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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

I need some advise on Post hole diggers

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Canadian

06-15-2005 18:05:53




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Hello, I have done some reading on post hole diggers but I have no 1st hand exp. I need a auger to drill about 100-250 holes and then up keep them over the years. Do I need a heavy duty auger at double the price?

Also I have been thinking of a 9" auger instead of a 12" so that there will be less stress on the gear box. Does this make allot of difference?

I have heard allot of horror stories about how easy these augers break???? Shouldn't the shear pins break before your auger...

I am looking at a greenline post hole digger if anyone can give me some first hand knowledge it would be great. thanks

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Rod F.

06-16-2005 20:22:57




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
I would go with a hydraulic drive unit, mounted on a loader. If you don't want to spend that kind of money, consider renting a skid steer with the auger on it for a day. Shouldn't be any trouble drilling all those holes in one day, provided the layout work is done ahead of time. I can remember using a Daunser digger many years ago. I don't recall what condition the tips were in, but it was an experience I would not care to repeat. The PTO diggers don't deal well with stone. With a loader mounted hydraulic drive, you can force the bit past a rock, and there are no broken shear bolts or bent or broken parts. If you have the patience to work with the PTO digger, my hat goes off to you.....
Rod

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buickanddeere

06-16-2005 07:20:13




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
There are hydraulic drive units that clamp to a loader bucket etc. No shear pin to break, just opens the relief valve. If you corkscrew in or get jammed into a rock. Just back her out in reverse. Down pressure too. I'm sitting here right now ticked at my old 12" pto drive that just spins on top of the blue clay.



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John A.

06-16-2005 05:33:16




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
Canadian, This purchase will be dictated by the type of soil conditions your place has! If the predominate soil feature is soil, NO Rock! or just little ledges that are not all that hard then a standard Danuser 3pt post hole digger will server you fine. IMO use a 12in bit it allows for easier corections in keeping your fenceline straight. BUT if your soil condition is Rock, Rock ledges and Calaichie. Sure enough extra tough conditions. Like I have here in Central Texas. Then a standard 3pt digger will be waaaaay less than even satisfactory!
Something on the line of a hydrolic down pressure machine will be needed to do the job. ie...a Bel-Tec post hole digger. They are condiderably more than, say a Danuser. But they are as different as night and day.
The Hydrolic down pressure pushes against the wt of the tractor so there is real down pressure on the auger. Ours has the Rock bit with replaceable teeth, Just like on the large trenchers you see grinding pipelines and such.
We have tried the lessor models of diggers, but it ends up me having to bar-out the hole with a 8ft stud bar. Ours is on a 4230 JD so the digger is lifting against the rear wt of the tractor.
Most hd 3 pt models of diggers will run in the $1000 ballpark. A Bel-tec will run $3500 /wo auger. An auger will run about $500. We found our used and it is well worth it. Even if I had paid new price. Hope this helps.
Later,
John A.

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digdug of NC

06-16-2005 05:18:15




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
Well, you have enough advice now to totally confuse you. Just remember the rule of thumb that you get what you pay for, and buy according to need for quality vs.expense. If this is for fencing try this. A couple years ago while helping a friend fence approx 10 acres an old timer told us to pack the hole with dirt about 1/2 full and then fill the rest with dry concrete mix (no water). We tried it and it works. The moisture from the ground( even in drought conditions) is drawn to the concrete mix and in about 48hrs. the post were rock solid tight and still are today. No need for expensive concrete mix just the cheapest stuff on the shelf works fine. And not having to mix it with water saves a lot of time. I dont remember the size of the auger but it wasn't much bigger than the post, the concrete does the trick.

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Mark - IN.

06-16-2005 05:49:35




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to digdug of NC, 06-16-2005 05:18:15  
Did that with my corners and gates, except put the dry concrete further down so the frost line wouldn't push the conrete upwards. Had to move one of them, used the loader and a log chain wrapped around it (railroad tie), brought the back of the tractor right up. Guess it works pretty good.

Don't forget about boring into clay. If go too fast, will corkscrew right in, and takes some weight to just lift a big auger out.

Mark

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Redmud

06-16-2005 02:24:29




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
I don't reckon it matters if you dig a 6" or 12" hole, if you tamp dirt back in the hole. But now if it's concrete that's going in the hole, it do start to matter with me. So I have an 8" and a 12" auger, Ive never had an auger to break, but have bent one or two. That just makes them dig a little better if not bent to bad. And If the shear pins don't do their job, GEARBOX is what I worry about...augers are cheap. And here in Texas, you can borrow a mans' Tractor, Combine, New pickup Truck, and Money. but if you ask to borrow his post hole digger and he let's you borrow it. it's gonna have handles.

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Van in AR

06-15-2005 21:19:37




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
Had a couple of the cheapies and here in the rocky Ozarks they don"t hold up worth a crap. Got a bush Hog brand with the heavy duty auger and it digs them all and never complains, a little rocky, no problem.
Van



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Robert in W. Mi.

06-15-2005 19:50:47




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
My best advise is, don't buy a "cheapo" PHD.

