Replies

1. 
   Dam_inspector | May 10, 2009 04:33am | #1

   That looks slick, priced OK. I wonder how tough it really is.

2. 
   DanH | May 10, 2009 04:37am | #2

   My question would be whether you can exert enough force with that leverage to effectively hold the dirt during removal. Seems like it should be easier pushing the handles together like that vs pulling them apart, but you're still losing a lot of leverage vs the standard scheme.

   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith
1. 
   bobbys | May 10, 2009 09:27am | #6

   I would think you would be considerate enough not to put your tag line outside of the tavern.

1. 
   Dam_inspector | May 10, 2009 03:56pm | #8

   You can set your preferences to not view taglines. I keep mine turned off because I get tired of them taking up viewing space. And some are too long, as well as annoying.

2. 
   DanH | May 10, 2009 04:26pm | #9

   When have you ever known me to be considerate?
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

3. 
   BillHartmann | May 10, 2009 05:40am | #3

   There are several kinds of post hole diggers.

   http://www.terrierman.com/phd.htm

   On TOH they have mentioned the Boston Digger several times.

   But they are very expensive.

   And an auger digger.

   http://www.usahardware.com/inet/shop/item/90450/icn/20-129544/seymour/au_a2.htm

   I don't see the problem that Dan suggest.

   You are only trying to capture the small amount of dirt in the clams so I don't see that a lot of force is needed.

   .
   William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
1. 
   Mongo | May 10, 2009 07:07am | #4

   I've used three of the types on your link. 1) Traditional
   2) Boston Digger
   3) The Hole Deal, but we called it "double-jointed"The Boston Digger I didn't care for. Too much up and down to loosen the dirt, and to really dig it required too much moving of the hands. Once the dirt was loose it pulled it out of the hole fine. But it did take longer to dig a hole with the BD.Traditional is what I have now. I've dug many a hole with it, but it is depth limited. I prefer wood handles over fiberglass, good FG is okay, but cheap FG diggers, the handles flex too much. Sometimes you just can;t get good purchase on a loose stone with flexing handles.My uncle made a version the Hole Deal when I was a kid, which we called a "double jointed digger". All steel, weighed I can't tell you how much, but it dug and dug and dug. I pounded in thousands of metal fence posts and dug probably 800 or 900 post holes when I was a teenager, fencing in horses and cattle. I'd dig down about 4' and drop in 8" square by 12' long creosote soaked fence posts. Gawd I hate creosote to this day. 35 years later though and the fences are still standing.I reroofed my Mom's house a couple of years ago, one of the things I was looking for in the barn to bring back home with me was the double-jointed post hole digger. It was no where to be found. The bolted on blades of the Hole Deal digger worry me a bit. I have a lot of stone here in CT, I'd be worried about shearing off a soft bolt. But I might just get me one of those.

4. 
   Ted W. | May 10, 2009 08:56am | #5

   That's the same thing I have, made by Ridgid and sold at Home Depot. Works great!

   ~ Ted W ~

   Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.net
   See my work at TedsCarpentry.com

5. 
   BossHog | May 10, 2009 02:07pm | #7

   I've never seen a set of those used. I wonder how strong the handle is at the hinge point. Seems like it would be easy to bend the handles.

   OTOH - On deep holes it could be useful due to the limited handle travel. But I don't dig too many deep holes - Mostly just post holes.

   Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss. [Ralph Waldo Emerson]

1. 
   Sawdaddy | May 10, 2009 08:46pm | #11

   Hi Fellas,Thanks for the replies.
   I'm concerned with most of things mentioned here too. They look like they may not be that tough. I guess I won't know that until I try 'em out.What Dan said occured to me too. If ya gotta pull up a rock outta the bottom of a deep hole, will they exert enough force to squeeze the thing tightly enough to lift it?I've used the Boston Diggers before and didn't like them. They work pretty good, but something about the ergonomics of the thing makes them uncomfortable for me to use. I've got a nice manual auger that works fantastic. But, boy, is that thing slow.Ted, I have never seen these in Home Depot before. (Or anywhere for that matter.) I'll have to look a little closer next time I'm in there.
   Are they the Hole Deal brand? Boss, That's exactly why these things look good to me. Deep holes. When I have to dig a deep hole with regular clamshells, I gotta dig out the top of the hole just so I can open the diggers enough to work.(I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know there...)
   And we dig a lot of deep holes. We have a 42" frost line here and we usually go a little deeper and pour concrete in the bottom of the hole. So a straight sided hole all the way down means quite a bit less digging.

1. 
   wrudiger | May 10, 2009 10:51pm | #12

   I've got the Ridgid version; very sturdy tool and resolves the problem of widening the top of the hole.  I start with the normal digger then shift to the offset one about 2 feet down; dug to 3' no problem.  The 6' digging bar is a highly recommended accessory - for digging and for tamping back in if needed...

1. 
   DanH | May 10, 2009 11:01pm | #13

   "Offset" reminds me that there's another variant: A conventional digger only with the handles bent so they cross each other. You still have the problem of the handles limiting the hole depth, but you can get about a foot deeper before it's a problem.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

1. 
   wrudiger | May 11, 2009 07:27am | #14

   Yep, that's the one I have - with the crossover handles.  I'm guessing they open to around 16" or so - a little wider than most holes I dig but as you say good for another foot before that's an issue.  The thing for me is that they are very solid, much sturdier looking than the ones that started this thread.

6. 
   wood4rd | May 10, 2009 04:55pm | #10

   I use a long digging bar for breaking up the soil, and then pull the it out with the traditional post hole digger. The hole diggers dont work very good in hard clay, or if you hit a rock or tree roots. The digging bar is heavy, about 5' long with a spade type end on it.
     

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   Edited 5/10/2009 9:59 am by wood4rd

   
   

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   Edited 5/10/2009 10:08 am by wood4rd