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Reimagine Your Fencing Capabilities

Reimagine Your Fencing Capabilities

Dec 5, 2025

Equipment for Unique Fence Installation Jobs

Little Beaver is known in fencing circles for fast and efficient posthole diggers, like our Mechanical and Hydraulic Earth Drills. But our equipment’s capabilities don’t stop there. We know that your projects can vary and expand beyond setting traditional fences — like installing a dog fence or shallow electrical lines that run along a fence. That’s why we offer multiple equipment options for fencing, landscaping and more.

Here’s how our equipment can help streamline your projects:

Underground Fencing

Some fencing projects, like pet fencing, involve digging underground lines around the perimeter of a yard. Digging by hand makes the project longer and harder to complete. But what other option do you have?

Well, there’s our Kwik-Trench mini trencher. We offer two options: the KT 200B and the KT 2400B. The KT 200B is built for lighter-duty jobs and smaller yards while the KT 2400B is for more demanding applications in tougher soils. Here are the overall benefits of both options:Mini-trencher silt fence installation

  • Minimal turf disturbance
  • Trenching speed up to 30 feet per minute
  • Trench depth range of 6-12 inches
  • Compact with a practical cutter wheel design
  • Maneuverable for tight spaces

The Kwik-Trench offers a safe, easy way to dig a uniform trench with consistent depth and size. For fencing contractors, a mini trencher saves hours of hand digging, significantly speeding up trenching tasks. It also creates the opportunity to support other projects, like installing electrical lines for landscape lighting.

Crossing Under Obstacles

Horizontal boring applicationsSometimes, underground fencing and electrical lines need to go underneath an obstacle, such as a sidewalk or a driveway. This task traditionally requires manual tunneling or cutting through the concrete to the ground below. Both of these options are time consuming, and breaking through the concrete diminishes the strength of the entire slab.

If you’re already using our Mechanical Earth Drill for fence installation, or if you’re considering adding one to your fleet, remember that it can be more than just a posthole digger. Our Horizontal Boring Kits pair with your Little Beaver Mechanical Earth Drill and bore cleanly underneath obstacles without disturbing the surface. There are two kits to choose from: a sidewalk boring kit and a driveway boring kit.

The sidewalk boring kit is a dry boring solution that’s perfect for smaller spans like those underneath sidewalks and includes a 5-foot auger with a 3-inch diameter bit and a 5-foot extension with a universal wiggle joint. The driveway boring kit is a wet boring solution and bores up to 50 feet underneath driveways or parking lots. The kit includes the option of a 2-, 3- or 4-inch drill bit as well as a swivel adapter, swivel assembly and horizontal boring key. To complete the kit, operators will need to use a garden hose, 3/4-inch Schedule 80 water pipe and 3/4-inch pipe collar. Both kits connect to our Mechanical Earth Drill.

Expand Your Capabilities

An earth drill isn’t the only piece of equipment from our line that can help optimize your projects. Once you’ve invested in an earth drill, you can expand outward with other solutions to boost your productivity and expand your capabilities. Contact our experts today to learn more about how our equipment can be used for fencing and landscaping.

Choosing the Right Earth Drilling Equipment for Your Project

Choosing the Right Earth Drilling Equipment for Your Project

Nov 15, 2024

Whether you’re a DIY’er looking to complete one simple backyard project or a contractor tackling customer jobs, choosing the correct drill type and auger for a project significantly increases the ease and efficiency of your drilling job. Let’s explore which choices are the best for your project.

Mechanical or Hydraulic?

Horizontal Boring Tips and Best PracticesDepending on the project, you might find that a mechanical earth drill performs better than a hydraulic earth drill. However, the best option comes down to a few different factors including borehole diameter, soil type and maneuverability needs.