The lowest priced Bush Hog brand is the cheapest one i'd buy. The Bush Hog PHD gets good reviews around the net and when i bought mine i couldn't believe how much better it worked than the cheapo's i owned and used in the past.

Cheapo PHD's start hard and don't last as long when the digging gets tough.

Robert



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Hound

06-15-2005 19:11:55




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
If you can drive them in, in your area, thats the way to go. You can generaly rent them very reasonable, a couple of guys a couple of days and your done. Hound



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Galen

06-15-2005 19:05:44




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
Yup! Go with the bigger auger! Got a 14" on mine and glad I did! Only use the 9" for corner posts on chain link - everything else gets the big one so I have lots of "wiggle room".



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Coloken

06-15-2005 18:52:49




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
Got to disagree with Allan. The only time I used my 12 inch was for railroad ties in corral building. Its way too big most of the time. About 8 or 9 inch. Here a driver is absolutly worthless, but i know other places, so check with your neighbours. Yea, I twisted the shank out of my auger several time. Got pretty good at welding it back.



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Allan in NE

06-15-2005 18:43:10




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
Think about it.

You can put a 6" post in a 12" hole but not the other way around.

Get the biggest auger you will ever use and use it for everything.

Allan



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TGIN

06-16-2005 03:01:47




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Allan in NE, 06-15-2005 18:43:10  
I`m with Allen , Tamping the dirt back in is what it`s all about if you want a tight post . If you have a 6 in. post in a 9 in. hole there is not room to work . A little dirt and tamp , repeat , repeat , repeat , repeat , repeat , I`ve seen folks fill the dirt back in and tamp a little and go , if it is`nt lose today it will be in a month . If your setting post in a min. or so you aint doin it right .

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Roy in UK

06-15-2005 22:41:44




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Allan in NE, 06-15-2005 18:43:10  
Yes but.....
Many years ago we bought a Massey Ferguson,( You know the one that such a pain to hitch up lol) and it came with a 12 inch auger. We soon bought a 6 inch auger for it though because when putting 4 inch fence posts into light land we found it was difficult to get them firm in the ground.Plus you spent a lot more time back filling than digging!



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Dug

06-15-2005 19:02:29




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 Hot Dog!!! I Agree with Allan in reply to Allan in NE, 06-15-2005 18:43:10  
Allan is right, boy it feels good saying that!

Go with the bigger auger, you won't regret it. Built a wood fence couple years ago and used a nine inch auger for my 4x4 posts. Works fine except when measurements were off and had to "move the hole" to fit my 8 foot 2x6 rail!

'sides doesn't hurt to have a few extra inches!

Dug



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Allan in NE

06-15-2005 19:13:48




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 Re: Hot Dog!!! I Agree with Allan in reply to Dug, 06-15-2005 19:02:29  
Heck Yeah,

That's what we have tampin' bars for. :>)

I always used a 12" and never took it off the head.

Allan



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Dug

06-15-2005 22:41:57




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 Re: Hot Dog!!! I Agree with Allan in reply to Allan in NE, 06-15-2005 19:13:48  
Tampin' bars? You mean sawed off 2x4s?

Dug : )



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Mike M

06-15-2005 18:36:24




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
I"d be checking into a post driver if this is for fencing. If you do get a digger if you can get by with a 9" auger I would think it will be easier on things. If you have really rocky ground you better rent a hydraulic driven unit so you can reverse it when it gets stuck.



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geok

06-15-2005 18:33:25




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
A general all purpose digger in the 500.00 dollar range is plenty for most individuals and little rock. They can handle up to a 18 inch auger. Keep the proper grade of bolt for the shear pin is vital in preventing stress and damage. Stay with Grade 2 bolts. One thing to look for is that the auger shaft should be double wall where it bolts on to the gearbox. While digging, keep engine rpm around 1000 to 1200 and no higher. Keep cutting edges free from debris and keep sharp.

I was a fence contractor for more than 20 years and I rig up a hydraulic cylinder on my digger to help push auger in the ground. Time was important since I had to dig 1,000s of holes.

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Jack-Iowa

06-15-2005 18:27:45




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Canadian , 06-15-2005 18:05:53  
I got a danuser (cadilac of post hole diggers) and it is great! Have not seen anything it would not dig through.I have a 14" auger on it and it goes thru it all. You can usally get them at auctions for 160 and up.
Never broke a shear pin,tho I guess it is possible.



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vveathered

06-15-2005 22:18:06




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to Jack-Iowa, 06-15-2005 18:27:45  
Also have a Danuser. Supposed to be the best. Have sheared a pin or two in rocks but thats what shear pins are for... to protect the rest of the machine. Have both 12 and 8 inch augers. Only use the 12 for the railroad ties I use for corner posts. Probably will be using the Bobcat to push the rest of my posts in this spring. It's to wet here in MN to drill holes and try tamping the posts in.

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Canadian

06-16-2005 11:14:39




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 Re: I need some advise on Post hole diggers in reply to vveathered, 06-15-2005 22:18:06  
Well you guys are great with all the answers! What a great board! Well I guess a 3pt hitch has no down pressure...LOL

I have never used a 3pt hitch before, just my big bad loader and I've only had my tractor for about 1 month.



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