What size auger?

[davesisk]

Hey folks, your advice please. I think I found a buyer for my 24" auger that I really don't have much use for. (I've already got too many trees, so I certainly don't want to plant more!)

I'll of course have to buy one or two to replace it. I'll be helping a friend put up fence posts later in the year. Who knows, at some point I might need to dig some deck footings. I'm thinking a 6" might be too small even for 4x4 fence posts (given that they'll be concreted in). I'm thinking a 9" would probably be a good choice.

What size is normally used for deck footings? 9" or 12"? (Don't tell me 24"! <g>)

Dave

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Dave:
9 inch is a good all around size for fencing. If you plan to use railroad ties or old telephone poles, however, you may want to go to 12. You need enough around the post to adjust for any out of plumb, and to allow a good tamper beside the post, but not so much that you break your budget for concrete.
Incidentally, there are a number of posts on fencing, and some mention that concrete on wood posts promotes rot. I've never used concrete, but my fence experience is pasture type and setting posts in the dirt has seemed to work pretty well.
Search the fence threads and you'll find all sorts of advice and opinion.

 

[Carpenter]

Dave, For footings or posts poured in concrete, the 12" would be the way to go. It also gives you some room to adjust for the auger not drilling exactly where it should; which is often the case. If you're doing tamped posts the 9" would be better.

 

[Buck]

Couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me to dig some post holes for his fence. He said he'd buy half of a PHD for the effort. I bought the 12", forgetting that he'd asked for 9". We went about 38" - 40" deep for 4x4's.

What we found is exactly what you say, the bigger auger is nice because you often dig off vertical. For safty reasons, you don't want to have someone guiding the auger as it digs!

Buck