Need Post Hole Digger Info

[Mailbox Man]

thiggy- I believe I have seen the type you mentioned with the side release. It is called an Erie Post Hole Digger on one site I found. A friend of mine has one. I don't know how it got that name but I live in Michigan and Lake Erie is nearby. If it's what I am thinking of, there are two handles to force it down into the dirt. One of the handles is hinged near the top and when you push it to the side it pushes down the rest of the wooden handle which pushes the curved clamshell side inward to scoop/grab the dirt. See attached photo.

I still hope to find out about the screw in type post hole digger I posted photos of earlier!

[ray]

Well now you can say that you have a P.H.D.

And thank the snow plow drivers for knocking down the mail boxes.

Ray

[Branson]

To Branson- I’m curious about your use of the term “nose auger”. Is that what KeyKeeper posted the links to? Also, are you from Branson, MO? I graduated from Hollister in 1974!

The nose auger (aka shell auger) was the predominant form of augers through the 1700's.  There's a fairly good photo at:

http://images.cloud.worthpoint.com/wpimages/images/images1/1/0307/24/1_ffe7bc9de8849f9b4c6c0aa1d697fb0c.jpg

I've also attached the photo here.

You can see how it has an "ear" that cuts, and also works to bring up the shavings, as your dirt auger will do.  They aren't quite as efficient as twist augers, but I have a couple like the ones in the photo and using them doesn't make me feel like Fred Flintstone.  They cut well and they are not slow to cut.  The double twist bits we are most familiar with were invented in the late 1700s.  The nose auger, and quill and spoon bits were preferred by furniture builders because there was no lead screw to burst out the other side of things like legs when you made the hole deep enough to really hold a tenon.

Keykeeper's links were to other post hole augers, but I think it's pretty clear that these augers were based on the principles of the carpenter's nose auger.

Not from Branson, MO.  Branson was my great-grandfather's name.  It makes me remember where I came from, and who.

[clovis]

MailboxMan-

Any luck yet?

[Mailbox Man]

MailboxMan-

Any luck yet?

Not yet Clovis!

But thank you for the thread bump! ;-)

[Mel Larsen]

Mailbox man,  I finally remembered to take some photos of the post hole diggers that I have.  One is a 4" and it does not open to dump the dirt out,  the second one is 6" and has patent dates of 1908 thru 1911.  The handle where the patent dates are embossed slides up to release the one side of the digger of dump the dirt out.  I have never used either of them.  there are several pipe extensions for the handles that would allow one to dig a shallow well. 
Mel

[Mailbox Man]

Hi Mel,

Wow! Thank you very much for taking the time to put these photos together.

Those post hole diggers you have are really interesting! Or should I call them well hole diggers? Out here in the farm land I live in I am used to seeing a truck mounted drilling rig whenever someone needs a new well. I had never given any thought before to how people dug wells a century or more ago. This has been enlightening! What a lot of work that must have been.

I can see the same basic concept in how your and my diggers work. Both have two downward rounded sides with inward facing angled cutting edges. Neither are connected across the middle. Do I detect that one side of your 6" is slightly longer than the other? That is different from the one I have.

Well thanks again Mel. Hopefully someone will see this post who knows the name and/or background of the post hole digger I have. I sure am glad I found this forum!

Jack aka Mailbox Man

[OilyRascal]

This was found in the "Oily Shop" that belonged to my Papaw.  More accurately it was found in storage.  It has markings.  I'll clean it up and see what it can teach me.