Question about setting posts in that weird, rocky soil they have up near Boulder

Had a job there last month where my auger just bounced off a shelf of solid rock about 18 inches down. Ended up having to dig by hand with a rock bar for three hours to get the depth right. Anyone have a better method for that kind of ground?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthewkim16d ago

Have you thought about renting a demo hammer with a clay spade bit? I had a similar problem and that thing just chewed through the thin rock layers. You can usually get one for a day without spending too much money. It's way faster than a rock bar and you can control it better than a big jackhammer. Just make sure you get the right bit for breaking up slabs. It saved my back on a few jobs.

olivia_harris1916d ago

I rented a demo hammer last year for a patio project and it was way too much tool for thin rock. The vibration made it hard to hold steady on shallow layers, and I ended up cracking the slabs I wanted to save. A good old digging bar with a chisel end gave me more control for that kind of precision work.

kai_butler837d ago

Ugh, I feel that. Sometimes the right tool just makes all the difference.