auger flighting

[JCoastie]

Rather than bump a 12yr old thread with the same name, I'll start a new one.

I understand the difference between single and double helix flighting, but what about the distance between the twist?

I am planning to get a FEL auger, and want to go up to a 12" bit.

We live in a mostly clay soil area, not a lot of rocks, and so far has not seemed too terrible compacted. We can use a gas powered auger and get down 3" without too much problem other than our age.

The less after cleanout needed the better.

Which is better in our situation, an equal twist, or one that varies?
It looks as if in the unequal ones, one of the two helix stops after a twist or two.

Examples of just the twist design, not the auger as a whole.

equal

unequal

 

[EddieWalker]

The only thing that matters with an auger are the teeth. You want replicable teeth that are easy to buy. The tip will also need to be replaced, but it doesn't happen as often as the digging teeth.

Clay soil is very abrasive. It will wear away your teeth like sandpaper. The dryer the hole, the most sanding it will do, the shorter the life of your teeth.

Since you are going with an auger on your front loader, it will have to be hydraulic. Be cautious of the lower priced models. Parts can be harder to find.

 

[JCoastie]

yeah, will probably be going with the homestead implements model which uses a digga motor, which I think is really Eaton motors right? I have Homestead's grapple as well.

I do wonder about the ironcraft brand with the eterra motor. Seems that may be the cheaper brands to stay away from?

 

[leonz]

What everyone neglects to look at is
the net resistance of all soils due to compaction.

I explained this in detail to my brother before he
invested in a post hole digger for his Agco mule.

I told him that he should invest in a small tree
transplanting auger as the post hole digger will
operate much more efficiently and he will not
shear pins or have the auger become stuck or
simply bounce while trying to dig holes.

He purchased the post hole digger from Tractor
Supply for his mule and never looked back and
had no issues with digging the post holes he
needed.

The tree transplanting auger quickly penetrates
the soil as the point of the bit advances and the
expanded auger flighting quickly carries away the
dirt and rocks smaller in size than the distance
between the auger flighting as they are being lifted
upward.

 

[RjCorazza]

One thing I immediately noticed when I upgraded to an SSQA mounted hydraulic auger is that it doesn't fling the dirt when withdrawing the auger from the hole anything like my PTO auger did. I changed my technique to stopping the auger in the hole and lifting the loaded auger out to clear out the hole.
I would imagine the constant flights would hold the dirt better, and work better with a lower rpm auger.

 

[JCoastie]

The tree transplanting auger quickly penetrates
the soil as the point of the bit advances and the
expanded auger flighting quickly carries away the
dirt and rocks smaller in size than the distance
between the auger flighting as they are being lifted
upward.

One thing I immediately noticed when I upgraded to an SSQA mounted hydraulic auger is that it doesn't fling the dirt when withdrawing the auger from the hole anything like my PTO auger did. I changed my technique to stopping the auger in the hole and lifting the loaded auger out to clear out the hole.
I would imagine the constant flights would hold the dirt better, and work better with a lower rpm auger.

Along those same lines ... getting rid of the dirt ...

I am looking at models with the Digga 1DSS or 2DSS.
The 1DSS is rated for tractors 6-16GPM of hydraulic flow
The 2DSS is rated for tractors 10-26 GPM of hydraulic flow.

My tractor has just a hint over 8GPM for implements and at ~2500PSI.

The 1DSS will spin at approx 50 RPM with 1223 FT-LBS of torque
The 2DSS will spin at approx 33 RPM with 1878 FT-LBS of torque
Since the 2DSS is not rated for below 10 GPM of flow, their chart does not list it, but Digga tech support told me the theoretical RPM.

The extra 600 ft-lbs of torque sounds nice, but will that slow turn rate be a problem?
I don't care if it takes me 20 seconds longer to dig a hole, I just care if I can't get the dirt out. Sounds like stopping the auger and lifting is the best option, as I've seen a lot of youtube videos doing the same. Once out of the hole, can you easily clear the dirt from the auger by spinning and/or shaking?

 

[nyone]

I dont think the flutes on the auger matter much if you dont have big rocks.

I used a micro ex to try and auger some 12x48in holes. Went through the clay fine but we have hard clay with fist sized rocks about 36in..I ended up having to dig all the holes with a bucket.

 

[leonz]

With a tree transplanting auger you have a hole that is larger at the top
and all the soil has been pushed aside away from the hole until you reach
the bottom and the remaining soil in the auger flighting is spun off the auger flights.

Is your PTO horsepower too small for a PTO powered auger?

 

[JCoastie]

Is your PTO horsepower too small for a PTO powered auger?

No, my patience is too small to deal with a PTO auger.

 

[RjCorazza]

Along those same lines ... getting rid of the dirt ...

I am looking at models with the Digga 1DSS or 2DSS.
The 1DSS is rated for tractors 6-16GPM of hydraulic flow
The 2DSS is rated for tractors 10-26 GPM of hydraulic flow.

My tractor has just a hint over 8GPM for implements and at ~2500PSI.

The 1DSS will spin at approx 50 RPM with 1223 FT-LBS of torque
The 2DSS will spin at approx 33 RPM with 1878 FT-LBS of torque
Since the 2DSS is not rated for below 10 GPM of flow, their chart does not list it, but Digga tech support told me the theoretical RPM.

The extra 600 ft-lbs of torque sounds nice, but will that slow turn rate be a problem?
I don't care if it takes me 20 seconds longer to dig a hole, I just care if I can't get the dirt out. Sounds like stopping the auger and lifting is the best option, as I've seen a lot of youtube videos doing the same. Once out of the hole, can you easily clear the dirt from the auger by spinning and/or shaking?

The slower RPM makes it LOOK like it's not doing much, but the holes get dug. What time I may lose at a lower RPM is more than made up with down pressure, and easier lining up.
I do recall Messicks discussing the medium and high flow motors rpm vs. torque when they sent me the wrong head. I still opted to get the low flow motor that matched my tractor gpm flow. LandPride doesn't list the rpms in the manual, but it appears to spin at about 60 rpms... Maybe a little faster.
I just give the auger a quick forward / reverse to clear out the dirt next to the hole.