Our Mechanical Earth Drills are ideal for drilling relatively small holes, ranging from 1.5 to 12-inch diameters, in sandy or loamy soil profiles. You might use this drill for landscaping, erecting signs or installing fence posts. DIY’ers often find the Mechanical Earth Drill to be the superior option for home improvement projects. With additional kits, these drills extend past simple post hole drilling. Little Beaver Mechanical Earth Drills offer the option to pair with a horizontal boring kit to bore up to 50 feet under driveways, sidewalks and parking lots.

Fencing with Hydraulic Earth DrillOur Hydraulic Earth Drills have twice the torque of our mechanical models, which makes them better for tasks demanding larger holes up to 16 inches. This could include projects like building a pole barn or monitoring groundwater. These high-powered machines are optimal for use in frozen soil, clay and rocky sediments.

Both earth drill options feature compact, lightweight designs that give them a small footprint and allow them to reach areas where larger models and skid steers can’t go.

Hydraulic Earth Drills can take mobility one step further. Our Towable Earth Drill conveniently attaches to a trailer hitch for hauling to and from the jobsite while the UN-Towable can fit in the back of most SUVs and pickup trucks. They’re also able to drill right next to buildings and other structures. For the toughest jobs, we offer the Big Beaver. Rental centers often choose to stock both mechanical and hydraulic earth drills to appeal to a wider audience of users, including DIY’ers and contractors.

Selecting an Auger

Little Beaver PointsAuger selection can be just as important as drill selection. Roughly 80% of projects will use a standard auger with standard points and blades, which work best in loamy, sandy soil profiles. Typically, these augers range in size between 1.5 to 16 inches, reaching depths of up to 36 inches. Some manufacturers offer additional points and blades that help to expand the use of the standard auger. For example, a carbide blade is best for the toughest types of ground, such as asphalt, dense clay and frozen dirt.

When there’s harsh, rocky terrain underfoot, you need an equally rugged auger. Heavy-duty augers are designed with features like larger flighting and tougher cutting blades. Little Beaver also has heavy-duty points and blades to slice through harder ground, like gravel.

To choose the best auger for your project, it’s important to understand the terrain you will be drilling in. It’s also important to recognize if you’re going to be using the same drill for more than one project. While a post hole might be drilled in an area with loamy soil, a sign might be installed in harsher soil conditions, which will require different auger types and, possibly, different auger diameters.

Making the Best of Your Project

Little Beaver offers an expansive library of informational resources to help you make your project a success. In the FAQ section of our website, you can find detailed answers to questions that may arise as you drill deeper into a project. We’re also happy to have you contact us directly by email or phone.

Safe Storage

Safe Storage

Oct 16, 2024

Store Your Earth Drill Properly this Winter

Most contractors and rental centers that employ earth drills will experience an approximately 3-4 month winter period in which the equipment is not being used. Before storing your Little Beaver earth drill for the season, take some time to thoroughly examine the drill and ensure that all components are in working order. The simple steps below will ensure your machine is ready to go in the spring.

Hydraulic Hibernation

Little Beaver Hydraulic Drill maintenanceTo prepare a hydraulic model for storage, remove the shroud between the tank and the engine to inspect the coupling component. Make sure the rubber spider is not worn or missing pieces. Check for hose leaks or loose connections and look for any cuts or cracks that might be causing them. Additionally, lock the drive head into the “storage” position by pivoting the handle.

Don’t leave your machine out in the cold all winter. Hydraulic oil thickens as it becomes cold, which could damage the hydraulic system and the hoses. The hydraulic oil needs to be changed every three months or 100 hours of use, so it’s more efficient to simply drain the oil for the storage period; just don’t forget to replenish it in the spring. You should use premium mineral oil with anti-wear and anti-foaming additives. If you are using the drill in frigid temperatures, we recommend ISO VG 32-grade oil (46 for normal temperature operation and 68 in warmer climates). 

Year-End Mechanical Maintenance

Little Beaver Mechanical Earth Drill TransmissionRoutine maintenance during active drilling periods of the year keeps your machine primed for the most rugged applications. This includes inspecting, cleaning and lubricating applicable parts for every 30-40 hours of use. But when your drill’s hard work is done and it’s time for its seasonal slumber, ticking off some end-of-the-year checkboxes will make sure it’s ready to go next spring.

