Right shaped steel bar for chuck

[bluedog225]

Good morning,

I’ve got a Milwaukee super hog. I love the thing. Lots of grunt.

I’d like to have a steel bar welded to an earth auger (female attachment point) so that I can use the hog to auger some holes in the ground. It’s got half-inch chuck on it.

What’s the right shape piece of steel that would set well in the chuck? Would a simple square piece work? Or do I need something octagonal? Given that it’s a half-inch chuck, I’m guessing anything with a diameter of half inch or less will fit.

I haven’t paid much attention to drill chuck up to this point but I know some of you are experts.

thanks

 

[whateg01]

Doesn't it have a standard 3 jaw drill chuck? So a multiple of 3 would work. Like 3. Or 6. If you do 6 sides, 7/16 is the biggest dimension across the flats that is likely to fit.

 

[bluedog225]

OK, I was afraid I was going to get a question. I’ll go look at it next time. I’m up there and report back. If three jaw is the standard, I suspect that’s what it has.

Thanks

 

[Zewnten]

Hex bar

 

[dnschmidt]

Got to be a trick question. Every drill I've ever used in my lifetime has had a three jaw chuck and I'm 72 years old. Comon'man. The correct answer is a hexagon.

 

[PCustoms]

Weld a giant nut to the auger, use a hex to socket adapter in the drill.

 

[whateg01]

Weld a giant nut to the auger, use a hex to socket adapter in the drill.

That sounds like a pain when it comes time to pull it out of the ground!

 

[PCustoms]

That sounds like a pain when it comes time to pull it out of the ground!

Yeah, wasn't thinking about trying to pull up on it....

 

[ChevyEFI]

The Quik-lok version is 7/16" hex.
The drill chuck is 3-jaw.

 

[bluedog225]

Something like this? Or a cut off 1/2 Allen wrench may be cheaper.

I’ll need to figure out the dimensions across the flats.

 

[whateg01]

Appropriate sizes have already been given I think. An Allen wrench might work or an all thread coupler.

 

[GeoBruin]

Got to be a trick question. Every drill I've ever used in my lifetime has had a three jaw chuck and I'm 72 years old. Comon'man. The correct answer is a hexagon.

Wait, you don't have an independently adjustable 4-jaw chuck on your mud mixer/auger drill?

 

[cmandp]

Something like this? Or a cut off 1/2 Allen wrench may be cheaper.

I’ll need to figure out the dimensions across the flats.

That's not going to work for 2 reasons.

1/2" hex (across flats dimension) likely won't fit in your chuck. The circumscribed circle is 0.577". You could turn down the points of the hex to fit but you need a lathe for that.

And second 12L14 steel is not a good alloy to weld.

The largest common size hexagon you can fit in a 1/2" chuck is 7/16" as someone mentioned. I'd look for 1018.

BTW how big of an auger (diameter) are you planning here?

 

[jack stand]

What size holes do you envision drilling into the ground?
Do you have a very good medical plan.

 

[RTM]

TW how big of an auger (diameter) are you planning here?

What size holes do you envision drilling into the ground?

Been wondering that since post one, glad you guys stepped up to ask. I've never tried anything bigger than a 1-1/2" wood auger on my MKE right angle drill, which had no problem with it. I suspect 4" or so will start to get questionable, depending on the soil.

MLW ran a 2±# on a DeWalt cordless in our yard to plant bulbs.

 

[jack stand]

Perfect, I was worried that you wanted to build a fence or something.

 

[RTM]

Perfect, I was worried that you wanted to build a fence or something.

Wrong person answering your question…..

 

[cvairwerks]

Probably better off adapting an electric pipe threader to the auger. You need torque at low speeds. Ground augers need low speeds, unless you have it hung off a tractor or skid steer... I've seen a two many auger with a 4" diameter drill on it, throw a couple of 200#+ guys when it got bound up momentarily.

 

[bluedog225]

It’s a 6’’ auger. I agree, it‘s probably too big. Clay and sandy clay.

The tool is pretty good at low speeds. Though it will happily throw you off the ladder. I’ve drilled about 50 three inch holes in singe or double LVL so far.

I wouldn’t mind giving this idea a try. Going slow it might work. Or lesson learned.

The other idea is to buy an earth auger in the 2” range and drill pilot holes for the manual auger or post hole digger. Fill with water and give them some time to soften up.

Thanks all.

 

[cvairwerks]

Water in Texas clay will take weeks to soften up....Prolly cheaper and easier in the long run to rent a post hole digger for a couple of hours and be done with it.

 

[PCustoms]

It’s a 6’’ auger. I agree, it‘s probably too big. Clay and sandy clay.

The tool is pretty good at low speeds. Though it will happily throw you off the ladder. I’ve drilled about 50 three inch holes in singe or double LVL so far.

I wouldn’t mind giving this idea a try. Going slow it might work. Or lesson learned.

Setup a camera when you try this.

Too high of a chance to break a wrist, I'll pass. A 6" hole saw catching is enough to hurt, I can't imagine a 6" earth auger in my hands.

 

[Tim in Indiana]

I have done exactly this with a 4" auger like what is shown in the picture below. The bit was around $30 on Amazon.



I machined a simple adapter that was hex on one end and round with a pin hole to fit in the auger. I used a Dewalt right angle drill like shown above. I had two foot long extensions made from 1/2" steel pipe and couplings.

The longest I've had to auger was around six foot under a sidewalk to run a water line and 3" pvc drain. Dug down about 3-1/2 feet with the hoe at the beginning and end and ran the auger through.

Nothing difficult about it, went very easily and wasn't hard to hold onto. It was in dry clay. The drill is essentially a two foot long dead handle and it has a clutch that will stop it if it binds. Electricians and plumbers run these all day with big hole saws and auger bits.