Holey-Moley post hole digger - vacuum extration

[sirsloop]

Anyone ever see or use this tool? I have some post holes I need to dig in a tight space. I don't think an auger will be able to get in there, and even a post hole digger would be hard to use. Looks like you just set this sucker down, kick it on an twist it a little to cut.

Vacuum Assisted Post Hole Digger

Dig smarter, not harder. Versatile Sizes: Available in 4", 5", and 6" diameters to fit your project needs. Deep Digging: Reaches depths of 4.5 feet, extendable up to 20 feet. Powerful & Convenient: Connects to any standard shop vacuum with a 2-1/2" hose. Built for Tough Soils: Works great...

cat6tools.com

 

[sirsloop]

 

[sirsloop]

doubful how well this would work in NJ clay... seems like a much better tool to cut through western hard pack

 

[Bucko]

Pretty interesting tool but at the $500+ price point I would be looking for something with an engine on it. I know you said for use in tight spaces but the distance of the handles can't be too much smaller than a small power auger.

 

[sirsloop]

yeah its crazy pricey, plus you gotta bring a shop vac.

 

[ATC]

For $500+, I'd hire someone to dig a hole or two, many times over

 

[Ton ton]

Looks like a gimmick for East coast people like myself.

 

[mark-NJ]

Looks like a Lenox bi-met holesaw with some welded reinforcements & pipe adapters. I think you could make one for a small amount of cash.

I'm surprised that shopvac has the lift capacity to such dirt that high. Dirt's pretty heavy. He says you can add additional pipe sections in 3 foot lengths...no way that vac is going to lift that much.

 

[earl84]

If your soil isn't rocky, you can use a pressure washer that has a turbo nozzle on it, and **** up the rest with a shopvac. Kind of a DIY hydrodrilling.

 

[JradM]

I've dug post holes with a shop vac. It's not my preferred method, but works in a pinch. Surprisingly well actually. $500 attachment not required.

Just get a long metal rod and poke at the ground as you vacuum.

 

[mike93lx]

$500 for that? Almost feels like an April fool's joke

 

[sirsloop]

i mean I could just cut some teeth in a fence post with a grinder/hack saw, ******** a handle, and duct tape a vacuum to the top LOL

 

[Blueshound_GJ]

My neighborhood is on a glacial moraine. You would get about 2.38 inches deep with that thing before hitting a rock larger than the shop vac hose. The ad says it's not for rocky soils though.

 

[JradM]

I feel like one of the "turn-y type" post hole augers, combing with a shop vac, would basically do the same thing.

E.g. all the work digging holes manually relates to throwing the digger down to embed it in the soil - or pulling it back out of the hole once loaded up.

Granted, you wouldn't be digging and vacuuming at the same time, but otherwise it would be very similar.

Also, if you need this because of a one-time-use project, it would be way cheaper to just pay someone to come do it for you. That way, you wouldn't even break a sweat.

Edited to add a photo of the style I'm talking about:

 

[billconner]

I feel like one of the "turn-y type" post hole augers, combing with a shop vac, would basically do the same thing.

E.g. all the work digging holes manually relates to throwing the digger down to embed it in the soil - or pulling it back out of the hole once loaded up.

Granted, you wouldn't be digging and vacuuming at the same time, but otherwise it would be very similar.

Also, if you need this because of a one-time-use project, it would be way cheaper to just pay someone to come do it for you. That way, you wouldn't even break a sweat.

Edited to add a photo of the style I'm talking about:

Those work great! Dug 30 or more holes for 4x4 fence posts. Had one by s gate, ordered a 12' for that but they sent a 14', and I added 1/2" pipe extension and dug to 8' deep. That post was set. Works in heavy clay or sandy soil. Doesn't take much space.

 

[WWheeler]

OP says there wouldn't be room for one so this wouldn't work I suppose but thought I'd mention I bought HF's predator gas power auger for $80 with a coupon 10 years or so ago (they want twice that or more nowadays) just hoping it would let my dig a few holes for a fence this one time. lol. It greatly prefers moist or wet soil (if it's real dry I wet the spot with a hose prior to digging) and really doesn't like rocks or roots but for those I've managed to defeat them so far with a 60" slate wrecking bar and a folding pruning saw and even a cordless reciprocating saw. It was weird to start the first time because the choke lever is labeled backwards but once I figured that out it ran great. I've since used it to dig hundreds of holes on my property and other's, and I've let my family and friends borrow it and to my astonishment it keeps coming back running. I do have to supply and school everyone on the proper mix and non-ethanol fuel for it, and I have had to buy a new auger bit once and even added a 2' extension. As far as HF purchases go this was one of the best ever in my case.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

I like the descriptions on the web site, tells the good and bad. Even says it will cut through phone cables … wonder how he knows.

