I’m looking to build something in the garden. I will need to dig eight two foot deep 4 inch square post holes. I was wondering if a post hole borer might save some time.

What sort of ground can they bore into, can they cope with tree roots?

they are good, make sure you get one with a clutch, when the grab at something hard they can sent you flying. They can cope with roots, not big ones… they just get caught up much like a rotavator does.

as you only have 8 holes to do, what about these:

Ok if its not too stony, but they can stop dead on big roots. Used one with a dud brake once and each time we hit a root it spun us round like helicopter blades. Quite fun after a while.

For only 8 holes just get what Neil suggested, much less faff!

For only 8 holes just get what Neil suggested, much less faff!

In the past I have just used a spade and a heavy pinch bar. It works fine where the ground is reasonably open, but is pretty hard work where there are a lot of stones.

The spot I have in mind was terraced so I suspect there may be some foundation hardcore beneath the surface.

was the bar a digging bar ?, as I’ve used a digging bar and glove/trowel(to pull out loose) that worked pretty well and minimized dig area.

was the bar a digging bar ?,

It was more of a heavy duty piece of hexagonal rod with a point.

Goes off to google digging bar.

Used one last spring for about 12 posts for a fence and gate. Don’t even think about renting the one man version. Get the two man one and get a friend over. They can really throw you if they catch a root or rock.

+1 for the manual method.

If the ground is soft enough for a one man motorised borer you’ll be almost as quick (and neater) doing it by hand.

Dug plenty of holes with one of theses but a bog standard spade and maybe a bar is all you need, especially if you are only going down 2ft.

1. Watch for cables
2. Watch for pipes
3. Watch for drains
4. Watch your wrists

Sez the voice of experience.

Ensure you know wherethe mains cables enter the property, along with drains , water pipe and cable tv.

Oh and gas as well, sometimes they dont all have a front entry, Up the drive.

Post hole borers like your pic are good up to a point buy they can fling you about a bit, even with a clutch, when they hit obstructions. I had to site a sculpture that needed 10 holes – only on arrival was I told that the site, a park, was on the site of row of demolished houses, which had then been a roads materials depot- every hole a unique battle. I started at 9am and didn’t get off site til nearly midnight!

Watch your wrists

and the ligaments in your knees when it breaks free, spins and smacks them sideways

There are bigger freestanding borers that can be operated by one person and are much better behaved – will seem like overkill but thats because they’ll do the job really quickly and easily, and without pain or rude words

Hired theres not usually that much difference price wise between them and the smaller two man ones

McM – you see serious ones on the back of tractors, sometimes. Isn’t that more your style?

And is this to be another woodshed?

Why not manual?

what neilforrow said is a great idea. Where are you based?

+1 neilforrow… if you’re near cheltenham you can borrow mine.

Dave

McM – you see serious ones on the back of tractors, sometimes. Isn’t that more your style?

And is this to be another woodshed?

Access will be difficult over a mossy lawn.

Not a woodshed but this –

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/diy-garden-pavilion-ideas

We drove in 12 posts ‘dry’ – just used a long crow for guide holes and used a sledge hammer and spirit level as we went. Not one moves a fraction.

Have used a Stihl post borer for most of these:

The leading edge of the auger has a sacrificial blade. These wear out and cost quite a bit to replace. Hire ones dont tend to replace them as often as they should – blunt leading blades make for VERY hard work. Stony ground is a git, clays and loams are quite satisfying.

Never hit a root so cant comment.

Personally for 8 Id be mor ethan happy to use one of these (the narrow blade is quite tightly curved) and the hole scoops neil posted. Very therapeutic.

a JCB 210 excavator not to bad at pushing them in 😉

I used a 2-man auger with a ‘work’ colleague who I couldn’t stand…
He was much bigger and taller than me and as the ground was dry and hard we had to really grip the bars and I had my torso pushing on the bar to really get stuck in.
We hit a rock/root and the auger started to spin me like a round-a-bout for a short time.
But I was leaning over the bar with it wedged in my stomach. Being taller and heavier he was a bit more relaxed before it hit the rock. When the bar began spinning on his side, it went straight out of his hands and straight into his nuts.
I’m not sure I’ve laughed so hard since! He went down like a sack of spuds and wasn’t able to stand for quite some time. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke.

Check for services before you start digging.

The types of spade pictured above are good, however you can knacker your hand/wrist if forcing it into the ground and you hit gravels it will just stop.

You want that design, but with a longer shaft with no handle on the end, this way if it hits anything it just slides through your hands. Also as the handle is longer when you get deeper you don’t need to dig on your knees.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/long-handled-fencing-spade/invt/199088/