What Is an Auger: Everything You Need To Know About These useful Tools

You may not have heard of an auger before but you will probably have seen them in action. An auger is essentially a digging tool. It is spiral in design, with ridges in the same way as a standard drill bit. The tip will be pointed, allowing it to dig into the ground. The ridges encourage the material to move upward and out of the hole being dug.

There are many different types of augers, ranging from rock augers to soil augers, and even those used to drill for oil. They are the perfect tool to create an even-sized hole in any material, you simply need to select the right type of auger and get started.

Powering The Auger

A small auger into soft soil can be turned by hand. Larger augers, or those going into a tougher substance, such as rock, need a power supply to give them the speed they need to do the job.

Smaller augers can usually be powered from a standard household drill. You can use a corded or cordless drill. Simply attach the auger in the same way you would a drill bit and start cutting into the ground.

The bigger augers can’t be powered from a standard drill. These have separate powerheads. In most cases, this is like a small generator that creates the necessary power to turn the auger and allow it to cut through anything.

Most people choose to buy small augers as they have multiple uses. However, larger augers are generally more specialized, meaning that it is better to hire them.

Auger Sizes

The most common augers are:

• 4 inches
• 6 inches
• 8 inches
• 12 inches
• 18 inches

The handheld augers are usually capable of creating holes 3-4 feet deep but there are plenty of other options available that can get you deeper or even create a wider hole. Augers can go as deep as 95 feet and then further if you add an extension rod.

It’s worth noting that anything over 8 inches in diameter should use an auger attached to a crane or with its own tow-behind power supply.

What Do You Use An Auger For?

In commercial applications, an auger can be a useful tool when drilling for oil or drilling into a tree and extracting the maple syrup.

At home you are most likely to use it in the garden, potentially to create seed holes, slots to plant seedlings in, or perhaps even to drill a well hole.

Augers can even be used to create holes in ice, if you need one.

Why An Auger Is A Good Investment

If you have to dig into rough ground then an auger is the perfect choice. It cuts through almost anything and is much faster and less labour-intense than trying to dig your way through by yourself.

Anyone that spends time gardening will find an auger a useful investment. If you haven’t got one, it’s time you took a closer look.