Auger anchors and the Playa - OK?

[lightgraywolf]

I am designing a shade structure for our camp but it needs sturdy anchors to withstand the wind gusts. In the past I have used augers (aka "trailer home anchors" or "canopy anchors") to secure large tents but I have only used them in loamy soil.

Will augers work in Playa earth, or is the Playa too brittle or too hard to use augers? Anyone currently use augers at Burning Man?

The augers I am considering are Harbor Freight item #98966.


--Wolf

[Bluemandrew]

I have heard they work, but I couldn't get the ones I brought started last year. They just spun about 4 inches down

[ygmir]

that is exactly what I've been using for several years, althogh, shorter.
the playa, is actually quite dense at a fairly shallow depth.
I can only get them to screw in about a foot .....by then, it's so tight, I'm twisting the steel of the shaft with my bar.
I've not had any pull.
YMMV

[oneeyeddick]

Drill a pilot hole with a concrete bit, then add some water into the hole, and they will go all the way to the hilt.

I use dog screws from the $1.00 store in the same manner.

[geekster]

Never had much luck with the screw anchors. Rebar driven with the lite-brite rebar driver is fast and easy.

http://www.litebrite.org/rebarhammer/

You can drive a piece of rebar in about 15 seconds with one of those things. Use a t-stake puller to get them out after the event.

[ygmir]

I have heard they work, but I couldn't get the ones I brought started last year. They just spun about 4 inches down

I just lay my weight on it and it goes right down.......fluffy for the first couple of inches, but, once it bites the moist/compacted stuff, I binds right up.
I've not used a pilot hole.
you could tap while turning, I suppose, but, I've found, body weight, and a 2' pipe for a handle, works just fine.

[Bluemandrew]

I have heard they work, but I couldn't get the ones I brought started last year. They just spun about 4 inches down

I just lay my weight on it and it goes right down.......fluffy for the first couple of inches, but, once it bites the moist/compacted stuff, I binds right up.
I've not used a pilot hole.
you could tap while turning, I suppose, but, I've found, body weight, and a 2' pipe for a handle, works just fine.

I must have found a bad spot, or been using cheap anchors (came from Tractor supply I think) We bent one with my fat ass leaning on it, using a 2 foot piece of rebar through the eye as the handle.

They were supposed to be supporting the mast with the Barbie head on it at Barbie Death Camp, but I ended up triple rigging sets of rebar as anchors.

Augers would make life easier if I can get them to work, lots less knots and 12 less pieces of rebar lol.

(I'm Drew btw Ygmir, the guy who you brought propane out to last year, who gave the tank back to Doc instead of you... )

[ygmir]

I have heard they work, but I couldn't get the ones I brought started last year. They just spun about 4 inches down

I just lay my weight on it and it goes right down.......fluffy for the first couple of inches, but, once it bites the moist/compacted stuff, I binds right up.
I've not used a pilot hole.
you could tap while turning, I suppose, but, I've found, body weight, and a 2' pipe for a handle, works just fine.

I must have found a bad spot, or been using cheap anchors (came from Tractor supply I think) We bent one with my fat ass leaning on it, using a 2 foot piece of rebar through the eye as the handle.

They were supposed to be supporting the mast with the Barbie head on it at Barbie Death Camp, but I ended up triple rigging sets of rebar as anchors.

Augers would make life easier if I can get them to work, lots less knots and 12 less pieces of rebar lol.

(I'm Drew btw Ygmir, the guy who you brought propane out to last year, who gave the tank back to Doc instead of you... )

cool, Hi Drew........I remember you.......no worries.

maybe, the augers were just to long?
as I said, I use pretty short ones.......and, IIRC, got them at TS.

I've noted, sometimes it takes an extra try to get one to "start", but, once going down, they tighten right up.
I've tried to pull one by hand. True, I'm not Hercules, but, I had no luck pulling it out.

I"ve usually got extra rebar and stuff, if you guys run into trouble.

[lightgraywolf]

Thanks everyone for the advice! Especially about the dog screws... I'd forgotten about those things and they might work as well for my application. Cheaper, too!

The 30" length of the augers in my original post do seem a bit overkill. Harbor Freight also has item #99693 which are 15" long and are probably adequate. Can't wait to give these a try.

[Trishntek]

All of our rope anchor points have the 15" dog stakes. The actual sides of the tents have 12" nails with fender washers.

[TomServo]

Like these?
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... ger+anchor

I'm gonna try them this year. Using a steel tube to drive it, shouldn't be too hard, but then the playa is like clay a couple inches down.

[ygmir]

yup, that's what I use......a piece of 3/4" pipe, about 2' long to turn them.......I just lean into it until it bites.......seems they only go about 10" in, and, the shaft starts to twist it gets so tight......

(stay away from that line, Dougly, Sailman, Simon (if you're around))

[EspressoDude]

larger versions are used to hold the center canp canopy from blowing away

[ygmir]

I used to put in really big ones to anchor telephone poles, if, the soil was right.

It's amazing how much a plate in the ground will hold

[Trishntek]

I used to put in really big ones to anchor telephone poles, if, the soil was right.

It's amazing how much a plate in the ground will hold

Just imagine how much you could hold if you threw in the knife, fork and spoon!

[ygmir]

I used to put in really big ones to anchor telephone poles, if, the soil was right.

It's amazing how much a plate in the ground will hold

Just imagine how much you could hold if you threw in the knife, fork and spoon!

you're such a card!!!!

I'll "deal" with you later........