Using Hole Digger In Hard Red Clay

[etpm]

I'm heading to Tractor Supply to see if they have shear pins for the post hole digger. I'll check out their augers.

The shear pins are typically grade 2 bolts. The auger bolts to the gear box with grade 2 bolts on my post hole digger and the directions that came with my post hole digger specify grade 2 bolts for the shear pins. This makes sense since cheap grade 2 bolts are widely available.
Eric

 

[etpm]

I'm heading to Tractor Supply to see if they have shear pins for the post hole digger. I'll check out their augers.

The shear pins are typically grade 2 bolts. The auger bolts to the gear box with grade 2 bolts on my post hole digger and the directions that came with my post hole digger specify grade 2 bolts for the shear pins. This makes sense since cheap grade 2 bolts are widely available.
Eric

 

[RjCorazza]

Here is another question, what size auger for a 5" post?

I'm installing a fence around my new garden. I live in a rural area and I want to keep deer and other creatures from eating my vegetables. The plan was to use 5" posts for the corners and T-posts in between with one more 5" post for the gate. The posts are 8' and the fence is 5' so I would put the posts in 3' and use a bag of cement for each post.

With standard split rail (3 x 6") a 9" auger is the minimum. You'll need a little slop when setting the post. As far as concrete, this is very soil dependant, but I don't use any concrete on line, corner, or gate posts. My clay based soil is more than adequate when tamped in with a 2x4.
You may want to rethink a 5' high fence to keep out deer. If they decide they want in they'll jump that.

 

[JasperFrank]

Out of the box thinking here, but I've had a very difficult time digging any sort of post hole in summer with the soil we have. An auger simply doesn't work. My solution now, is to get all digging done in the spring while the soil is still wet. If I have to dig a hole in the summer, for some reason, I use high pressure water, focused, to blow down and excavate a hole. Its extremely messy, but does work.

 

[etpm]

With standard split rail (3 x 6") a 9" auger is the minimum. You'll need a little slop when setting the post. As far as concrete, this is very soil dependant, but I don't use any concrete on line, corner, or gate posts. My clay based soil is more than adequate when tamped in with a 2x4.
You may want to rethink a 5' high fence to keep out deer. If they decide they want in they'll jump that.

I was told by a guy working for WA State that deer here on Whidbey Island can pretty easily jump over an 8 foot fence. He was correct. I saw it happen when a scared deer jumped over my garden fence from the inside. The deer had entered through an open gate and I entered a few minutes later. It apparently didn't like my company.
Eric

 

[TN8Man]

The shear pins are typically grade 2 bolts. The auger bolts to the gear box with grade 2 bolts on my post hole digger and the directions that came with my post hole digger specify grade 2 bolts for the shear pins. This makes sense since cheap grade 2 bolts are widely available.
Eric

You have two shear pins where the auger bolts to the gear box?
That's what I have.

 

[TN8Man]

With standard split rail (3 x 6") a 9" auger is the minimum. You'll need a little slop when setting the post. As far as concrete, this is very soil dependant, but I don't use any concrete on line, corner, or gate posts. My clay based soil is more than adequate when tamped in with a 2x4.
You may want to rethink a 5' high fence to keep out deer. If they decide they want in they'll jump that.

Back to the drawing board.

 

[RjCorazza]

There are options, and certainly don't necessarily take my word on a 5' fence. When I was reading up on deer fence years ago 7' was the min recommended height. If they get popped on a shorter electric fence I suspect they would avoid the area entirely.
My neighbor uses motion activated sprinklers to keep deer from passing through his garden area with good results.

 

[Rebeldad1]

you may want to invest in a pto shaft with a slip clutch. i always worry which is stronger the constant breaking of shear bolts or the pto drive on the tractor.

 

[silverfox3402]

I always put a little "dent" where I want the hole with my hand operated hole diggers so the auger doesn't walk as bad starting the hole. I always have the hand diggers to do the final cleaning of the hole with me anyway.

Since it's usually at least several years since my previous use of the equip. I will place the auger and then get off the tractor to see if I'm aligned vertically the first couple of holes until I can visualize it from the seat.

I run my tractor maybe 1200 - 1500 rpm and keep my finger on my PTO button (electro/hydro pto) to stop it immediately when needed. If you have a clutch operated PTO of course your foot ought to be ready on or near the clutch pedal at all times.

My other hand stays on the 3 point lever to work it up & down. I will let it dig a little then raise the 3 pt quickly to sling the dirt off the flights and immediately lower it again but staying ready to pull it up if it starts digging too fast or hangs. If it hangs, I'll kill the pto switch and see what's happening/pull the auger up. Mine is mostly red clay with a lot of chert rocks but usually digs pretty well. On rare occassion I've had to hand dig a larger rock out to continue on but of the dozens & dozens of holes I've done I've never hung the auger hard in the ground.

Once you get the hang of it, it will go quickly for you. Of course you have to stop about mid-way and move your tractor usually back a little to keep the hole straight.

I think you're going to find that boring holes for fence posts is going to be more work than you figure - you'll need to go deeper than 2' if you think it's going to hold up. I did a couple dozen right at 4' deep and used a rock/tamping bar and the posts will always be a little loose - just this year I had to pound stakes around them to tighten them back up again. Driven posts for fences is the ticket !!

I used to use 2 augers. 1 small and 1 regular. The small one was used to make a pilot hole in the hard clay so as to be correct in depth and being level then drill with the larger auger after the little holes were the proper depth. Usually 3 ft. This would be after drilling 1000 holes for a large pasture fence.