Store the drill so that the flexible shaft is stretched straight and not curled up; check for cracks or wires on the outer housing. Look for rust on the push button connector and if you find any, wipe it down with WD-40. Check out the throttle cable as there’s a good chance you’ll need to take things apart to clean it. If frayed, it should be replaced.

Ready for Spring

Some storage preparation steps apply to both hydraulic and mechanical units. There are a couple of options for winterizing the gasoline-powered fuel system of your mechanical or hydraulic drill. The simplest is to completely drain the gas tank. You can also add fuel stabilizer solution, which forms a protective layer by bonding with gasoline to prevent evaporation. It also stops the buildup of sticky resins that can destroy a carburetor and remains effective for up to one year.

Fuel stabilizer is recommended any time a gas engine, especially an older one, will be out of use for three weeks or more. Fill up the rest of the tank upon taking it out of storage, as this will diffuse the stabilizer. Nonethanol gasoline is best for this type of equipment, especially when putting it away for storage or filling up in the spring. Ethanol’s corrosive effects increase the longer the machine sits idle, and the blend doesn’t always mix well with stabilizer. Once this is done, grab a couple wrenches and tighten up all bolts, as they can become loose through the course of routine drilling and transportation.

Always store earth drills in a warm, dry space. Left to the elements in a high-moisture area, the steel will eventually develop rust. Make sure to keep them in a space that doesn’t get heavy foot traffic so it won’t get knocked over or otherwise disturbed, especially if there is a chance of animals or small children being nearby.

Don’t leave the blades dull or rounded since drilling with them can damage the flighting of your auger. Install new blades if they are replaceable or sharpen your carbide blades. Sharpen with a carbide bench grinding wheel tilted to a 5-7 degree relief angle. Clean your blades with warm, soapy water. Do not use a pressure washer, which is too abrasive and can cause damage.

Your Little Beaver Needs a Little Love

Properly storing your earth drilling equipment will keep it running smoothly for many years to come. For any maintenance questions, reference your owner’s manual, check out our online service videos or contact us for direct consultation.

Increasing Margins

Increasing Margins

Jul 28, 2023

Boost your ROI with One-Man Drills

Between capitalizing on opportunities, attracting and retaining customers, hiring and motivating good employees, fending off the competition and managing expenses, the margin for error is small when it comes to running a business.

Labor and equipment costs are two of the most impactful variables affecting profits for contractors. For this reason, discovering efficient and durable equipment that can also reduce labor costs, like Little Beaver’s Mechanical Earth Drills, is a game-changer.

Maximizing Manpower

For starters, wages, benefits and payroll taxes add up quickly. This is why labor is often a contractor’s biggest expense. If you run a high-volume digging business, looking at the equipment your crew uses to dig holes is one of the best ways to reduce costs and increase profits.

A lot of contractors use mechanical earth drills to dig holes. While these drills can provide high auger speeds — up to 360 rpm — for fast hole digging, most come with a major drawback. Many fail to protect operators from the torque and kickback associated with the drill’s power and speed and, as a result, require two operators to mitigate the risk of injury from an out-of-control drill.

Two or three employees often make up an entire crew, so projects can get off to a slow start when two are tied up digging holes. This is the norm for many contractors. But, with Little Beaver earth drills, it doesn’t have to be. Little Beaver’s Mechanical Earth Drills feature engines that are mounted on a separate carrier attached to the drill’s handles via a steel torque tube. The drill’s torque and kickback are transferred to the engine carrier, as opposed to the operator, making safe one-person operation possible.

With equipment that allows for one-person digging, you can free up that second operator to complete other portions of the job. And, the manageable size and efficient design of Little Beaver Mechanical Drills decreases labor costs, increases your crew’s capacity to take on more work and jobs get completed faster.

