Little kids and big kids alike are fascinated by the heavy duty monster machines frequently seen on work sites throughout the United States. Books intended for children have been written about them. More mature audiences frequently see them as the guest stars on television shows like TLC's "Monster Machines". This article examines one such beast in its native habitat: the digger derrick.

What is a Digger Derrick?

Digger derricks are multipurpose machines equipped with a powerful auger that, depending upon the specifications of the machine, is capable of chewing through solid rock. The auger on the digger derrick is frequently used to drill holes for telephone and electrical poles.

Once this monster machine has finished with the task of drilling holes, the digger derrick lifts and sets the heavy poles in place. With this marvel of modern technology at his disposal, a properly trained digger derrick operator can safely dig holes and set poles in a fraction of the time that it used to take.