 

[Wrench97]

doubful how well this would work in NJ clay... seems like a much better tool to cut through western hard pack

Clay? all I see in Jersey is sand............................................

 

[sirsloop]

Clay? all I see in Jersey is sand............................................

thats all on the shore and south jersey. Im in central jersey... its fertile soil and clay undernealth around here

 

[mike93lx]

thats all on the shore and south jersey. Im in central jersey... its fertile soil and clay undernealth around here

The nice thing about clay is you can dig a hole the exact size you need. The bad thing about clay is that it ***** to dig

 

[speed bump]

I've always thought about using my shop vac for digging holes but where I'm at everything is decomposed granite so you can dig a post hole pretty quickly with just about anything.

Unless the clay is really sticky I would suspect it would work okay but I would probably build my own version to test before I considered buying one.

 

[mike93lx]

I've always thought about using my shop vac for digging holes but where I'm at everything is decomposed granite so you can dig a post hole pretty quickly with just about anything.

Unless the clay is really sticky I would suspect it would work okay but I would probably build my own version to test before I considered buying one.

Stickiness is just one issue with clay. It can pack extremely hard and be very difficult to dig. There were multiple times when my pool was being dug that it looked like the excavator bucket was dragging on rock. I did some trenching by hand and it was miserable. I found the best way is with a trenching shovel taking about an inch or two cut and lightly rocking the shovel to pierce the soil. Even at 220lbs , I can't dig here just by stepping on a shovel

 

[sirsloop]

I disassembled my fence and pushed a bunch of **** back out of the way. I got after it with a standard post hole digger and was able to knock out some 4.5' deep footings. I used an oscillating saw to cut a bunch of roots out of the way. I actually think the holey moley would have worked fine in the soil I dug up once the roots were out of the way... but I mean shoot I knocked out a couple holes with a regular tool. I have some 16"x6' deep footings to dig which I will be renting a hydraulic auger for. Post hole digger wont get me down that far HAHAHA!

 

[C6Ts]

Anyone ever see or use this tool? I have some post holes I need to dig in a tight space. I don't think an auger will be able to get in there, and even a post hole digger would be hard to use. Looks like you just set this sucker down, kick it on an twist it a little to cut.

Vacuum Assisted Post Hole Digger

Dig smarter, not harder. Versatile Sizes: Available in 4", 5", and 6" diameters to fit your project needs. Deep Digging: Reaches depths of 4.5 feet, extendable up to 20 feet. Powerful & Convenient: Connects to any standard shop vacuum with a 2-1/2" hose. Built for Tough Soils: Works great...

cat6tools.com

I am the inventor of the vacuum assisted post hole digger and the owner of the company. This digger works under the principle of wind erosion and creates winds in excess of 100mph in the digger head. The rotation of course cuts the side walls, but the scraper blades inside the digger head scrap the surface of the ground to create particles. When particle size is below threshold velocity the particles go airborne. Collision of particle make them smaller and thus are easily moved in the airstream. In addition, the particles are all the same charge and repel each other and because there is no extra room in the vacuum tube, the charge increases the velocity. That is why only dust and stones are left in the shop vacuum. Here is a video of inside the digger

. We added a commercial vacuum hose to our product line which reduces flow losse by 20%, or increase the flow rate of the standard shop vac hose. This shop vacuum shown can pull up to 1 pound a second and rarely is overwhelmed by the intake of soil. So in the right conditions of type of soil and moisture, this digger goes to town. I have personally dug to 20 feet and because the air inlet is at the digger head, velocity is only limited by air resistance in the shop vac hose and the digger vacuum tubing. Deeper depths can be obtained however would be limited by the weight of the digger. For soils that are wetter, the Holey-Moley Post hole core digger, works under different principle and it uses the vacuum to pull a plug out of the ground, and the blower side of the shop vac to help extract the plug. https://cat6tools.com/product-category/holey-moley-diggers/post-hole-core-diggers/. In addition, the company makes quick change heads so you don't have to purchase each type of digger as a complete assembly but only the digger head or hole reamer. Reamers ream out 6 inch holes out to 8", 10", or 12". They use the vacuum to extract the dirt which is very helpful. Wet clay is killer for most diggers and we are not immune. But our edge is easy of use, easy on the back, deep hole capability, and universal heads. Call anytime for questions. I am available most of the time. Pacific Time.

