An auger is a device to drill wood or other materials, consisting of a rotating metal with a blade at the end that scrapes or cuts the wood. The classical design has a helical screw blade winding around the bottom end of the shaft. The lower edge of the blade is sharpened and scrapes the wood. The rest of the blade lifts the chips out of the way. It is powered with two hands, by a t-shaped handle attached to the top of the shaft. As a simple machine, the auger has been around for many centuries. Manual augers were hand-operated and often used for woodworking and other similar tasks. As the technology evolved, more simple machines like augers were tied to engines or electrical motors to become powerful tools. Motorized augers are currently used in a variety of industries, especially in farming or agriculture operations. The development of an earth auger represents how new technology has replaced a primitive tool with a sophisticated one and more modern versions have elaborated auger bits with multiple blades in various positions.
TYPES OF EARTH AUGER
Earth augers are now categorized as basic equipment for most homesteads, especially for farming. These machines are quickly replacing most of the manual jobs such as digging holes for fencing, planting trees as well as construction. One thing that makes these machines popular is their outstanding performance. Below are three types of earth augers.
Hand Auger
This is one of the simplest types of earth augers that you can find in the market. They are hand-driven or hand drills. They are very light and ideal for simple jobs that would require less effort. They are widely used in planting small trees, gardening, digging small holes, and planting shrubs. The drilling bit diameter ranges from 4” to 8inches” which is ideal for small tasks. They are also inexpensive.
One Man Auger
This is an improvement of the hand auger. However, unlike the hand auger, it can either be powered by an engine or battery. The fact that they are engine-powered, makes the job easier. Additionally, it is designed to dig deeper holes and is faster than the hand auger. One-man augers are designed to be light-weighted hence, making them suitable for making holes to plant a couple of saplings or putting up a small fence. This auger can also be used for drilling through thick ices.
Two Man Auger
As the name suggests, these augers require two persons to be operated. This tool is suitable for digging many and larger holes. The holes made by these augers are more in-depth and broader than the one-person Auger. This digging tool is large and is heavy, which is a given fact depending on the size of the holes. Usually, they are powered by either a 2-cycle or a 4-cycle engine. When erecting a strong fence, this is the kind of drilling machine that is required.
USES OF AN EARTH AUGER
Install Termite Bait Stations– Termites are a big nuisance and but their presence isn’t always visible in the beginning. A subterranean infestation calls for aggressive action. For exterminators, an earth auger makes it much easier to install a termite bait station.
Plant Bulb– A garden bulb planter is a specialized bulb planting auger that allows you to dig perfectly spaced holes of an even depth for your bulbs. These tools are designed to be used with any power drill, which gives you the freedom to use a bulb digger cordlessly.
Post Hole Digging- Larger augers aren’t just for planting gallon pots. They can also be used to dig post holes. Contractors can use them when installing decks, fences, or other projects that require a lot of digging. Homeowners will find an auger that makes tasks such as digging holes for a mailbox post a much easier job.
Remove Clogs– Augers can clear straight stretches of the drain. Use a correctly sized auger in PVC drain lines to remove clogs.
Dig Horizontally-Sometimes; the job requires you to dig horizontally. If you need to run plumbing or conduit beneath a sidewalk, then an auger is the only way to make a hole without tearing a section of the sidewalk.
Tilling Garden Beds- The earth auger tools make it easy to weed garden beds, loosen soil and get rid of the larvae of harmful pests. Tilling with an auger can cut down on the amount of work you have to do for a new or large garden.
Digging Irrigation Trenches– If you need to dig out trenches for irrigation or sprinkler system, augers can make the job simpler and faster. There’s no need to rent expensive equipment or pay a contractor to do what you can accomplish with one of these machines and a little bit of time. You could potentially save lots of money.
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