I’ve seen it drilled. I doubt driving it in would be an easy task even if doesn’t split the wood right away. On top of the that the wood may shrink over time and will certainly change dimensions with the weather and the wood may split later without a hole slightly larger than the spike. You might look into the very long screws used to construct log cabins among other purposes. That might reduce your labor. Even if you have to drill with those it’s a smaller hole and the work will go faster.
If I’m remembering correctly, a 1/2" rebar will provide a little resistance going in to a 1/2" hole. I can’t imagine what advantage would be had drilling a smaller hole and having to whack it through.
Attaching timbers on top of those, I’d use spikes and pre-drill them.
ok. I’d forgotten all about that style. I see Lowes has one.
I see what you mean. A big spade bit sometimes wallows out a bigger hole if you don’t keep the drill rock study. They also have a nasty habit of binding and the drill will twist in your hands.
I will never see your project, so it shouldn’t matter a whit to you, but I’ve never seen anything made out of those that looked good after a couple years. That may have something to do with DIY under-engineering, though. Hard to pass up at the price.
I would insist on an auger bit for a big treated 6x6, but surely a decent spade bit would do the trick for this application.
Of course, it’s a great excuse to buy a new bit, sooooooo…
Unrelated anecdote…I needed to get a new 1 1/2" spade bit to make a hole through a 4x4, and got one with a screw tip. I was almost scared how it chewed a hole right through, drawing itself the whole time. Awesome.
I used a 6x6 PT 12’ long as a replacement corner post on a second-story deck 6 years ago. It looks pretty much like new now, no splitting, etc. Of course, it’s not lying flat on the ground.
A friend who works for the railroad offered to get me railroad ties many years ago for a home project. They weighed a ton, and were a bitch to work with. But I drove by that house recently, and they look like they did when I put them in twenty something years ago!