Little Beaver Mechanical earth augerThe Proof Is in The Profit

A single residential fence project — an 80- by 40-foot standard backyard wood fence with 8-foot-long sections — requires approximately 20 holes. From unloading the drill to finishing the final hole, this portion of the job takes about an hour for two people to complete. With a Little Beaver Mechanical Earth Drill, however, the work can be completed in roughly half the time while the second person starts on other aspects of the project, such as unloading materials and placing posts.

Ultimately, this can shave as much as 30 to 45 minutes — more for larger jobs — off of the total time it takes to finish the project. Although it may not sound significant, 30 minutes per job adds up quickly and can be enough to help a single crew complete an additional job or two every month. By the end of the busy season, a contractor with multiple crews can take on dozens of additional jobs, adding up to thousands of dollars in revenue.

Solutions for Success

While building a successful business isn’t an easy task, finding solutions that increase revenue are great ways to work toward that goal. Simple solutions to reduce labor expenses and project turn-around times are among the easiest ways to manage both margins for error and profit margins. In industries that rely on earth augers, safe one-person drills provide exactly that.

How much could you save with one-man drilling efficiency? Find out with our Labor Cost Calculator.

How to Install a Mailbox Post

How to Install a Mailbox Post

Aug 20, 2022

Using an Earth Drill to Install a Mailbox Post

If you’re wondering how to install a mailbox post, you’re not alone. Mailbox installation is a very common do-it-yourself (DIY) project many homeowners take on. For the least labor-intensive option, we suggest renting an earth drill to get the job done. Using an earth drill, like Little Beaver’s mechanical or hydraulic earth drill, will not only be more efficient than alternative methods, it will also reduce the strain on your back and other potential injuries.

Installing Mailbox Post

What You’ll Need:

  • Little Beaver earth drill with an auger 3 times
    wider than the post
  • Mailbox post (we suggest a 4×4-inch wooden post or
    two-inch diameter steel or aluminum pipe)
  • 50-pound bag of concrete
  • Mailbox
  • Bricks or stone for landscaping (optional)

After gathering the necessary items, we suggest starting by calling 811 to mark buried utilities and checking the manufacturer instructions that came with your mailbox model. Once you have your Little Beaver earth drill rental, make sure to read the owner’s manual or work with your rental center to learn how to operate the drill. Once you’re ready to go, watch our easy set-up video to see the step-by-step process for setting up the drill and disassembling it for transportation. You can also contact the Little Beaver team with any questions!

Per USPS guidelines, a mailbox should be placed six to eight inches back from the curb and 42 inches off the ground. Once you’ve found the right spot, you can start a pilot hole using the earth auger. This is a small hole drilled into the ground to help guide the larger drill for a more precise drilling location. Once the pilot hole has been created, it’s time to put the earth auger to work! After you’ve drilled to your desired depth, typically 20-24 inches, simply lift the auger from the hole and you’re ready for the next step!

Although it’s possible to install a mailbox without concrete, we suggest taking this extra step for improved security and durability. After preparing a bag of fast-setting concrete, place the post in the hole and pour the concrete into the hole around the post. Make sure to allow a few inches of space at the top of the hole and use a level to double-check that the pole is straight. If it has shifted, adjust quickly before the concrete dries.

After the concrete has set, it’s time to attach the mailbox to your post! Most manufacturers have their own instructions for how to get this done, so we recommend following those closely. Once the mailbox has been attached, don’t forget to add your address. If your mailbox is on a different street than your home, USPS requires that you put the full street address on the mailbox.

Even though your mailbox is technically complete after adding your address, you can always go a step further by landscaping around the mailbox before returning your earth drill to the rental center. Earth drills have many uses, including DIY landscaping such as planting small shrubs around your mailbox post.

How to Install Wooden Fence Posts

How to Install Wooden Fence Posts

Jul 31, 2022

Using an Earth Drill to Successfully Install Wooden Fence Posts

Installing wooden fence posts can be a great DIY project, especially if you’re renting an earth drill to make the job more efficient and less labor-intensive. Before you get started with your fencing project, there are a few things to know to set yourself up for success and prevent frustration in the future.

