Need a post hole dug cheap? A view by an un-handyman.
Written: Nov 11 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The price.
Cons: Wooden handles can't take a lot of pressure.
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| menomonee1's Full Review: Basics 170 Post Hole Digger |
When my wife and I purchased a home a few months ago, we were thrilled that it came with a 6' wooden privacy fence surrounding the back yard. But that soon became a nightmare when I found that the fence was not supported at the house by wooden posts, but instead it was screwed directly into the house. What that meant to us was that every time the wind blew hard, the screws were damaging the side of our home. Off I went to the local hardware store for wooden posts and a post hole digger.
For those of you who don't know how a post hole digger works I will try to explain. It looks like two shovels front to front, with a bolted hinge between them. You slam the shovels in to the ground and then pull the handles apart causing the two blades to come together picking up the dirt.
At the hardware store I found the post hole diggers. Around 15 different models, between $20.00 and $100.00. Some with padded handles, some with fancy alloy cutting blades. All I knew was that I had two holes to dig, and really, how hard could that be. I went with the cheapest that I could find. It came with wood handles without the fancy hand pads, and a normal steal cutting blade. The reason I went with the cheapest was that after digging two holes, I expected to place this post hole digger in the garage where it would not be used again. I purchased the Basics 170 Post Hole Digger.
Ok, I have my posts and my new post hole digger. I am ready for action. First hit at the ground with it netted me a whole two inches of dirt. Time for a break while I decide how I am going to get though this hard packed dirt. 30 minutes later I am back, this time armed with my garden hose. A little bit of water in the small dent I made in the ground and I am ready for the post hole digger again. The water helped. I am now making actual progress. I would dig a few inches and then fill up with more water to loosen the soil.
Ever step in a mud puddle and watch the muddy water fly? Well after 30 minutes of slamming this post hole digger in to a hole of muddy water I was completely covered in mud, but I had my hole dug.
Now for the pros of this product.
1. It was low in price and did the job. What more can you ask for.
The cons.
1.The cutting blade could have been a little sharper to make digging a bit easier.
2. I can see why some models offer the padded handle. My hands were sliding all over and left me a nice blister.
3. The wooden handles were not strong enough for me to pull as much pressure on them as I would have liked. I felt like they were going to snap.
The Basics 170 Post Hole Digger did the job it was intended to do. I am sure the higher dollars post hole diggers would of made the job easier to do and I would have purchased a better one if I had more then just two holes to dig. If money is tight, and the job you have to do is not very big, then this is a great post hole digger to have. If you have a lot of holes to dig, spend the extra money on one of the fancier models.
One hint of advice. When putting the dirt back in to the holes surrounding the posts, either take off your wedding ring or wear gloves. That will keep you from having to re-dig your hole looking for it.
Recommended:
Yes
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menomonee1
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Member: Alan Wenberg
Location: Olathe ks
Reviews written: 82
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