polehole digger

[1637]

i think one of these would work good to get deep ,for sampleing(spelled wrong?)
thanks brad

 

[Terry Soloman]

If pole hole diggers really worked well for sampling, don't you think we would all be using one?

 

[1637]

easy there,i helped named your dog thor.
brad

If pole hole diggers really worked well for sampling, don't you think we would all be using one?

 

[SchoolOfHardRocks]

Theoretically it would work great and makes sense but it is likely that big rocks/ boulders would inhibit a post hole digger from getting too deep. If youre in an area lacking large cobble it might work though.

 

[winners58]

forget the spelling, google "polehole"
a post hole auger might work in the bottom of valleys like flood layers possibly to find how deep it is to gravel.
might also work well in areas of tundra or thawing permafrost but most areas miners seek out are far too rocky.

 

[Aufisher]

Would love to sample some well drilling ops around here!

 

[bottlecap]

Might work but I can tell you clanking a post hole digger off a rock will rattle every bone in your body and if it's ground that's not too rocky why not use a shovel?? Shovel would move way more material. The only thing I can think of that might be good is really packed fine gravel that's high and dry. Might help get through the top crust layer.

 

[meMiner]

They will take a good bite out of clay, sand or topsoil. Not so good in tailings or cobble. Also, they are rather awkward to hump around (vs a simple shovel).

 

[boogeyman]

Wow someone's got ESP! Just got one from Harbor Freight a few months back to stick some fence posts in the ground. Figured I could make use out of it more for sampling. I made two 4' shaft extensions for it. Works great in soil without rocks as the others said. It'll drill horizontal so augering into banks works too.

The only downside is clearing the hole (vertical) so I bent the blade on an old garden hoe to scoop with. As far as the thing throwing you on your butt or dislocating your wrist, Won't happen with this one. Since they're sold by a company in the nanny state (California) the clutch isn't as tight as the rental yard ones. I built a suitcase style case for the 6" & 4" blades and extensions. You could pack it with maybe a thrift store pack frame. All & all, if you've got one or need to use it for other things put it to use. As far as running down and buying one just for sampling, buy a nice shovel & a bar.

BTW, If you have a skewed sense of humor like I do, you'll get a kick out of all the safety stuff. Most of the manual is safety stuff, almost 8 pages with 1 1/2 to the actual tool. Then you look at the tool itself. There's stickers everywhere saying if you do this or that you'll void the warranty! The only thing that won't void the warranty is if you drip sweat on it. Silly huh?

 

[Jeff95531]

I tried using one in sand...once. It poured out faster than I could clear it out of the hole.
Like the man says above...use if owned but don't buy one for prospecting.
I do like the "digging into banks" idea but that is illegal in my neck of the woods here in Cally.

 

[goldenIrishman]

We used to have special shovels called a spade and spoon for clearing out the holes for telephone poles. Handles about 10ft long to get to the bottom and still have some to hang onto. The spade wasn't anything special, just a straight blade. The spoon was curved like a shallow "J" so you could hang onto the dirt as you lifted it out of the hole. Even so it was slow going as well as back breaking work. Rocks larger than say a double fist were a major pain to haul up from the bottom of the holes. They say that there's a tool for every job, but you'd think that Ma Bell could come up with something better with all her resources.

Looking back as some of the areas we were setting poles in, I'd love to been able to run some of that stuff to sample it. Would have been great to have Ma Bell paying me to sample........

 

[DizzyDigger]

Think I spent half a summer with a post hold digger in my hands. For
those not experienced with this medieval device, you should understand
that Lucifer created this tool to cause man's suffering soon after
being 86'd from heaven.

Cut the handles off and toss them in the wood stove, then tie the
2 shovels together, flip upside down, fill with dirt and use it as a
planter.

 

[QNCrazy]

Here's my $.02 worth. About a year and a half back I was working a club claim. I was fairly new to the club then. Some of the experienced club members were pointing across the creek telling me that was were the road used to be many years ago. As I sat there and pondered the landscape, I noticed a shelf about twenty feet up the side of the hill. Further investigation revealed that was actually the old road. The next time I went out, I took a pair of post hole diggers and punched a hole half way between the creek and the hillside. There was about 6-8" of overburden before hitting small gravel which got bigger the deeper I went, approximately 2.5'. I processed the gravels and found and acceptable amount of gold. So I went right up against the hillside and punched another hole with the same results. I was fortunate enough not to hit any big rocks so the diggers worked out for sampling.

Good Luck!

 

[Goldwasher]

same issues with a "rent an auger"...if it ain't hangin' off the back of a truck its not much use to most of us or necessary. Shovels and gloves are much more economical and accurate. I have to use a post hole digger to set t-posts in certain parts of my property. First thing I have to do is use a bar to break up material, then post hole digger to muck out the hole and make a general cylinder shape. For sampling that would create all kinds of false info. 2x2 hole to bedrock sample at obvious layer change.

 

[placertogo]

You really need something with a scoop at the bottom to catch the material. Gold always tries to drop out and the looser the material, the more chance it has to get lost.

 

[boogeyman]

That's why I bent the side of a hoe. Drop it in the hole, turn it 180degrees and pull it back up. If you're crevassing, you probably have a vac-pack or similar. Use that. Heck they even make 12v vacs for your car. cracked me up with the remark digging a bank is illegal in Cali. Everything is illegal in Cali din cha know?