Post-hole diggers

[Mark -- The Penny King]

Do any of you use them in your treasure hunting / coin shootiing? I'm not sure if it was here or elsewhere that somebody mentioned using a "large" bulb planter to pull nice, neat sod/soil plugs with. The biggest bulb planter I've found locally is only 2.5" in diameter, though I've spotted them up to 3" on the web. Sometimes I can get my target in the first plug I pull with the little bulb planter, but I'm considering buying a post-hole digger -- even though it might be a bit clumsy to drag around while metal detecting -- as it might help me get more of my targets without pulling multiple plugs.

Thoughts? Comments? Experiences? TIA.

Shalom,
Mark

 

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[mikelb]

I would say it depends on where you are at if you are in a park or private land i would say no!it would cause to much ground damage,if your in the woods or in an area with out grass then ok,but those suckers are so heavy,in areas that require more effort then a small hand trowel ,i carry a spade shovel!but thats just my two cents!

 

[Lasivian]

Interesting Idea.

If you bought a post-hole-digger and shortened the handles it would be pretty useful, but it's not the best hole digger, the edges would need to be sharpened considerably and it wouldn't deal well with roots.

 

[Mark -- The Penny King]

Maybe I should buy or borrow one and try it in my own backyard. The whole (hole??!) idea is to be able to pull a neat, easily replaced plug to minimize the impact on the turf. In most of the soils I've worked in so far, I seem to have a tough time with not making a mess if I use just my spade. I even bought a drywall saw to try cutting the sod first, and still I've yet to master doing it neatly. (You should see my back lawn. ) Thanks for the input.

Shalom,
Mark

 

[Mark -- The Penny King]

Interesting Idea.

If you bought a post-hole-digger and shortened the handles it would be pretty useful, but it's not the best hole digger, the edges would need to be sharpened considerably and it wouldn't deal well with roots.

Yeah, I had to sharpen my bulb planter before I could use it at all effectively. I guess it helps that one of my other hobbies is knifemaking and sharpening. Maybe I'll have a go at making my own jumbo sized bulb planter...

Shalom,
Mark

 

[coinshooter]

Not a good idea Mark. If you get a target and use a sharp post hole digger or bulb planter on it, you're more than likely to scratch or damage what you are digging up. My suggestion would be to use a screwdriver to locate the object (carefully so you don't scratch it) and then dig around it with either a trowel or a digging tool until you can see enough of it to pull it out of the hole.

 

[Ocean7]

bad idea. Learn to pinpoint better and use a garden trowel to plug. Once you gain enough experience - most of your hits will be right under your plug or in your plug. I am going to take digital pics of my technique, so I can post for people who wish to learn how to properly plug a target on a lawn or park grass. Maybe that would help some.

 

[Mark -- The Penny King]

Coinshooter: I hadn't considered the issue of damaging the find -- thanks. I found a "standing" 3" diameter bulb planter this afternoon at Home Depot for about $10. Brought it home, sharpened it, and headed for the back yard. I set my Prizm IV to discriminate out only iron and dug almost every hit. Fortunately the only things I tore up with the planter were a few old cans. The only coin I found tonight (a Lincoln penny) was in the middle of the plug.

Ocean7: I'd love to see your technique. I've gravitated toward the planter in part because it's easier on the broken ribs that I've been nursing for the last 3 months+. Perhaps if I can't do my digging without agravating the injury I'd better just give it up until the ribs heal fully...

Shalom,
Mark

 

[elkboy]

I use an old K-Bar knife, I cut a horseshoe in the sod and ground ,pull up on the sod and cut under the sod as I pull up( just enough not to pull out the grass) . Even in hard dry ground this works well for me. I cut a horseshoe shape about 4-5 inches wide. It leaves the sod attached to the ground hinged so its easy to replace. The only thing you have to do is dig dirt, I put mine on an old Frisbee so I can pour it back in , flip the sod back over and one stamp of the foot and it's practically invisible. Post hole diggers? Man that's to much work for a Hobie..... If your real serious about using them I got an old fence row that needs replaced and legend has it there is buried gold coins 8-10 feet apart and in a straight line. come on over and bring those post hole diggers... HH Dave

 

[mikelb]

Elkboy,TOO FUNNY!!

 

[Mark -- The Penny King]

Post hole diggers? Man that's to much work for a Hobie..... If your real serious about using them I got an old fence row that needs replaced and legend has it there is buried gold coins 8-10 feet apart and in a straight line. come on over and bring those post hole diggers... HH Dave

ROTFL! I guess I'm not that serious!