Plan Ahead

As tempting as it might be to start drilling as soon as possible, it’s important to call 811 and check local codes and ordinances before you drill. 811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number that will send out a locator who will mark the approximate location of any buried utilities with paint or flags so you can avoid them. Some areas will also require permits before you build your fence, so make sure not to skip this step.

Mechanical earth auger for fencepost installation

What You’ll Need:

  • Shovel
  • Gravel
  • Level
  • Concrete mix
  • Mechanical earth drill with an auger 3 times wider than the posts
  • Stakes (enough for each wood post)
  • Wood posts (at least 8 feet in length)
  • Rope (the length you’re setting your fence posts apart)

Lay the Foundation

The type of wood you choose for your fence posts will determine their life expectancy. It’s also important to look for chromated copper arsenate (CCA) pressure-treated wood, which will slow the decay of wooden fence posts over time. Pine is a popular choice for fences that can last up to 30 years when treated. Other long-lasting woods are redwood, sweetgum or cedar because they are highly resistant to moisture which helps prevent decay, cracking or warping.

Once you have the supplies you’ll need, carefully mark the location of each post with a temporary stake. When building wooden fences, it’s crucial to have the fence posts in a straight line, otherwise you’ll notice the poles weaving in and out of line after the poles have been placed. Stretch a long rope between each stake for a simple way to measure and mark the location of each post.

After you have marked the location of each post, it’s best to use a shovel to remove any sod you might be drilling through. Grass and vegetation can clog the end of an auger — especially when wet. This step might seem like a hassle at first, but it will save you time and frustration once you start drilling.

When it comes to picking a drill to rent, we suggest prioritizing safety.  All Little Beaver earth drills incorporate torque tubes along with a slip clutch for added safety while drilling. A torque tube offers consistent safety by absorbing shock as you encounter different soil and resistance. On the other hand, the slip clutch offers protection for both the operator and the drill if you hit a rock or tree root while drilling.

Towable hydraulic earth auger

Get Drilling

When the prep work has been finished, it’s time to get drilling. Make sure the auger enters the soil perpendicular to the precise point you marked with the stake and keep it vertical as you drill. It’s important to prevent the auger from entering the ground at an angle; otherwise, you risk setting a crooked fence post or a creating hole that’s difficult to backfill.

Dig the fence post hole so the diameter is 3 times the width of the post. For example, if the fence post has a 3-inch diameter, the hole should be about 9 inches wide. The depth of the hole should be one-third to one-half the post height above ground. For example, if the fence post is 9 feet tall, the hole depth should be at least 3 feet. If you live in a cold climate, it’s also important to make sure you dig your post below the frost line to prevent the fence posts from moving or heaving when the ground freezes in the winter. To dig below the frost line, check the local frost lines in your area and dig your hole 6-inches below that.

When the hole is complete, make sure to stop the auger and pull it out for a clean hole. To make this step easier than ever, Little Beaver mechanical earth drills have a lightweight design and our hydraulic earth drills feature a reverse button. Continue the drilling process until all fence post holes are complete.

Set the Posts

When all the holes are drilled, pour in about 3 to 4 inches of gravel. This will help with drainage as opposed to a post hole that’s filled entirely with concrete. Use a piece of scrap lumber or other blunt object to tamp down the gravel. This will ensure it doesn’t settle and allows for optimal drainage. On top of the gravel, add about 6 to 8 inches of concrete, and place your post in the middle of the mixture. Using a level right after this step will help to make sure the post is properly positioned. Once the concrete is leveled, fill the rest of the hole by backfilling the dirt and tamping as you go. From here, follow the instructions on your concrete mix to see how long it will take to dry.

After this step, your fence posts are ready to go, and the rest of your fence can be assembled. If you have any questions regarding drilling holes for fence posts with a Little Beaver earth drill, don’t hesitate to contact the Little Beaver team. We’re happy to help with any questions that might come up.