 

[C6Ts]

I've always thought about using my shop vac for digging holes but where I'm at everything is decomposed granite so you can dig a post hole pretty quickly with just about anything.

Unless the clay is really sticky I would suspect it would work okay but I would probably build my own version to test before I considered buying one.

The nice thing about clay is you can dig a hole the exact size you need. The bad thing about clay is that it ***** to dig

Here is a video our our core digger in wet clay. This was in St George UTAH. The clay had sand it it so not the perfect hard sticky clay, it mucks up everything, however, this digger is another tool as an option in the imperfect world of digging holes in all types of soils.

 

[C6Ts]

Looks like a Lenox bi-met holesaw with some welded reinforcements & pipe adapters. I think you could make one for a small amount of cash.

I'm surprised that shopvac has the lift capacity to such dirt that high. Dirt's pretty heavy. He says you can add additional pipe sections in 3 foot lengths...no way that vac is going to lift that much.

I am the inventor of this digger and can answer questions. Yes we use bimetallic hole saws and then water jet cut the holes to balance the airflow. You would go to great expense to trial and error this process. That is part of the patent. Looks simple because that is part of designing for manufacturability. Making in America is expensive compared to China, but we have them in stock and you can call anytime. Shop Vac Capability is very underestimated and under utilized. As long as the shop vacuum has 180 to 200 CFM the air velocity is more than adequate to put the dirt particles and stones into suspension. The digger head design impedes stones over 1.5 inches to prevent clogging. The way it works, is the principle of wind erosion, that is why you see incredible amounts of dust in the sky during dust storms. The saltation process breaks particles apart during collision and they become smaller and smaller during transport. That is why all you see in the shop vacuum is dust and stones. Stones up to 1.5 inches in size are easily transported. Larger ones can be lifted with the suction hose. Depths to 20 feet are attainable. I have done this myself and for clients. The Video "The Post Hole From Hell" uses the exact same sort of digging head and air flow balanced air holes.

. You can see the results of the extracted material as I separate it with a screen in the wheelbarrow.

 

[C6Ts]

Looks like a gimmick for East coast people like myself.

No hole digger is perfect. This is not a gimmick. I sell diggers on the East Coast. If you are interested call and we can make sure you get a tool that will work in your soil. We have satisfied customers, because of our customer service and matching of tools for soils. If your soil is out of the question, we will let you know. Lost sales because of soil type doesn't hurt our feelings. It helps with our R&D for new products. So we always appreciate feedback and work with our customers. Few companies today, you can talk to the owner much less the inventor. Call anytime.

 

[C6Ts]

I feel like one of the "turn-y type" post hole augers, combing with a shop vac, would basically do the same thing.

E.g. all the work digging holes manually relates to throwing the digger down to embed it in the soil - or pulling it back out of the hole once loaded up.

Granted, you wouldn't be digging and vacuuming at the same time, but otherwise it would be very similar.

Also, if you need this because of a one-time-use project, it would be way cheaper to just pay someone to come do it for you. That way, you wouldn't even break a sweat.

Edited to add a photo of the style I'm talking about:

The "average cost" of digging a single post hole in the USA today is close to $100. I strongly recommend calling contractors and getting quotes. If you can find a digger that works for you, at least you end up with a tool when done. Most people are in a hurry and in the end spend more than they intended. In Henderson, NV where I live, Caliche is the most impossible soil to work in. Using a ROCK CORE DRILLis about it. So, nothing perfect.

 

[Skiff Builder]

Clay? all I see in Jersey is sand............................................

Haha. Get north of Rt78, up by the Watchung Mountains or up in the Highlands!

I almost enjoy digging in Ocean County sand.