Auger: Buy or rent

[drjay9051]

I'm ready to fence my ten acres here in Ocala area. A post every 8 feet means a lot of holes! I have a 25 HP Kioti tractor. Any thoughts on buying a PTO auger vs renting an auger for the weekend? Has anybody used those hand held augers with the small engine on top? They look like alot of work. Anything beats the post hole digger. Also, if I do not plan on a top board but just fencing can I spread out the posts to say one every 15 or 20 feet?

Thanks for the help.

Jay

 

[ultrarunner]

I had to buy one... none of the CA Rental yards I contacted in the SF Bay Area have small 3 point post hole diggers... only available for Bobcats and such.

I was told it's a liability issue.

 

[paulyny]

I just rented one last week from Home Depot to dig 9 12" holes 4' deep. Since i had no reliable help i opted for a big tow behind model. Machine was brand new and must cost a few thousand bucks. I rented it for $70.00 or so for 24 hours. Had to be about 15 feet long. Worked very well, especially if working solo. It had a honda engine driving a hyd pump. Nice feature was reverse, which i am hand helds dont do. Helped if i got stuck on a root. No worries of ripping your arms off either. I also considered buying a 3 point model for future projects as well. But it didnt make sense for me to own and maintain another piece of equipment for the amount of use. Ten acres (linear)of posts ! If your going to need to rent for the week then you might as well buy one. Best of luck.

 

[radioman]

posts 15-20 ft apart ? that is a little nuts. that is a good way to have alot of repairs coming up in your future. build it right the first time, you spend little if any time on the fence in the future. You will see alot of saggin too.

 

[kennyd]

I think for that amount of holes it would be justified to buy a 3PH model PHD. TSC sells a decent one for $500 or so.

And, keep the post's at 8' !

 

[LBrown59]

Has anybody used those hand held augers with the small engine on top? They look like alot of work.
Jay

Use one and you'll find out u r rite.

Nice feature was reverse, which i am told hand helds dont do. .

Yes thay have reverse.

 

[john_bud]

The 3 pt auger is the least used attachment I own. It will go for years at a stretch sitting. Worth it when it's needed, but a thing in the way 363+ days a year.

jb

 

[MarkV]

Jay I would buy if I were you. You are going to find that to fence 10 acres is more than a weekend of drilling holes. I have used the "augers with the engine on top" and without help they can beat you to death. If you catch a root there better be another person hanging on with you.

MarkV

 

[bigdad]

Curious... If you justify buying a PHD and there are others that need fences or at least the holes dug, what would a guy charge per hole?

 

[afish]

I would keep an eye on craigslist for a used one that way you could buy one and if you find you have no use for it you could resell it and make back most of your money. Its probably cheaper to do it that way instead of renting one.

 

[deereguy]

what would a guy charge per hole?

I would charge by the hour, who knows what lies beneath the topsoil and what the soil/rock conditions are in your area. Now for what to charge...that's a sticky situation on how you know the person or using your equipment as a business, transport time, etc.

 

[Sniggle]

I am in the middle of 140+ holes for a fence around 3 acres making 2 1 1/2 acre pastures. I am spacing the poles 12 feet apart, as I am using a tension fence (corners are concreted and supported).

About all those post holes.....if you have a nice loamy/sandy soil with minimal rocks, buy a PHD for your tractor and have at it. If your soil is heavy clay and rock....you might want to explore hiring someone with a bobcat mounted post hole digger.

 

[kycontrols]

I used a hand hold auger when we fenced in my five acres. It took three of us to get the thing to work. (Rock hard clay in the middle od drought.) Two of use would hold while the third sat on it. It was actually fun.

I would personally suggest looking at a dingo with an auger attachment. With that many holes you are bound to hit a root, rock or bury the thing. Being able to reverse the auger is very nice when it gets stuck.

If you had all your holes location premarked you could probably get them all in during the weekend. It will be a long weekend

 

[SnowRidge]

You are talking well over 300 holes. Buy one, and make sure you don't make the mistake of buying a six inch auger for 4x4s. It will make the job much harder than need be. Get a nine inch auger.

If your posts will be bigger than 4x4s, go up in size correspondingly.

 

[pitt_md]

I have built a lot of fence in my life, not saying I am a expert or anything but where i grew up and live now there is absolutly no need to have posts 8 feet apart. 8 paces yes. 8 feet is a waste of money/time. I should say that I am talking high tensel steel fence wire. The corners are all braced and the top strand is electrified to keep the horses from leaning on it. I live in the middle of farm country and every one around here except the elk farm builds their fence this way.

 

[J_J]

I have both , a 3 hp Earth Quake, and a hydraulic auger. If you are talking Ocala, Florida, you have a little bit of top soil and then sand. Holes go in real quick. One person can run the machine, but with two people it is better. You could make your own hydraulic auger, with a 6 cu in hyd motor, with reverse. Mount it in a bracket with swivels, and get an adapter for the motor, and the size auger you want to use. Most people don't dig a lot of holes unless they are in the fence business. You might be able to rent a post pounder. When you are finished with the hydraulic auger, you can use the hyd motor for other implements. I have put in about a thousand feet of post and red top wire fence. and I spaced the poles at 20 ft.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

About all that I can say is that if you are going to have to rent something more than once, and if it is at all affordable, then buy it. Because if you need it more than once, then you need that tool.

 

[SnowRidge]

Since the OP said he is not going to put in a "top board," which implies middle and lower boards, it doesn't sound like he will be putting up a wire fence.

 

[J_J]

Since the OP said he is not going to put in a "top board," which implies middle and lower boards, it doesn't sound like he will be putting up a wire fence.

I disagree. if he is going longer than 8 ft with no top board, it sounds like a wire fence is called for. Hr said this

[ Also, if I do not plan on a top board but just fencing can I spread out the posts to say one every 15 or 20 feet? ]


Nobody uses 20 ft spacing for wood.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Drjay your avatar doesn't say where you are located.(after reading the original post I see you said Ocala) Maybe you can check with your neighbors or rent one for the day or so. I just hauled a couple of tons of rubber stall mats out to my neighbors place. She said hey this thing is in my way do you want it? It was a complete 9" PHD digger with the 3 pt bracket and drive line. It was old looking but it still spins. I plan on seeing what kind of oil should be in the gear box and replace that. Right now I don't need any post holes. So maybe I will clean it up and sell it. She has older brush hog she wants to get rid of as well so maybe I will buy that from her.