Meaning of Earth Auger Machine
Earth Auger Machine refers to a mechanical device designed for digging for planting, construction, and erecting poles for fencing. The machine is a petrol, gas-driven machine or is tractor mounted.
The machine is designed with various capacities or horsepower used for construction, and majorly for digging holes for erecting poles, planting deep-rooted crops such as mango, rubber, cashew, citrus seedling as well as the planting of planting suckers, plantation suckers, and other on the crops that transplanted by the bull of earth method of transplanting. The earth auger machine can be used to dig numerous numbers of holes within a short period.
Description of Earth Auger Machine
The machine could be tractor-mounted, wheel-driving trailer-mounted, or hand-operated machine. The machine could be electrical, gasoline, and petrol-operated. It consists of different types of drill bits of various lengths that can be fixed to the machine. The earth auger consists of the engine, drill bits, tang, throttle cable, and clutch or throttle.
The engine of the machine is like that of the bush or grass cutter machine that contains various internal and external components working together to perform specific functions. The external engine components include the starter assy, clutch cable, carburetor, fuel tank, and internal components such as the starter coil, air filter, and ignition System.
The machine could be 2, 3, and 4-stroke single-cylinder gasoline or petrol-driven engine just like the grass or bush cutting machine. The engine capacity could be 1.2 or 1.7 horse except those the trailer and tractor mounted.
The drill bits have various types of drill bits with diverse lengths and sizes. The bits are helical in shape with a wide blade that is able to extract the soil. The tang of the bits also comes in various designs such that it can fixed into different mechanical machines.
Components of the Earth Auger Machine and Their Functions
The earth auger consists of many components that are vital in digging soil for planting, and erecting poles in the garden and the farm. Some of these important components are:
- Engine: the earth auger machine engine houses the starter assy, carburetor, fuel tank, spark plug, air filter, and ignition System. The engine consists of some vital components in a metal sheet. It could be a 2-stroke and 4-stroke petrol or gasoline engine.
- Drill bits: the drill bits of the earth auger machine come in various lengths and sizes. The machine has a helical shape that pierces into the soil in a spiral methods which help to dig out the soil while driving into the soil.
- Tank: the machine has a well-designed plastic tank with a cover, the tank is usually white in color and has about a 1.2 Liter fuel capacity tank.
- Throttle Cable: the cable is a metal wire coated with plastic which is usually black in colour. The cables help to connect the throttle button to the earth auger machine engine
- Clutch or throttle: the clutch consists of the cable, clutch, piston, and drum. The clutch helps to move the drill bits down the soil. Whenever the clutch pedal is released the power is transmitted to drill bits for optimal performance.
- Starter assy: the starter assy comprises the rope and rope handle. It is connected to the starter coil. They help to kick-start the machines.
Types of the Earth Auger Machines
There are many types of earth augers used in performing various operations for construction and agricultural industries. Some of these machines are
- Tractor or Trailer Mounted Earth Auger: these are industrial types of earth augers used to drill various types of pipe. They are usually mounted to a tractor or power motor vehicle that controls or aids the drilling of different types of bril bits to install various degrees of pipes into the soil.
- Wheel or Trolley Mounted Earth Auger Machine: In this type of earth auger, the hole digger is mounted to a high-quality iron trolley, with a small tire that eases the movement of the machine from one location to another. The iron used in constructing the trolley should be resistant to wear, corrosion, and deformation.
- Earth Auger Gas-Powered Machine: this is a portable earth auger that is operated with fuel or gas. It requires the operator to move the machine with the aid of the handle to the point where the hole is expected to be dug.
- Cordless Earth Auger Machine: the cordless types of earth augers exist in various types. These machines could be electric or chargeable battery operated. It is efficient in the digging of various degrees of holes. They exist in various types depending on their capacity.
- Post-Hole Digger Auger Machine: the post-hole-digging machine is just like the normal earth auger gas-powered machine in terms of the handle and the drill bits, but different from the gas-powered auger machine because it is electrically operated.
Uses of the Earth Auger Machine
There are various types of earth augers, and they are used for the following.
- Extract Liquid from the Ground: The earth drill bits exist in various lengths which help to bore holes of various degrees of length which help to extract oil and water from the soil. The trailer-mounted earth auger can go deeper into the soil to help extract liquid of various types from the soil.
