Looking for recommendations and advice for my first Post Hole Digger

[Tkekic]

I am looking for my first post hole digger to use on my Kioti CK27 HST. Sadly tractor does not have any front end loader hydraulic attachment provisions or any rear remotes so will limit me to a rear 3 point PTO digger. Engine HP is 28 with from memory 20.5 PTO HP.

Initial use will be to dig (30) 12 inch diameter holes to a 42 or 48 inch depth. Location is clay soil with likely some small rocks (less that 3 inch diameter) and small tree roots (the two trees in the area are maple 14 foot tall and 10 inch diameter at base). This will not be an expected high use piece of equipment for me. Expect casual use every few years. Possible next use would be for a smaller poll barn in a years. A few tree holes for new plants and mailbox post from time to time.

(I considered renting a 2 person gas trimmer but two reasons make this not a desirable option. 1) hole dig phase will likely be spread over 5 weeks so rental cost gets high and 2) I am concerned the 2 person hand held hole diggers will be more than I can handle at my mature phase. Son is capable but I think he would be covering too much for me and have to over do physically for himself)

Now looking for recommendations, advise, and help from this group.

My first thought is the Tractor Supply Company (TSC) Country Line 3 point post hole digger (item 1353114) for 18HP to 100HP Tractors. Current sale price is $585 USD with a 12 inch auger adding $153 = $738 total before tax. It has a 3 year warranty so suspect basically if the gearbox, 3 point shaft, or weld fails you might have some support. From my review of the still in shipping box at TSC store it looks to be a light duty post hole digger intended for casual low use.

What other options would the group suggest.
Again this would be my first post hole digger. I have never use one myself so I am looking for any help. I would love to get the heavy duty piece of equipment but my expected use does not support an expensive unit.

Thanks and best regards

Spanky100

There should be a law or policy that would tell owners that a 3 point auger is one of the worst pieces of equipment ever sold. The problem is that there are many times that getting the 3 point to bite requires doing things that are dangerous. I have a front mounted post hole auger and I LOVE it. It is the most useful implement I have. It was worth the cost of getting it and having third station added. Easy to control and very effective because I can use the force of the front hydraulics to get a bite and control the speed of the bore.

 

[Sportsman762]

The problem is that there are many times that getting the 3 point to bite requires doing things that are dangerous.

I find that letting the 3pt auger spin for 30 seconds or so on the soil will tear the turf up. Then i shut the PTO off and go pull the sod out from the teeth. Then the auger will dig well as long as there are no large roots or rocks. I find a 3pt digger a real pain to use, it gets stopped by 6"+ rocks all the time. Also if you have shale then it will not dig through it. My parents place has 400+ posts on it. They were all dug by a 3pt post hole digger, well except the 60% that had large roots and rocks in them. Those were dug by the 3pt PHD and a spud bar to break the rocks free then using a clam shell type digger to lift them out. then the 3pt PHD to dig the rest of the hole.

Initial use will be to dig (30) 12 inch diameter holes to a 42 or 48 inch depth. Location is clay soil with likely some small rocks (less that 3 inch diameter) and small tree roots (the two trees in the area are maple 14 foot tall and 10 inch diameter at base). This will not be an expected high use piece of equipment for me. Expect casual use every few years. Possible next use would be for a smaller poll barn in a years. A few tree holes for new plants and mailbox post from time to time.

A 3pt auger is perfect for you. I would expect there will still be some hand digging while cleaning up a hole, or digging roots / rocks out. It is not a wonder tool, but will reduce the work you need.

I will bring the clam shell digger to get the final dirt out of the hole. Also the timber sections for a positive stop on the depth

Good ideas. The clam shell digger is a requirement. Along with a good tamping spud bar. I would also go with the 12" auger. The holes for the fence are more forgiving. The 3pt PHD moves in an arc so the holes are very hard to get straight.

I have a front mounted post hole auger and I LOVE it. It is the most useful implement I have. It was worth the cost of getting it and having third station added. Easy to control and very effective because I can use the force of the front hydraulics to get a bite and control the speed of the bore.

I have a McMillen hydraulic auger now. I never have to get off the tractor and it will dig through roots and into shale. However for a casual user a 3pt unit is a good improvement over digging by hand. If I had not picked the hydraulic auger up for $500 I would not have one as my limited use of 10 or so holes a year does not justify the 2K+ for an hydraulic auger. Also the hydraulic auger I have is center mounted so its impossible to see the pilot to line up on the mark so a second person is needed to line the auger up. I can line a 3pt PHD by myself. I agree that a hydraulic auger is vastly superior to a 3pt auger, however economically it does not work out for OP.

 

[BlueKnife]

I agree that a hydraulic auger is vastly superior to a 3pt auger, however economically it does not work out for OP.

Problem is, the 3 pt auger doesn't work out either. Drilling 30 12 inch holes to 4' depth is going to be a monumental chore for a little tractor like that, if it will do it at all. That's going to depend on the soil type. Then he talked about drilling holes for a pole barn, which means 18-30" diameter holes 2-4 ft deep, depending on his location (he has multiples listed in his profile). Doing that with a tractor that size with a 3 pt auger will range from an absolute nightmare to completely impossible, again, depending on soil type. That's where rentals come in.

 

[RjCorazza]

Eddie

Appreciate your input from what you have experienced (you have put many feet of fence in for sure).

