GardenTrax Earth Auger Combo 43cc 2-Cycle with 8'' Auger Bits Gas Powered Post Hole Digger

Used to build 40+ fence post holes and didn't go through 1 can of gas 2.5gallon. Still could do another 40 and probably have gas.

Started after 2 pulls. Worked great in Texas soil not so fun when you hit a root or rock, as long as you have a good grip it won't punish you to bad. Overall great bang for the buck.

I purchased this tool to dig holes to construct trellises for tomatoes.Thus far I have used the tool once. Points to note:a. The vibration can be a bit tiring.b. Always ensure that the "cutting blade" is free of roots especially if the soil is somewhat soggy. With moist soil the roots twirl around the "cutter blade" , accumulates mud and deters penetration into the soil. At first I was wondering why I was not penetrating, after clearing the roots and mud it was a breeze.c. Clear the drilling area of all loose vines, weeds, surface roots, etc. before drilling your hole because the they impede progress.I would recommend this tool if you have several holes to dig periodically, it saves a lot of time. I dug twenty-one (21) holes in one afternoon going through the learning experience. With my initial learning experience the next 21 holes should take considerably less time.BTW, there is a minimal soil removal requirement from inside the hole after the auger has completed drilling. With hand tools you spend most of your time clearing the hole of soil. Those who have dug a lot of holes by hand can attest to this.

Works well, low vibrations compared to HF predator series.The good, well built, started right up and good directions. Dug 28 8in post holes in non clay ground in 3 hours. Cut 5 in heavy clay in a hour.The bad, bottom tip is a split point and gets wrapped in tree roots easily. Other issue is the auger mounts with a Allen key set screw/bolt style over the standard clip pin. Which makes tear down and cleaning harder. Especially with that split tip getting wrapped in roots.Run the 50/1 premixed fuel over 87grade with oil mix. It runs much smoother and seems to smoke a lot less.No complaints so far, I have about 35 hours of use on this one. The HF predator one I had before this one had constant fuel and over heating issues.Well worth the money and a great tool to save time with.

Auger worked great when I first purchased it. First season use it ran great for about a half-dozen times.The following spring season, ran very rough. Had no power when I attempted more speed. Finally quit, and would not restart.Two years later, replaced the coil and spark plug. Cleaned the carburetor. Refuses to start. Junk.

So far so good

This thing makes digging post holes much easier! Never used one of these before, but I'm loving it! Keep in mind, it is still not easy to dig large holes, especially in clay soil with a lot of rocks. It has a clutch, so it basically stops when it hits a really large rock. It pretty much tears through roots up to maybe 1.5 in diameter. But if you haven't use this kind of thing before, remember to keep a low center of gravity, with knees well bent, and a really strong grip. Also you will likely need a manual post hole digger to clear the dirt from the hole, if you are going rather deep (like I am, > 36" total).One important thing I discovered: If you precess it around a little bit as you start the hole, effectively creating a somewhat larger hole than the bit diameter, it has an easier time lifting out moderate sized rocks.It starts every time for me with at most 2-3 pulls, usually just one when hot. The exhaust blows in the direction away from you, so be careful especially of the back, where it is really hot, and if you leave it idling leaning against something --- bad idea, I found out. Just turn it off. If it's warm it's really easy to restart.

Needed to install a chain link fence that required about 20 post holes dug. Bought this auger setup, and it was well worth the money. The engine started easily and ran with no problems. The auger ripped clean, 8 inch wide, 3 foot deep holes with no issues at all. I was very close to a tree line, and only had to manually remove roots from 2 holes. The auger just tore through the rest of them with no help necessary. It's a little heavy and awkward (as any large auger would be), but I was able to dig all the holes by myself. Would definitely buy this auger again if needed.