Post Hole Diggers

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How many holes ya' need to dig? In what kind of soil?

Mine is wood handled generic kind. 20+ years old. It's dug enough holes.....not sure where that dog was made.

Boy the one in picture looks nice.
 
i recently dug two holes to 24" for some 6x6 posts. i bought a digger with fiberglass handles which would flex more than wood but it had a scissor joint in the middle so the handles were shorter. this also meant that the handles didnt start hitting the sides of the hole.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=166315-302-1717200&lpage=none

however, after a certain depth a post hole digger just doesnt work. i had a little wrecking bar i would use to break up the bottom of the hole and used the post hole digger to clean up.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=119642-302-119642&lpage=none

i think i might have rented a post hole digger if i needed more than 6 holes.
 
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IMO, a hand post hole digger is only as good as the spud bar you have to accompany it. I wouldn't sweat the make/manufacturer of the digger.
 
Definently get fiberglass handles, more flex. Frequently check the bolts that hold the handles to the digger itself. Make sure the actual digger is made of metal.
 
Have dug many a post hole with generic wood handled diggers. Never have cared where made as long as they hold together. More than a couple of holes at a time warrants a two man power digger, or tractor with auger. If putting in a pipe fence, nothing faster than a tractor with front end loader and just pressing in the ground. If down in Austin rock country nothing short of pneumatic hammer for even T-post.
 
I saw someone drilling holes with a 3/4" angle drive drill and a big auger bit. I did not see if much of what he was doing but he was putting up a chain link fence. Other than him I have never seen such a setup.
 
Thanks for the responses so far. Soil will be north Alabama clay.

I think that 6' handles instead of 4' handles would help. Anyone know of a company that sells PHD (piled higher & deeper
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) w/ 6' handles?
 
some years ago i bought a gas powered post hole auger with a 6 inch bit. man this has got to be one of the best tools invented.
why break you're back with some piece of junk manual post hole digger and a digging bar?
thats is for poor people in 3rd world country's.

buy or rent a gas powered unit.
 
Parts of Alabama have been called a 3rd world country before so there ya go.
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Truper Herramientas makes the Mintcraft brand. They are a Mexican company so finding information on their product is impossible & useless when so many companies make them in the US.

Seymour makes all of their products in the US and are based in Indiana. Both of these products have > 4' hardwood handles.
Seymour Perfection Diggers
Hercules Diggers

Nupla makes their stuff in the USA as well. They have fiberglass handles in 4', 6', 8', and 10' variants.
Nupla Tools
PDF File

Ames out of Camp Hill, PA has two models that are possibilities but I don't yet know where they are manufactured.
Kodiak model 1706100 is $35 locally.
Level Best LBPHD has an integral 2-way level on handle.
PDF File

Corona Clipper model that I liked the best is the PD60000 and is available locally for $45. It is made in Brazil.
Linky

Union Tools (are they not the same as Ames?) has two possibilities but I don't know country of origin.
Item #78005 with 4' ash handle
Item #78006 with 4' fiberglass handle.

Westward (Grainger) has two items as well but seem expensive compared to their competitors.
Item #3MD47 with 48" fiberglass handle, $73.45.
Item #3KV60 with 48" ash handle, $60.15.

What about a steel-handled one? The last 19" is fiberglass clad.
Steel handle PHD
 
you can only go a couple of feet down with the style of digger like the corona due to the distance between the handles when spread apart. if you go down 3 feet your hole has to be a 2 foot cone shape. that becomes significant when digging in hard clay with a digging bar and you have several holes to go.
 
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But with a 4' PHD, there is more stooping over when you get past the surface dirt. Peavey Mfg PHD is the best place that could be found. No one could order the Seymour long handle. I couldn't find anyone to order any of the Nupla especially with the 72" or greater handles.
 
I have what looks like the Ames 'D'. Bought it years ago, works well, lots of holes obviously take more time. Make sure you have a digging bar for rocks.
 
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