Ice Auger for post hole digger

[BAKERMAN]

A friend gave me his old ice auger...I was wondering if an ice auger could be used for digging post holes? I would not use my current one, but may use this older one....Anyone have any experience with this? Thoughts?

Thanks

Bakerman

[The_Duckslayer]

I would say that it would not work the best. There isn't much of a "wingspan" on them to hold them steady when drilling terra firma. You would be better off giving it to some one else that does not have an auger... like me! Really though, I think that it would be real hard on it and would tear it up pretty quick. Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[jweitgen]

You should check out Jiffy's HSOforum. They show that very same thing on there. I don't know if it is a different auger or not.

[Ryan_V]

you can buy an auger specifically for drilling post holes, go the the jiffy HSOforum and check them out, they would work much better than an ice auger

[kb1965]

I have used my old Jiffy and it worked like a charm. Left the blade on and drilled away. I put in approximately 30 holes so far with mine and it still cuts ice like a champ when needed, with a new blade on it though. When I want to drill a dirt hole I just switch blades around.

kevin

[The Grebe]

Bakerman...I have two bits and a couple sets of blades for my strikemaster and I have used it with great success on many occassions for digging post holes!

I have put in at least 6 splitrail and standard fences in varied types of soil and I hav'nt had a problem? I even have the auger marked with floresent orange paint for standard post hole depth.

Even the regulation, power post hole digger, is'nt going to bore through rock! The only thing that takes a thumping is the single blade and since I have an old beat up one that I use, no problem, nothing else gets hurt!

It works for me and I put in a fence, a post, hand rails, whatever, for a client every once in awhile.

[The_Duckslayer]

Well, I appear to stand corrected! Though I do not have one yet I would not have thought that they would stand up to that. I know that boring in mother earth is harder than boring into ice and I guess I just thought that it would tear up an ice auger. Did not know that they were engineered that well. I am getting one this fall when they come back onto the market. I have been saving up my Fleet Farm gift certificates and have about enough to get one already and Fathers day is still coming! Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Bobcat45]

Well when I bought my eskimo last winter they told me that the ice auger head was the same as the eskimo earth augers. They do make a special bit for dirt it has a spring mounted on the shaft so if you hit rocks and such that the spring adsorbs some of the shock. Bobcat

[The Grebe]

Duckslayer....I did'nt start using my augers for post hole digging, until the newness wore off of them. I even dug some with an old 33 cc Magnum. I think it was a 33 cc, I know it was'nt a 49 cc.

I just take it easy and feather it in, I don't go full throttle down to the mark. It beat a hand post hole digger and it is dual purpose...it gets the job done in two different arenas!

[river-rat4]

My next door neighbor used his older StrikeMaster for fencing. I would not recommend this. His has NEVER ran the same since. The angle of the blades and flutes are different than The earth augers. He has been having problems with his clutch. Was talking about bringing it to Big Lake (StrikeMaster factory) to have it looked at. I think he hit roots and rocks and that is really hard on them.

I have an Eskimo Earthquake, made for boring holes in the ground. It has a smaller (2 1/2x6" long) "fish tail" tip for chewing up the earth loosening it up for the blades. It works very well. Yes, it does have the spring to absorb some of the torsion on the powerhead.

I want to say it only cost around $200-$250. Well worth it.

Good luck with whatever you do- Brandt

[SlaPPy]

well i guess my old jiffy digs a nice hole in the ground because my dad told me that i sould change the blade on it after ice went out because he had dug some holes with it last summer and didnt tell me.

[river-rat4]

To each his own.

By the way, could you hand me the cordless drill? I need to sink that 16 penny nail!

[BAKERMAN]

Thanks for all the posts....spent yesterday getting the old auger tuned up...she runs like she is still new...will try her on the post hole digger if it ever stops raining

Thanks again

[irvingdog]

I bet you could sell the old auger for 80 bucks, and rent a post hole digger for 40..............

[riverrat56]

True, but if he needs to use it more than one time, he doesn't gain a thing......

[mpester]

My father gave me an Earthquake power head. I got an ice auger bit for it and use it for ice fishing. If I were to use it for a post hole digger, I would get a post hole bit. The power head will drill a hole in earth or ice but I would not use the ice auger bit to drill in the dirt.

[ethan77]

I agree with most of you guys... I used a old auger head on my strikmaster auger... and it worked just as good as if it were ice... drilled great holes

[Gus]

So did you ever give her a try? How did it turn out?

[mudman]

I think the biggest factor is what type of soil are you drilling in. rocky = problem

[The Grebe]

Mudman...Rocks are a problem for any drill, as are larger roots. I've used my ice auger in softer soils, with smaller obstacles, on a number of occassions....I have a set of beat up blades I switch to when digging.

If I was going to do a job for a client in an area with alot of potential root problems, or whatever, I'd rent the real deal.

[mudman]

I am right with you!

stick a drill on the front of the bobcat and meow!!!

but yes, I know it works well with softer soils,even clay just clarifying for people that think it might be all purpose??

[BAKERMAN]

This past week it finally got dry enough to use the ice auger for the post holes. I was amazed that the 8 inch ice auger had no problems at all going thru this sandy soil.

The only issue was for the first few inches the auger was fighting with grass and wet top soil....once it went thru this it was easy.

Had to make sure that I cleaned the tip of the auger each time I started a new hole...otherwise the buildup would be too great and it would not get a grip. Drilled a total of 14 holes ....

Overall very pleased with the old auger. Will keep it just for this ready for the next job...saving my newer ice auger for the new season of ice fishing

[The Grebe]

Bakerman...Might get a little binding on the grass, but it beats the he11 out of the two handled post hole digger, thats for sure!

[BAKERMAN]

The Grebe...Cannot imagine using the old post hole digger....the auger saved time and made the job easy..saved the old back too..have a great week

[federline]

Ha! this is too cool, an excuse to use your ice auger in summertime! Glad it worked out. I wouldn't have dared to do that here, where I have basketball sized rocks lurking under the topsoil. I rented one of those tow-able counterbalance augers with the big electric start honda engine. For $70 I was done with 8 holes (4 12 inch and 4 8 inch) in 2 hours taking my time. It threw rocks the size of softballs out of the hole! Good to know my ol' Strikemaster Mag 3000 might come in handy someday, tho.