Construction types....Question

[Methanolandbrats]

I'm building a 12x16 foot addition to my family room. It will be a post and beam foundation, knotty pine theme and scissor truss ceiling. Existing windows will be a walk through since there is a header above the windows. So now to the point, I rented a tow behind auger to drill my footing holes. I need nine holes four feet deep. At about two feet I hit clay and all the auger did is spin and polish the hole. I took it back. I think I need a Bobcat with Auger and the appropriate bit, I don't think it's possible to dig these by hand, this clay is tough and a post hole digger barely makes a dent. Ideas?

[stroker]

ANFOS is your friend...


:)

[Methanolandbrats]

ANFOS is your friend...


:)
Too much backfilling :gomer:

[G.]

Ask neighbors. Ask the city. Ask anyone possible that will not try to sell/rent you something.

A buddy ran into this. Started by renting the single-man PHDigger. No way. Then rented the 2-man PHD. That one threw him and his dad once the bit bit. They pulled that out of the ground and took it back to the rental shop.

They went with the end loader. I think they skipped the Bobcat step.

Your hard clay layer may just be a half-foot thick or so (it is in my yard), so an end loader may be overkill.

Again, I'd ask someone that's done it in the 'hood.

[chop456]

Also - don't trust We Energies utility-marking monkeys. They almost caused me to be dead. :D

I hope you hit a diesel gusher. :thumbup:

[redmist]

do you know anyone, farmer or landscaper etc, with a tractor and a 3 point post hole digger? you could maybe rent one but it would probably cost as much as a bobcat.

[Methanolandbrats]

Found a guy who is foundation contractor and he's slow now. Will come over and finish the holes for $250-300 :thumbup:

[nrc]

Did your auger bit have some kind of pilot bit or other doodad to help it get bite? Looking at post hole diggers for my fence project it looked like some bits may be more effective for clay than others.

[Methanolandbrats]

Did your auger bit have some kind of pilot bit or other doodad to help it get bite? Looking at post hole diggers for my fence project it looked like some bits may be more effective for clay than others.

The one I had was a generic bit I later found out was for sandy and normal soils. It had a little nub in the middle and two or three flat teeth. They clogged with clay right away and it became a 9 hp clay polisher. I think the bits for clay look like rock bits with many nubs sticking out in all directions, I'll find out late this week.