Raising the bar
Discussion
This is effectively a repost 10pence short, there is a poll on the changes http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
stigmundfreud said:
This is effectively a repost 10pence short, there is a poll on the changes http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
I think you're supposed to put suggestions of repost in the "Repost Suggestions" forum, Stig. To set a post, you need a post hole. For a typical 4-by-4 post up to 8 feet tall, make the hole 1 foot in diameter and 2 feet deep. Fences up to about 4 feet high can get by with 1-foot-deep holes. Here's how to dig one.
It's not easy work, but soaking the soil first will save you some time and trouble. To improve water penetration, drive a length of rebar or galvanized pipe a foot or so into the earth, wiggle it out and then follow with the hose. Repeat this in several places, and let the earth soak awhile before you dig.
A little technique helps speed the work. To begin, use the post-hole digger as a chopping tool, as the animation shows. Keeping the blades spread, lift the tool and drop it, letting the weight of the digger do most of the work. Rotate your way around the hole. Don't bother scooping out the earth until you have a good pile of loose soil in the hole. Then, plunge the digger down, spread the handles and lift, removing enough earth to expose fresh stuff to chop. As you go deeper, also go wider. (The sides tend to cave in on their own.) Try to dig a hole that's a bit broader at the bottom than at the top. The shape helps anchor the post's concrete base against tipping, and the extra weight at the bottom adds stability.
It's not easy work, but soaking the soil first will save you some time and trouble. To improve water penetration, drive a length of rebar or galvanized pipe a foot or so into the earth, wiggle it out and then follow with the hose. Repeat this in several places, and let the earth soak awhile before you dig.
A little technique helps speed the work. To begin, use the post-hole digger as a chopping tool, as the animation shows. Keeping the blades spread, lift the tool and drop it, letting the weight of the digger do most of the work. Rotate your way around the hole. Don't bother scooping out the earth until you have a good pile of loose soil in the hole. Then, plunge the digger down, spread the handles and lift, removing enough earth to expose fresh stuff to chop. As you go deeper, also go wider. (The sides tend to cave in on their own.) Try to dig a hole that's a bit broader at the bottom than at the top. The shape helps anchor the post's concrete base against tipping, and the extra weight at the bottom adds stability.
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff