Had to set a post in solid rock on a job outside Sedona last month.

The ground was basically solid sandstone and my normal auger just bounced off. I was about to rent a rock drill, but my buddy said to try a cheap masonry bit on my hammer drill first. We drilled a bunch of small holes in a circle, broke out the center with a chisel, and had a clean hole in about 20 minutes. It saved us a full day of work and a couple hundred bucks in rental fees. Has anyone else found a good way to dig post holes in rock without heavy gear?

3 comments

3 Comments

marywilson26d ago

Back in my landscaping days I would have told you to just get the rock drill every time. Your buddy's trick with the masonry bit and chisel actually saved my crew last summer on a flagstone patio job. We had the same problem with solid rock and I was ready to spend the money. Now I keep a couple of those cheap bits in the truck just in case. It's one of those simple fixes you don't forget.

hall.joel26d ago

I mean, I wish I'd known that trick before I spent a whole afternoon trying to use a regular drill like an idiot. I probably looked like I was trying to give the rock a really aggressive massage.

parkerbrown26d ago

That trick sounds almost too simple to work. Drilling a bunch of small holes and chiseling out the middle is brilliant. Gonna remember that next time I hit something solid.