This project is a combination of vinyl fencing 8 foot on center (6 foot high) and chain link fencing for the daughters dog.

I will bring the clam shell digger to get the final dirt out of the hole. Also the timber sections for a positive stop on the depth. Also the pipe wrench and extension pipe that you and CH4Ohio have pointed out for manually backing out stuck auger. Good to know replacement parts are also available on Amazon.

Thanks for you information.

After putting in 1100' of split rail, try drilling the auger a few inches deeper than required, then push soil back in and tamp with a marked 2x4 to get the exact depth. Any time a clamshell digger can remain leaning on a tree is a win!
Also... I skimmed the thread and saw mention of a pole barn. I would rent a skid steer auger for pole barn posts.

 

[anomad]

I priced the tractor supply post hole diggers a while back and they were like 600 dollars. Priced just now, with a 12 inch auger, it's over 1000 bucks shipped to my local store. Dang... I should have gotten two back when I priced them before.

I have 2 fencing projects and a couple places I would like better gates (automagic ones).

Dad had one when I was young. I wonder if it's laying around in the woods somewhere like all his other junk was? Course it wasn't woods when he dumped stuff there... I need to grab a machete on a cool morning and scratch around.

 

[Sportsman762]

Problem is, the 3 pt auger doesn't work out either. Drilling 30 12 inch holes to 4' depth is going to be a monumental chore for a little tractor like that, if it will do it at all. That's going to depend on the soil type.

I am not sure about in TX as I have not dealt with the rock hard summer soil there. However there is no issue with the CK27 HST (20hp PTO). The 400+ posts I mentioned were put in with a Ford 8N (23hp PTO) with a 12" auger. Our soil on my parents on the hill tops is a sandy soil with sandstone rocks ranging in size from a golf ball to a car. The valleys are pure clay. There were three brickyards in less than two miles of the place due to the quality of the clay. In the soil he described if it is in TN or OH. SW Ohio soil will is a clay or silt most likely so pretty easy digging. Clay will be the hardest to deal with, but going slow will work. Depth is a non issue with the right technique. With a smaller tractor you have to dig 6"-1' pull up and clean auger off. Unless in heavy clay the soil will most likely fly off the auger when the flighting comes out of the hole. Burying the auger and expecting it to dig all the dirt out with a small tractor is not a viable way to dig as the HP requirements are too high as it takes lots of power to extract the cuttings with an auger, whereas lifting it out takes much less power.

Then he talked about drilling holes for a pole barn, which means 18-30" diameter holes 2-4 ft deep, depending on his location (he has multiples listed in his profile). Doing that with a tractor that size with a 3 pt auger will range from an absolute nightmare to completely impossible, again, depending on soil type

I had missed the comment about the pole barn, thanks for pointing that out. I agree a 30" hole is not viable for the post hole diggers he is looking at. The TSC PHD is rated to 12" if memory serves me right and with a CK27 I would not go any bigger. Your spot on that one time uses are what rental machines are for.

 

[leonz]

I am looking for my first post hole digger to use on my Kioti CK27 HST. Sadly tractor does not have any front end loader hydraulic attachment provisions or any rear remotes so will limit me to a rear 3 point PTO digger. Engine HP is 28 with from memory 20.5 PTO HP.

Initial use will be to dig (30) 12 inch diameter holes to a 42 or 48 inch depth. Location is clay soil with likely some small rocks (less that 3 inch diameter) and small tree roots (the two trees in the area are maple 14 foot tall and 10 inch diameter at base). This will not be an expected high use piece of equipment for me. Expect casual use every few years. Possible next use would be for a smaller poll barn in a years. A few tree holes for new plants and mailbox post from time to time.

(I considered renting a 2 person gas trimmer but two reasons make this not a desirable option. 1) hole dig phase will likely be spread over 5 weeks so rental cost gets high and 2) I am concerned the 2 person hand held hole diggers will be more than I can handle at my mature phase. Son is capable but I think he would be covering too much for me and have to over do physically for himself)

Now looking for recommendations, advise, and help from this group.

My first thought is the Tractor Supply Company (TSC) Country Line 3 point post hole digger (item 1353114) for 18HP to 100HP Tractors. Current sale price is $585 USD with a 12 inch auger adding $153 = $738 total before tax. It has a 3 year warranty so suspect basically if the gearbox, 3 point shaft, or weld fails you might have some support. From my review of the still in shipping box at TSC store it looks to be a light duty post hole digger intended for casual low use.

What other options would the group suggest.
Again this would be my first post hole digger. I have never use one myself so I am looking for any help. I would love to get the heavy duty piece of equipment but my expected use does not support an expensive unit.

Thanks and best regards

Spanky100

My other advice would be to rent a small tracked excavator soak the
post hole locations with water and then rip the holes open with
the toothed bucket to depth and be done with it.

The other useable option would be a Toro Dingo with a trenching
attachment to run the fence lines in one pass and then then back
fill with the tractor-you have a flat square trench in one pass and
then you can set the posts and back fill around them with the
loose soil to hold them in place.


with

 

[Farmer495]

I found the 48" augers are 48" long in total and do not make a true 48" deep hole, more like 42" I run an extension to get down almost 5 feet if needed. Smaller tractor you may not be able to lift the longer augers high enough. There are normally enough pin positions between the auger and tractor 3pt to gain a few inches as needed.