Post hole auger - Advice appreciated

[Anthony B]

Hi,
I bought a 2.6 HP petrol post hole borer. This has an 8" auger. It is supposedly a 1 man machine. I am drilling into flinty earth. I get massive kick backs when I hit the flint which in some cases is extemely wild (and painful). Even with 2 men on it it is difficult to handle. Is this an inherent problem with these machines or am I doing something wrong. Help appreciated as I can't take any more punnishment.

[lutonlagerlout]

yes it is an inherant problem mate,i know loads of lads who have bought them,and they are all sitting idle in garages and lock ups.
i used one for my rear garden fence and i would say on 3 of the 10 holes my colleague and i were sent flying
i dont know anyone who has ever had any luck with these
better off getting a welder to weld an old shovel head (ground down to 5 inches) onto a 15 steel bar ,then using this for post holes,i can do a 600m hole in 15 mins with this little tool ,you just keep hitting the ground in a circle but because theres no handle there is no jarring,and the weight of the bar helps
hope this helps mate
cheers LLL

[dig dug dan]

Absolutely right!
They are useless round here.Fine in norfolk, but they will not tolerate a flint.
I have one on the back of my compact tractor, and sometimes it has stalled the engine on a flit. It even destroyed an auger once!
The best one man augers are the diggers. They have a angine on a frame, which drives a hydraulic pump, then two long arms coming out with the auger attached. It cant snatch, and it has a reverse if you get it stuck. they are about £2000 mind you.
They other really useful tool is a pickaxe head jammed into a scaffold bar. It smashed and prys away at the flints

[Stuarty]

Ive had success with these machines only once. And it wasnt for post holes, it was for about 1800 shrubs. Only worked well in the thick clay. The boss got fed up buying spades after I broke the 4th one. I dont like these cos they seem to loosen up the surrounding ground. I like using a dive, although heard it called a digger. Bout 6 foot tall, with a 6inch wide blade thats about a foot high. damn good, and strong.

[lutonlagerlout]

I like using a dive

sounds like you got the proper tool stuarty ,mine is just homemade,but the principle is the same.
why is it the last 50 mm is always the worst when digging 600mm holes????
i agree as well about loosening the surrounding soil they churn the lot up big time
cheers LLL

[Stuarty]

if its not the last wee bit of the hole its the start, usually slap bang ontop of a rock heh. Im sure i must have done something bad in a previous life sometimes