Shalom,
Mark

 

[coinshooter]

Mark, a garden trowel is fine in someone's back yard or in the forest (actually in the forest, I would just use a small shovel), but if you are in a park, which is where most of us look for stuff, then a garden trowel is too big. These guys tell you that a garden trowel is ok, well, I see this as a great opportunity to get kicked out of parks. No groundskeeper is going to want to see you digging in their park with a garden trowel, shovel, or anything else that makes a hole. At least you can make a smaller hole and usually not even have to "dig" a plug if you use the screwdriver method. Plugs are for thugs. If you have a larger object (which can be determined by using a screwdriver or an icepick), then and only then should you dig a plug. Otherwise, get youself a "vibraprobe" at www.vibraprobe.com and use it and a screwdriver. Pinpoint the object with your detector. Then poke into the area slowly with the screw driver or icepick until you feel it stop. Remove the screwdriver and punch it in the ground next to where you felt the item. Roll it around until you creat a hole big enough for your vibraprobe to go in. Stick in the vibraprobe and locate the object in the ground by poking around until it vibrates. Once you find it, you can usually just pop it out with your screwdriver and a finger, or with your finger alone. When you recover the object, just step on the hole and it will usually close right back up. No hassle with filling a bunch of dirt back in cutting up sod, etc. It takes some practice, but at least you won't be getting kicked out of areas for your digging technique! BTW, I am not a vibraprobe salesperson, but I would recommend this tool to anyone serious about dirt digging. It is by far the best tool out there for the job it does. Be cautious while using this method to always look into the hole when you locte you object so as not to stick you finger onto a hypodermic needle or a sharp piece of metal.

 

[Mark -- The Penny King]

Thanks for the input Coinshooter. I grabbed a cheap handheld unit at Harbor Freight for $15 ("Wizard", I think) -- it has some serious limitations, but it's helpful if you can get it down in the hole. It's also handy for sifting any dirt piled on my drop cloth. I've seen several endorsements of the Vibra-Probe, and I'm already in the doghouse for buying the Prizm -- maybe I'll go ahead and spring for one.

This reminds me of when I first got serious about knife sharpening. There's a tool called the EdgePro that's arguably among the best blade sharpening tools available, but it's expensive ($125 to $300+ for the high-end version). Over the course of several months I spent enough money on cheaper (and less effective or versatile) solutions to pay for 2 or more EdgePro units. Ultimately I bought the high-end EdgePro and I have no regrets -- other than not buying it first.

Shalom,
Mark

 

[Lowbatts]

Keyhole saw man here. Once you get the hang of cutting neat plugs, digging a hole 2' across or 2" across is the easiest method. I have the bulb planter on steroids and if you'll pay shipping you can have it. It won't come along with the pack mule you'll need to carry it however or the chiropractor to set your back after carrying it for an afternoon. Won't really part with it though, got it sitting with my collection of other digging tools that taught me lessons.

I use an awl or screwdriver to remove anything shallow.

 

[Leon]

My Hunting parter and I were talking about this the just the other day. We were thinking of making something like what the greens keeper at a golf corse uses for the holes on the green. Not sure where you would goto buy one or what there called, but they look like they would do a good job... I myself use a knife to cut a small plug. I try to keep the top of the plug in good shape, so that when I replace it, you can't hardly tell I,ve been there at all... I notice that when the ground is getting dry, this is harder to do. I usually try to make extra sure that the target is a good one on these days....

Just a thought,, Happy Hunting...

 

[Mark -- The Penny King]

My Hunting parter and I were talking about this the just the other day. We were thinking of making something like what the greens keeper at a golf corse uses for the holes on the green.

That'd be a hole cutter. I looked into that possibility yesterday.
See http://www.reliablegolf.com/greens.html. (About 100 bucks.)

Lowbatts: Thanks for the offer, but I worked up a good sweat just carrying the standup 3 incher around my back yard. I can't imagine hauling that thing or something even bigger around out in the field. I've got a keyhole saw and a spade that I'm practicing with, and I may give the screwdriver method a shot too. I'd better find a good tool belt -- I had the saw in my apron pocket (blade up) and it tried to stick me in the belly more than once while bending over to investigate targets. I left it in the trunk of the car after about the third time.

Shalom,
Mark

 

[Leon]

The price on the Hole Cutter is pretty steep, huh? :P
I think if I try something like that, I will definitely be making it myself...

 

[mikelb]

the best thing i have found for cutting plugs,is a landscapers edging knife,used to edge side walks and such!it is L shaped and sharpened on the side and bottom,it cuts very nice straight lines
and can be re sharpened,i got mine at Menards a HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE FOR GET THIS
98 CENTS ,i bought some extras and hand them out to other hunters,and all love it so far!

 

[Raoul]

i had this s/s plug cutter made up,easy to carry and works great, i only use it on lawns,otherwise i use a small pick-hoe. Raoul

 

[rgecy]

Make your own Hole Cutter

If you are talking about a bulb planter or golf greens cup cutter you can make one for less than $1. Take a large empty food can, say pork and beens can 4"-5" diameter, cut the smooth lip off the open end. The more jagged the better. Serations will help you cut through the ground easier. You use this to cut a hole in the ground using a twisting motion. To remove the plug from the ground, just twist and rock the can a little to loosen the roots of any grass. You can poke a few holes in the bottom to help the plug come out once you have it out the ground. It tends to create a vaccum when you try to shake it out. The holes will let some air in to release the plug.

Its not fancy but it works pretty well for cutting holes 5"-6" deep.