Best way to drive soil anchors?

[N0BST]

What's the best way to drive screw type anchors into the ground?  I had to install some for one of those temporary garages you can get at the lumber yard, and I did it all with grunt/push/turn which left me exhausted, and these were small ones.  Since I know I'll need to drive some larger ones when I install a tower in the future, I thought I'd see anyone here knew if there was an easier way?  It took a LOT of effort just to get the things to go into the ground rather than auguring up soil.  Quite sandy around my place.

Scott Todd

[WQ9E]

Todd,

If your soil is really sandy then those may not be suitable for tower guy anchors.   With sandy soil and gusting winds the tower may be able to rock those anchors loose.

When I installed these in the past I would tap it slightly to get it to dig into the soil just a bit.  Then I use a 4 foot piece of pipe that will fit through the eye and start with the pipe centered to guide it at the correct angle.  Once it starts to really bite in then I leave just a few inches of pipe through the eye and walk it around using the pipe for leverage.

If you are having to apply downward pressure for very long after it goes through the surface then I don't think a screw in anchor is suitable and you will need to use poured concrete anchors.

Your local power company can probably shed some light on this since they use anchors (and the power tools to install them).

[ab3al]

the power company uses a device called a pole cat to screw them in.. It weighs 32000lbs and has a 400hp hydraulic screw driver to drive them.

[W2PFY]

I once installed about 600 screw in anchors for a cable company under contract. They provided us with a machine that two men held up and over the top of the anchor. It has a gas engine on it with a gear reduction drive. There was a rectangle slot in the bottom of the tool for the anchor to fit in. One man(The Anchor Man) and his helper (The Co-Anchor Man) are placed on either end of the handle bars and when you were properly fitted to the anchor, you would give it the gas. It worked fine until you hit a root or a rock and then you would go for an out of control spin. They were paying me ten dollars an anchor and we averaged putting in about 50 a day. These anchors were about 5 feet long.

Maybe a tool rental company would have an anchor screw machine for rent?

You need to be careful not to drill into HV lines or telephone cables!

[K5UJ]

Dig a hole about 1 foot deep x 1 foot wide.  Get a water hose and start running water.  Fill the hole and let it drain.  repeat.  Then place the anchor at the desired angle and direction and whack it a couple times with a sledge hammer to get the helix to bite in and start screwing it in with a long pipe or crowbar.  When it starts getting hard to turn, stop and work the shaft around in a circle to widen the hole.  Then jam the hose in the hole along the shaft and run water into it.   Let it run at a steady stream for a few minutes.  Then start screwing it in again.  keep doing this until it is in as far as you need it to be.  don't put any tension on the anchor right away.  let it settle for a few days so the earth can cave in around it and hold it.

[KB2WIG]

This may be of interest.

http://www.homedepotrents.com/diyTools/auger1man.asp

Its designed for a fence post; you may have to come up with a way to connect the soil anchor.


klc


Like thay say in the big house, fences make good neighbors.

[KL7OF]

Weld or bolt the screw anchor to an old car wheel ....dig a hole 4 ft deep and bury the wheel......good luck..

[W7TFO]

Rohn specs the better part of a cubic yard of concrete at each anchor point, even on a tower of just 100'.  Set at least a foot below grade.

73DG

[W2VW]

the power company uses a device called a pole cat to screw them in.. It weighs 32000lbs and has a 400hp hydraulic screw driver to drive them.

Might double as an SBE.

[flintstone mop]

how's about renting a post-hole-digger.....Maybe $45 for a day and some Quickrete fast setting concrete. The post hole machine can be a one man operation. Are you getting soaked right now with the current wet pattern?
Maybe the screw driver type will be easy with the soaked ground.

[KA8WTK]

The local tool rental has a self-propelled unit used for drilling a lot of post or fence holes. Where the different size bits attach looks a lot like it will take the screw in anchors I have for the new tower. They have a square “top” with a hole.
I have tried the one-man type of post-hole diggers that use a gas engine before for fence posts. If you have good soil it works well. If it “jams”, you better have someone helping you hold it or you’re going to get a little beat up.
Got good soil? Check with your local tool rental and see what they have that will allow you to attach your anchor and screw it in.