Cheap DIY Auger mod

[Docherty]

Hey folks,

not posted in a long time but thought I'd share my part bushcraft part, urban scavenger nightmare auger (patent pending).

In short, I got tired of hunting eBay for a scotch eyed auger, all the online sources seemed to want £50 and up for one with an inch diameter so I set about bodging one up. Wasn't much easier or cheaper to source the next best thing, an old brace and bit either.

Now it isn't pretty, it doesn't have all the length of a proper one but will bore a hole 7.5 inches Max depth or 19cm which suits me fine for what I need.

Just in case it needs any explanation - cut 6 inches of hazel with about 1.5 inch cross section, whittle one end so it won't split out when you hammer it, drill two pilot holes - one to force a metal bar through for turning the thing and another so that you can hammer a simple Bosch 1 inch auger drill bit into.

 

[Mesquite]

Nice idea but I don't think the hazel will be strong enough to handle the torque and likely will split when you start using it

 

[Docherty]

I wondered about that too - it held up fine when green and now it's seasoned the thing's bomb proof

 

[mr dazzler]

an even better solution would be to use a big strong piece of wood, eg beech, or elm, to make a heavy duty tommy bar, and just seat the bit into it into a pilot hole drilled into the centre. The Tommy bar and bit holder are then one and the same thing.... Its how augers were set up for timber framing for centuries. Sometimes they added some iron reinforcement too.

 

[British Red]

an even better solution would be to use a big strong piece of wood, eg beech, or elm, to make a heavy duty tommy bar, and just seat the bit into it into a pilot hole drilled into the centre. The Tommy bar and bit holder are then one and the same thing.... Its how augers were set up for timber framing for centuries.

Just like this one


Auger by British Red, on Flickr

Did cost me £2.50 though

 

[Perrari]

You could put a couple of 'jubilee' clips around the hazel where the Bit fits in to it just to strengthen it. Alternatively if you know someone with a welder get a piece of steel tune or bar about 1" dia, drill through the diameter big enough that the end of your Bosch bit fits through it and weld it.

 

[Melonfish]

an even better solution would be to use a big strong piece of wood, eg beech, or elm, to make a heavy duty tommy bar, and just seat the bit into it into a pilot hole drilled into the centre. The Tommy bar and bit holder are then one and the same thing.... Its how augers were set up for timber framing for centuries. Sometimes they added some iron reinforcement too.

pretty much what i did, drilled a hole whilst the wood was green, fitted the auger, now its seasoned it's spot on, though i only have a small auger for birch sap.

 

[tombear]

Something I see loads of on car boots are the handles for holding taps ( or is it dies, the ones that put the thread into holes, not onto rods?) which are designed to take any size of square shank. They come in a range of sizes, are a doddle to clean up if you are a nod like me, and pretty much Unbreakable .

just a thought.

Atb

Tom

 

[British Red]

You tap a hole Tom - a rod goes into a die

 

[tombear]

It's bizarre, I've done both many times but have some mental block remembering which is which!
ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

I always remember it by guns (like so many other things) - you "drill and tap" the receiver for scope mounts

 

[Jared]

Something I see loads of on car boots are the handles for holding taps ( or is it dies, the ones that put the thread into holes, not onto rods?) which are designed to take any size of square shank. They come in a range of sizes, are a doddle to clean up if you are a nod like me, and pretty much Unbreakable .

just a thought.

Atb

Tom

Was thinking a 4 way lug wrench.
http://www.rapidonline.com/Tools-Eq...rce=googleps&gclid=CJTr1rbq3bwCFWITwwodf18ACA


Edit:
Hahah two handed wrench http://twohandtool.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1

 

[Tjurved]

I made a very weak design that broke but with little improvements it should hold. I need to make a new try . http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54691&highlight=

 

[British Red]

As a matter of interest why do people say "Scotch eyed auger"?

The term Scotch refers to the type of auger - so wouldn't "Eyed scotch auger" make more sense? Why indeed does it need to be a scotch auger for tree tapping? Any barrel eyed auger would do??

 

[almac]

I've been looking for a 'RING' auger for a few years.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=ring...bit.com.tw%2FPole_Ring_Auger_Bit.html;325;460

just add a wood handle, any your good to go.

 

[John Fenna]

Nice idea but I don't think the hazel will be strong enough to handle the torque and likely will split when you start using it

If you are worried about that try whipping the wood with strong cord or wire.