"Billy" wrote:

I'm digging post holes in my yard for a fence and have come upon hard
clay soil with tons of tree roots below. I cant get my shovel more
that 2 inches deep. I have to finish my fence because i have half done
all this work to get 1/2 up already. The one side was very moist and
muddy but the trouble section is hard/clay like cememnt.

What are the tools and options I have to inexpensively get these holes
dug? Is there any reasonably priced machine that I should use? I'd
rather do manually if anyone has any tricks....

Why are you using a shovel for post holes, you're a glutton for punishment,
at least try a manual post hole digger; like $30 at your local hardware... a
good quality one with forged blades can often make quick work of clay and
roots... btw, if there are roots through the clay then it's not very tough
clay.

Clay and roots isn't nearly so bad as rocks.

You don't say the size of the post holes (or even how many)... for anything
up to say a 6" diam. hole you could rent a two man auger... anything larger
you'll likely need a vehical mounted auger. For more than like ten holes I
wouldn't have even considered the typical manual post hole digger, I would
have rented a power auger from the git-go... I've never had much luck with a
manual post hole digger for putting in a planned line of holes, always seem
to be battling rocks.