Outstanding piece of equipment! I've always dug holes with the traditional, two handle post hole digger. It's hard work, but I didn't dig enough holes to justify power equipment. Now that I'm living a rural lifestyle, that's changed. Needed eight fence post holes, with more in the near future. Went to HF, picked up the auger with coupon for $179. It's increased a bit in price since last year, but still well worth every penny. Mixed up some 25:1 fuel, and gassed it up. Fired on the 2nd pull. That thing digs a perfect fenced post hole for a 4x4 or 6" round post. Takes just a couple of minutes per hole. In a couple of spots, where the ground was very hard, it took an extra 30 seconds to break through rough stuff. You do have to hang on, as it will wrench in your hands if it snags a rock. Nothing an average strength person can't handle. The machine is very ergonomic. Good handles and throttle position. Weight is perfect. Not too light that it vibrates excessively, and not too heavy that it's hard to lug around. I wore muffs, just because having my ears right near a 2 cycle motor is something I don't enjoy. Only two negatives: 1) It quit on me halfway through the fourth hole. The screws holding the carburetor to the manifold had backed out considerably. They were not tight from the factory. Air was getting in from behind the carburetor. Had to take the air box off and tighten the screws with the included hex wrench. That shouldn't happen with a new product, although we all know it does, all the time. After tightening the screws, it fired right back up and I was able to finish all eight holes. Work that would have taken hours by hand took less than 30 minutes. Also augured six shallow holes for plantings in the garden. 2) The run/kill switch is easy to hit with the recoil rope handle or your hand when starting. Doesn't happen often, but I found that I had inadvertently hit the switch and turned it off a few times during starting. Not a big deal, if you're aware of it. Great, great tool. Looking forward to the next project with it.
Augered a dozen more holes today for plantings. I found that I could auger three holes in a tight triangle pattern, for planting larger shrubs that come in 5 gallon planters. Carb screws stayed put. The auger was a bit cold natured today. Took about 15 pulls to get it started. I had drained the gas after the last use and run it dry. The primer bulb works fine, as does the choke lever. Might just be break in. Started easily after it fired the first time. And it runs on 25:1, so I'm sure the spark plug fowling is epic. The wife was thrilled how well it aerated the soil. Almost like a vertical tiller.
I know this is a few years old but I have used the heck out of mine, the plug will foul relatively quickly. I put and 8" auger on it with an extension, it works it good but will handle it fine if the soil is not too hard, other wise I have drilled with the 6" and then followed by the 8". The 8" flighting is wider which I think makes it more difficult for this auger. Sure beats hand digging, great $200 bucks spent.
