digging a hole is rocky clay soil

[rgsparber]

I needed to dig a 2-foot deep hole in my backyard. The ground is rocky with clay. Even after letting water sit in the hole for a few days, the ground was nearly impossible to dig. I've used a pick axe in the past but there had to be an easier way.

I got thinking, if this is rock, why not use my Bosch hammer drill? Unlike other hammer drills, the bits are rounded on the end. The tool applies rabbit punches to the rock and turns it into powder. In the past, I've been frustrated with this drill because I run out of holes to drill before running out of enthusiasm. It is that much fun to use.

This hammer drill turned out to be the perfect tool. I drilled a series of holes around the bottom of the pit. With a little side force, the chunks of rock fell away. It was then a simple matter to scoop out the bits. The harder the rock, the faster the drill.

Rick