A 300-foot fence line has a lot of post holes to dig. Could be forty holes or so between you and the finish. We don’t recommend doing them by hand…it would be slow going, of course, but even more importantly, it’s tough to keep so many holes even and perfectly vertical at every spot.
Repetitive manual digging is just not efficient. If you do a lot of landscaping, you might already have a backhoe attachment, but obviously that’s not going to work for a narrow fence hole.
Consider an earth auger attachment for your skid steer as an alternative to digging by hand. Once you’ve tried out some hydraulic digging power on post holes, tree planting, or deck footings, you’ll never go back.
An auger digs faster and controls the diameter of the hole via the bit size — a great way to stay consistent on long fence runs or footing layouts.
It’s also easier to manage depth. Just mark the required depth on the auger bit (or establish a visual reference from the loader). From there, you can repeat the same drilling depth at every location. No more frequent stops to measure holes. You’ve got a lot of depth range to work with, too: the Prime Auger reaches about 48 inches of depth with our standard bit, and up to 72 inches or more with an extension.
The minutes you save on each hole will really add up. For example, even if the auger only saves you 5 minutes per hole versus digging by hand, multiply that by thirty fence posts and you've bought back two and half hours of the day.
The Prime earth auger attachment for skid steers uses a standard 2-inch hex drive and a self-centering design. The commercial-grade frame is stout enough for operators to drill repeatedly on construction sites or acreage projects, day in and day out, for years.
Check it out in action in this quick video:
An auger can chew through all kinds of soil, but the operator may need to adjust the approach to match the ground. Get a read on what’s happening below the machine, then use these tips to maximize your control:
Loose Soil |
The bit will advance quickly and clear a lot of material, fast. Use steady downward pressure and watch depth closely so you do not overshoot the target. |
Heavy Clay |
Sticky soil can pack onto the flights and resist clean discharge. Raise your auger every so often to let the flights shed material. Then, you can continue deeper. |
Rocky Ground |
Stones will probably kick the bit sideways at times or interrupt its bite. Reduce the downward pressure and let the bit work through the obstruction under firm, even control. |
Hard-Packed Soil |
The surface may resist the initial bite. Go slow to establish the auger hole before you add any more pressure. You can push harder as the bit gains purchase. |
Wet Soil |
Hole walls are going to soften after you’ve withdrawn the auger. Drill as close to installation time as you can so the post or footing goes right in while the hole is still in shape. |
A powerful auger skid steer attachment gives you all the muscle you’ll need. However, it’s still up to you to use the tool well.
Pay as much attention to your auger’s alignment as you do the drilling speed. Here’s how to get consistent, straight-drilled holes:
Don’t sleep on the value of a straight auger hole. For fencing, you’re going to need even, straight holes for posts to run true all the way down the line. For deck footings, proper alignment is even more important — straight holes give better support to the structure and stay true to the measurements in your layout. Even in tree planting, a clean, vertical hole gives the root ball a predictable seat.
Shovels still have a place on your trailer for landscaping jobs. Forty identical holes probably are not their place to shine.
The Prime earth auger drill attachment is the fastest way for contractors to get through repetitive digging tasks with consistent results. These attachments are built to be badass — they’ll handle a heavy workload. So hook up the Prime Auger and let the hydraulics handle the digging.