- Erecting Pole: the hole-digging machine can be used to dig holes of various lengths and sizes to erect electric poles, small concrete poles, and life wood to help fence homes and farmsteads.
- Planting Tree Crops: tree crops such as oil palm, rubber plant, mango, cashew, cocoa, and other crops such as banana sucker, pineapple sucker, planting sucker, and more can be planted using the earth auger machine. The machine is used to dig holes so as to aid the planting of agricultural crops.
- Cultivation of Forest Crop: the machine can be used to dig holes to aid the planting of tree crops such as teak, mahogany, and other economic tree use in furniture making, and roofing.
- Construction Purposes: the earth auger can also be used to dig holes in the soil to erect pillars for the construction of buildings and channels.
- Collection of Soil Samples: the earth auger machine is used to drill through various soil horizons or layers of the soil to help collect soil samples for soil analysis.
- Installation of Irrigation Facilities: the earth-digging machine can also help to bore holes to install irrigation facilities. These facilities installed will help to irrigate crops to increase crop growth and development.
Working Principle of the Earth Auger Machine.
The earth auger machine works like the normal carpenter’s hand drilling machine. The mechanical device works with the principle of rotatory motion. The starter assy is used to kick start the machine, once the machine is on, leave it to steam for about a few minutes.
Then engage the clutched or the throttle button to start the drill bits, as the drill blade rotates, the operator should position the lower part of the auger on the determined hole to be drilled with the help of the two-sided handles. Move the machine with two hands by holding the handle into the position of the hole to be drilled. As the blade rotates, the posterior end of the machine is drilled into the soil, and removing the sand from the bottom to the top until the required depth is achieved.
How to Use the Earth Auger Machine
The Earth Auger Machine is not difficult to use, however, it requires the operator to follow the following procedure.
- Fixed or coupled all the essential parts of the machine.
- Fill the tank with the required fuel quantity mixed with light oil.
- Turn the earth auger machine ignition on by switching the on button and pulling the starter assy rope to start the machine
- Immediately after starting the machine lift it by holding the handle firmly with two hand
- Determined the hole to be drilled
- Engage the clutch to start the drill bits
- Move the auger machine to the area expected to drill or make the hole
- Carefully place the machine with drill bits on the hole as the bits rotate the hole is drilled
- Control the drilling process by holding the machine until the digging is achieved.
How to Start the Earth Auger Machine
The following steps are required to start the earth auger machine. they are
- Fill the machine with fuel (petrol) or gas.
- Firmly connect the plug wires, if necessary.
- push the priming bulb of the carburetor for a few minutes to ensure proper fuel circulation around the engine.
- On the auger engine ignition, by moving the switch into pressing the ON/OFF position.
- Push the choke of the earth auger to the ON or START position.
- Press the machine downward with the aid of the left-hand
- Drag the starter assy to kickstart the machine.
- Immediately after starting the machine return the choke to the RUN or OPEN position.
- Leave about a few minutes for a proper warning of the engine
- Then throttle the engine and start the drill bites.
Advantages/ Merits of Using Earth Auger Machine
Some of the merits or advantages of the earth auger machine are enumerated below:
- It is an easy and convenient dig-hole
- A large number of holes can dug within a short time
- It is very durable
- The drill is budget-friendly
- It is very cheap to maintain
- The earth auger machine is simple to operate and use
- It does not require special skills to assemble or disassemble
- It is environmentally friendly
Disadvantages/ Merits of Using Earth Auger Machine
The demerits of the Earth Auger Machine are listed below.
- The machine has limited depth
- It may be difficult or demanding to carry the machine from one hole to another.
- It is energy and time-consuming
- The fumes from machines cause air pollution.
Maintenance on an Earth Auger Machine
The following maintenance precautionary measures should be practiced when using the Earth Auger Machine
- Wash or clean the auger drill and use it regularly
- Ensure that there is enough fuel before starting and during working
- Carefully pull the start assy rope to avoid cutting
- Store the auger machine in a cool and dry place.
- Replace worn-out and damaged parts of the auger machine
- Check and clean the spark plug regularly
- Replace weak power spark plug, and change spark plug once a year.
- Oil mental part of the auger regularly
- Adhere stickily to manufacturers’ or producers’ guild