Just realized I've set over 500 posts by hand this year alone

I was adding up my invoices and it hit me, that's a lot of holes dug with a manual post hole digger. It made me wonder if I'm just being stubborn avoiding a power auger for smaller jobs. Do you guys think a manual digger is still worth the effort, or am I just wasting my own time?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix_hayes641mo ago

Manual diggers are fine for a few posts, but 500 is a lot of work. You're probably burning more time than you're saving on those smaller jobs. Ever thought about renting an auger for a weekend to try it out?

the_wyatt1mo ago

Have you ever actually used a rented auger on a weekend? The line at the rental place eats up half your Saturday, and if you hit a single big rock, you're stuck. For 500 holes, you'd need a commercial rig anyway. A manual digger with a good blade is slow but reliable, and you don't waste half your day dealing with broken rental equipment.

stellachen1mo agoTop Commenter

Actually saw a crew using a tow-behind auger on a tractor for a big fence job last month. Felix_hayes64 has a point about speed, but that setup costs real money. For 500 holes, your back might give out with a manual digger, but renting something small could still fight you on rocky ground. Maybe splitting the job, manual for the easy spots and a rental for the open areas, saves the most headache.