9" in diameter big holes . Thru rocky ground with a lot of roots . And 24" deep , but I didn't do it by hand this time , I rented a powered auger . Things I learned include when you feel the auger start bumping get it outta the hole NOW ! Rocks usually just stop the machine from drilling deeper , but a root can and will trap the auger and suck it down faster than it can dig , stalling the machine . Then ya gotta uncouple the power head (this is driven via a drive cable and torque arm to a worm and pinion) from the auger and use a wrench to reverse it out of the hole . Don't forget to cut that root before you continue ... any way , the reason for this task is to build a carport structure over our camper . It'll be 12' wide and 11' tall clear dimensions , and 30 feet long to accommodate the camper and both Harleys . That's bigger than needed for the camper both wide and tall , but we're considering moving up to an RV in the future , it's going to be big enough for anything but a Class A (I think that's the big'uns) which is way bigger than we're considering . And my back still hurts , but nowhere near as much as if I'd dug those holes by hand .
Well Tim , that's the difference between you and I . I've always been a hands-on kinda guy . I'd much rather do it myself than pay some jackleg to f*ck it up and still end up doing it RIGHT myself . I work on my own car , my own motorcycles , I'm building my own house and since I have a well-equipped machine shop with 4 different kinds of welders I do that stuff for myself too - and others , if I like them . The end result of doing for myself is a massive collection of tools , money in the bank that I didn't pay someone else , and a great deal of personal satisfaction . BTW , I worked in many aspects of construction over the years , retired as a master cabinet maker . I'm the guy that built the $35,000 reception desks with exotic wood inlays and curved sections .
The thing about this unit is that it's uncontrolled gravity feed . By the time I finished my 8th hole I had it figured out . You brace your leg under the torque rod and pull the thing out of the ground far enough to clear some dirt from it every few inches . Takes some of the load off and makes it much easier to control . Here's a link to the ad for this unit:
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The head with a 9" auger weighs probably 75-80 pounds .
My old neighbour - Reg - had no electricity or running water - but he had 3 Ford 8N s !
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Each had a name and a separate purpose and according to Reg a personality ... One Christmas, we sat by his stove and listened to scratchy Johnny Cash - 78 rpm - on his crank-up player .. .. and had a beer. John T.
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