hole may need to be enlarged slightly in deep holes to get the hand diggers to close in on dirt. A good pair of hand diggers should be able to reach 36-42"

 

[bubenberg]

hand digger for us novices, eventhough i did a few fences in my days is probably the best answer.

the technic i am using is when i watched the amish pole barn builder operate the auger of a new holland skid steer. his last time coming out of the hole ... he had gone into the hole at medium speed, went deeper than the hole was required .... then he speed up coming out of the hole and on a pole barn of 116' wide and 296 long they handug about three holes ... that is how i am doing it now and save myself an extra helper.

good luck

 

[centex]

I have widely varying soil types along my fence line and I found that how well the auger works in getting the loose soil out varies greatly with the type of soil but I have yet to get all the loose soil out with the auger. On most of my holes I can only get a very little out with the auger and that falls back in the hole when I am cleaning it out with the hand PHD. At least it is very easy to dig the loose soil out with the hand PHD. I would feel very fortunate if I only had 2" left to clean out by hand.

 

[northcreek2624]

Danny,My brother-in-law had a real good method for cleaning out his drilled well.He had a contractor friend who got him a couple of sticks of dynamite and let me tell you that there wasn't a speck of anything in that hole after the blast.
However his next project was pressure washing the house...Mike

 

[Kodiak]

And how big was the final hole?

 

[northcreek2624]

Russ,Don't know because it was about 50 deep with a 10"pipe casing which went all the way down to bedrock,but I would think it was a little bell shaped at the bottom.
It had the desired effect though, which was to get the water flowing again.......Mike