anybody built a hydraulic powered post hole digger?

[Dongerosa]

pictures? motor spec's? cost to build...ideas?

 

[oughtsix]

I have considered building one using a torque hub I picked up a while back. One of the hurdles is to keep it from mangling everything when it hits a big rock or something. Instead of a mechanical clutch or shear pin I was thinking of using an adjustable hydraulic pressure relief valve which would just bypass the hydraulic motor (torque hub) when the auger gets stuck.

 

[BHD]

some just use a motor on the PTO gear box, and many times mount to the front end loader,

I would think a motor that ran at about 500 rpm and was in the 10 to 20 hp range would be more than capable, If working throught a PTO gear box,

and even smaller should work (as a lot of hand held diggers are only a few HP, 3 to 6 gas motors,

some depends on what your wanting to do, turn a 6 inch auger, or a 24" auger, and if it like digging asphalt or sand,

I thought about using a old combine hub reducing gear, with hydraulics one should be able to reverse it if you get it stuck, you will not be doing that with a PTO unit,

 

[oughtsix]

I thought about using a old combine hub reducing gear, with hydraulics one should be able to reverse it if you get it stuck, you will not be doing that with a PTO unit,

I don't know beans about combines but I suspect:
"old combine reducing hub gear" = torque hub ????

Something like: Surplus Center - 4.1:1 FAIRFIELD W07M2G704 TORQUE HUB W/MOTOR ????

 

[BHD]

The combines I am failure with there usually a bull gear and a pinion, in a gear case,
the combine, use a lighter transmission and then the wheels are bolted to a reducing gear case, that takes the strain of the unit, Called the final drive,

my choice is that I have a old parts machine that I could use and the cost would be "Free"
.

picture from this site, Final Drive Gearbox for John Deere Combine Harvester, China Final Drive Gearbox for John Deere Combine Harvester, Manufacturer & Supplier

my brother in law, was going to just use a PTO gear box and mount a hydraulic motor on it,
ETA Full Size Auger Gear Box PHD-50



I see some just use a a direct hook up to a hydraulic motor,

Kanga Powerhouse Skid Steer Auger Post Hole Digger Attachment Drill with Bits | eBay

When I was considering doing this I was wanting to build a unit that would work a 24" to 36" auger for setting posts for a pole barn, (my SIL was starting to build pole barns and considered building to help him, (the power company was cheaper to hire than to build our own) so I never went much more than the planing stages, (besides discovering the seals leanking in the final drive I had would have needed to be replaced as on end they leaked, the drive was from a old MM/cockshut combine,

 

[woodlandfarms]

Here us mine. Love it, use it a lot. So far zero issues. Going to add a log splitter cone to it to really make the most if it

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/power-trac/212741-new-post-hold-digger-how.html

 

[Tim Stuart]

Here is a link to some good info when I inquired about one. Its a project that I have not started yet but is on my short list .

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/hydraulics/189566-hydraulic-post-hole-digger.html