Auger won't drill hard clay

[ning]

I've been using my 3pt PHD to drill holes for fence poles, and in some spots I've hit a really hard layer of clay that the auger just sits and spins on, getting nowhere. With a metal digging rod we can chip the clay and dig it out, but unless we get through the layer, the phd is useless there.

I've verified that I have good teeth on the auger (they're brand new pengo carbide) and point (also new, pengo Triflow Auger Bit Pilot). The auger powers right through everything else (unless it gets wedged by rocks) but this is really frustrating!

I rigged up something and hung 300# off the back of the phd and it didn't make any difference.

Ideas?

 

[RjCorazza]

Try throwing some gravel in the hole. I have also adjusted the lowering valve so that the auger drops fast (hard) allowing the auger vanes to begin digging into the soil. Dropping the auger hard while rotating is not without risk though... It will be more prone to screwing straight into the ground.
Good luck!

 

[K5lwq]

I was helping a buddy one time and we ran into a similar situation. I used the bucket of my tractor to add down force to the PHD. It worked but was a slow go. Thankfully it was only like 10 holes we had issues with. Everything else was like butter.

Hopefully you will get out of that area soon and things smooth out. :thumbsup:

 

[Jerry/MT]

I've been using my 3pt PHD to drill holes for fence poles, and in some spots I've hit a really hard layer of clay that the auger just sits and spins on, getting nowhere. With a metal digging rod we can chip the clay and dig it out, but unless we get through the layer, the phd is useless there.

I've verified that I have good teeth on the auger (they're brand new pengo carbide) and point (also new, pengo Triflow Auger Bit Pilot). The auger powers right through everything else (unless it gets wedged by rocks) but this is really frustrating!

I rigged up something and hung 300# off the back of the phd and it didn't make any difference.

Ideas?

Pour some water in the hole and let it sit for awhile. Then try to auger again.

 

[ning]

Pour some water in the hole and let it sit for awhile. Then try to auger again.

I filled a hole that we'd gotten 18" deep with water the other day and came back the next morning. The phd got two inches...

Are there better center tips for hard clay?

 

[Diggin It]

^^ That's why they line ponds and ditches with it and make pottery out of it.. Stuff gets like rock when dry, but turns to playdoh when wet and gets super slippery to walk on. I've got lots of it. I couldn't budge it with the BH when dry. Kept lifting the tractor off the ground. Once it got wet after some rains that soaked it well enough, I could almost dig it with my fingers.

I had a few areas where I had to dig out small amounts for a project. Poured water on, let it set an hour or so, then went at it with a shovel. Dig two or three inches until hard, then add more water and let set again.

 

[bcp]

Check the angle of the cutting edge of your teeth.

Here's a diagram of a PHD auger I examined in the store. The cutter would be running on the heel of the angle, not the tip. It probably worked in soft ground but wouldn't in the really hard stuff.

Bruce

 

[EarPlug]

I had an old 18 inch - 1/2 inch drill. Put in about 6-8 holes and filled with water. Came back the next day and finally got through.

 

[CoyPatton]

Another problem with most types of clay, clay tends to ball up and plug openings if it too wet. Adding water can soften it, but be careful on how much you add at a time. Also clay does not percolate water well. Typically only a few inches of soaking then it holds the water much like a clay baked bowl.

 

[5030]

Time to invest in a hydraulic post driver like a Worksaver. No worries about clay with them.