Understanding The Earth Auger

About The Earth Auger

An earth auger is the tool you need any time you have a need to build a fence, dig a hole or make a deck frame. While you could get the job done with a lesser tool, the auger will make the job so much faster. A power earth auger especially will allow you to dig as many as 30 holes in a single day. And it lets you make sure that the shape and size of each hole is consistent and uniform.

A Popular Earth Auger

One popular type of earth auger is the gasoline powered model. Used for surface drilling (environmental and geotechnical drilling and sampling, construction purposes and site investigation), the gasoline auger drill consists primarily of two parts: the drill bit and the engine.

Skid Steer Augers

In addition to the gasoline auger drill, there are also skid steer augers and, almost as popular as the gas model, there is also an electric model. And for the more high-tech digger, there are even ultrasonic augers.

Although an electric auger drill provides less noise and less noxious fumes, a gasoline-powered drill allows the user to drill larger boreholes. In addition, increased power and torque enables the user to dig in rougher terrain with comparable ease.

  • Whether gas or electrically powered, the auger is a large tool that usually has a screw which runs up the outside of its pipe-like core.

  • When the auger bores into the ground, the soil and dirt are carried up the screw as it rotates.

  • The user can dig four inch, six inch, eight inch or 12 inch diameter holes.

  • These holes can go as deep as three feet using a standard auger; it can go to four feet using an extension rod.

Perhaps the most recognizable part of an auger drill, the solid, helix drill bit attaches to the engine, providing enough depth to dig below the earth’s surface. Auger bits are typically manufactured from 6 mm to 600 mm (2 feet long), the latter known as particularly efficient for drilling boreholes.

Assessing The Engine Capabilities

Providing the power and torque to power the drill bit, it is particularly important to correctly assess the engine’s capabilities to meet the needs of a project. Costing anywhere from $100 - $1,000+, the price of gasoline-powered engines depend on a variety of options, such as:

  • single
  • dual
  • triple cylinders
  • air-cooling
  • horsepower

Handheld, one-person gasoline-powered augers can range from 2.3 horsepower (hp) to 3.2 hp, depending on the model. Industrial engines, some even manufactured by leaders in the car industry such as Ford or Honda, typically range from $10,000+. Industrial auger drills typically require more than one person to operate and attach to larger vehicles to provide a stable foundation for deep drilling.

Using The Auger

Let's discuss how to use the auger in a typical situation. Let's say you or your business has chosen to use a power auger for mineral core drilling. First, make sure you use only equipment with a good reputation. As an example, if you plan to do any shell auger drilling, Chevrolet augers are a better choice than some no-named brand that you can't trust.

Take Safety Into Account

It's important that you exercise proper safety. This means first of all that you should contact the local phone, electric and cable companies to ensure that you don't drill into buried cables. Skipping this step could result in serious injury or even death.

Map out the holes before you start digging. It's almost impossible to change your digging location after you've started.

A typical project will require a drill that is at least six inches; 8 to 12 inches is even better. These larger sizes, though, will require two people to operate it, so make sure that your job scene is properly manned.

The earth auger represents both power and convenience, as long as you do your research and maintain proper work and safety habits.