Showerthought: Had to pick between a gas auger and a manual one for a tight backyard job

Went with the manual auger since the homeowner had a narrow gate and I didn't want to drag a 50lb machine through her flower beds. Took twice as long but no damage done, anyone else run into this kind of access call?

3 comments

3 Comments

nora1103d ago

Oh man, "tight backyard job" is the perfect way to put it. I remember squeezing a manual auger through a neighbor's side gate once because their yard was basically a jungle of overgrown bushes and a tiny concrete path. Took me like 45 minutes to dig four holes for a fence post, but I didn't have to apologize for trampling her prized petunias. Totally worth the arm workout, even if my back was screaming the next day. Sometimes the slower tool is the smarter move.

brian_smith63d ago

45 minutes for four holes? @nora110, you're a stronger person than me. My arms ache just reading that.

the_william3d ago

Used to think anyone hauling a manual auger around was a sucker. Showed up to a job last spring with my fancy two-stroke and realized the only way to the backyard was through a finished basement and up a narrow set of stairs. Had to backtrack, grab the hand auger, and spent a solid hour digging out post holes while trying not to scuff the walls. That little workout changed my whole view. Sometimes the old school way saves you way bigger headaches. Good on you for knowing when to take the slower path.