Whether you want to make a fence, or raise a flagpole for a flag, or make an aviary on top of a pole, you may need to dig a small diameter hole. Using a shovel or spade involves making a hole larger than necessary, so it would be better to use a pliers. Here's how it's done.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare to Dig
Step 1. Get a pair of cavity pliers
It is a tool specially designed for this purpose; allows you to carry out this type of work in the shortest possible time and with minimum effort. However, there are a few things to consider before starting.
- Check the consistency of the soil.
- In stony soils it is difficult to use a pliers, since even a rather small pebble could hinder the penetration of the pliers blade into the ground.
- In very loosely compact, sandy and arid soils it is difficult to dig a hole, since the action of the jaws is not effective enough with such loosely cohesive materials. If you have enough time, start digging holes, fill them with water, and come back the next day to remove the softened soil.
- Measure and mark the position of each stake.
- Hole pliers usually dig holes about 3/4 the length of the handle deep, so a 1.5 meter pliers dig holes 1 meter deep at most.
- Particularly hard soils such as clay are extremely difficult to dig with this tool.
Step 2. Identify the location of the holes you need to dig
If you plan to dig just one hole, for example to plant a flag pole, you can spot the location by eye, but for a fence or other project that requires multiple holes, you'll need to pinpoint their location much more precisely. In these cases it may be useful to use stakes and a wire as a guide, and possibly a meter long enough to determine the spacing between one hole and another. Plant the stakes at the ends of the line along which you intend to dig the holes. Tie the wire to one stake, tighten it, and tie it to the other stake.
The distance between one post and another is on average 2.5 m - depending on the size of the structure, you can arrange the posts at a greater distance
Step 3. Determine if there is any chance that underground pipes or cables will run in the area where you intend to dig
To build a fence around a privately owned field, this step may be superfluous, as the landowner should know if ducts or pipes run through his property, but if even the slightest doubt arises, contact the utility companies. to rule out this possibility.
Before digging, contact utility companies to find out where their pipelines pass. Depending on where you live, it may be illegal to excavate without first submitting such a formal request
Method 2 of 3: Dig the holes for the stakes
Step 1. Start digging by gripping the pliers by the handles, one in each hand and close together
Sink the blades into the ground to create a plug of earth (and grass, if any).
- If dirt or grass resists the blades, you may need to sink them again several times until you can break through the ground.
- You have to sink into the ground for several inches before pulling out the earth that you have to remove to make the hole.
Step 2. Open the handles to hold the dirt in the jaws (between the blades of the stripper), using the right force to grip firmly, then lift the grapple out of the hole
Step 3. Move the pliers to the side of the hole, then close the handles
So the jaws open, dropping the dirt you took out of the hole.
Step 4. Repeat the previous steps, going deeper and deeper each time you sink the blades into the ground
If you find roots or other materials hindering your work, rotate the blades to face the obstacle from different angles until you can cut these too. Start the hole with a narrow diameter, and as you go deeper it increases its width. This way you can better stabilize the pole. Also, moist soil will hold better than dry soil.
Step 5. Moisten the soil if you find hard or sandy or dry materials that you cannot remove with reasonable effort
By letting the ground wet you increase the ease of work.
Method 3 of 3: Install the Posts
Step 1. Mount the poles, flagpole, or items you dug holes for
Plumb them with a spirit level, fill the hole, and to give more stability press the filling material
Step 2. If you use concrete to secure the posts, make sure you are using the correct techniques to avoid making a weak foundation
Some contractors prefer to dump the pre-mixed concrete powder into the pits and then spray it with water. However, this considerably reduces the resistance of the cement being laid by about 80% as it is not possible to control the mixing process or the proportions of the quantity of water
Step 3. Use as little water as possible to mix the concrete for added strength
A pinch of wet sand added to the cement is all it takes to complete the chemical hardening reaction. Adding more water makes it easier to lay the concrete, but considerably reduces its resistance when dry.
Step 4. For larger projects it is cheaper to make the concrete yourself than to use the pre-mixed one
Mix 3 parts of fine masonry sand with 1 part of type 1 cement (also called "Portland"); for an even stronger mortar, add 2 parts of gravel to increase the weight.
If you need to install a lot of poles, consider renting a mobile concrete mixer
Step 5. How deep should the hole be?
The only quick rule when it comes to digging a hole to install a fence post is as follows: Dig a hole that is as deep as half the height of the fence.
Step 6. Why use concrete?
Concrete causes wood to rot more quickly. Sooner or later the wood will rot and you will have to dig into the concrete to replace it. Instead, put a layer of rock / slate in the hole on which to rest the pole and fill everything around with petriccio; you end up with sand that you can dig deep so that the pole stays straight.
Advice
- Be careful to dig holes under the ice line for at least 60 centimeters, otherwise when the ground freezes it could eject the pole from the ground.
- All new pliers must have sharp blades, just like lawn mower blades. So arm yourself with a grinding wheel and sharpen the blades of the pliers, all your spades and the lawnmower; if you can't disassemble tool blades to clamp them in a vise, a hand-held portable grinding wheel is fine too. They don't need to be razor sharp. Look closely at how sharp the blades of lawnmowers are in specialty stores. So you should get a good idea of how sharp your pliers blades should be. When using the grinding wheel, always wear a pair of protective goggles.
- For a good and stable hold of the posts, stabilize them with dry sand or directly with cement.
- If the soil is sandy, you should carefully widen only the bottom of the hole before pouring the concrete, making it wider than the entrance shaft. This larger bulb at the bottom of the hole prevents the post from being pulled out of the hole even when the voltage caused for example by a wire mesh fence is applied.
- While drilling holes, help yourself with a "digging stick" to loosen the ground. It is a heavy metal stake with a light blade at the top, similar to a "spade" for truffles. With the weight it helps to cut the roots, small stones, etc.
- The images show a classic cavabuche pliers (a bit "old style"), but in reality there are more modern models, with handles made of composite materials and with ergonomic shapes; however, the quality-price ratio of traditional cavity pliers is unbeatable.
- When digging holes, you may need a jackhammer to break particularly large rocks.
