Posthole Digger Best PTO Post Hole Digger?

[MtnViewRanch]

No push-back from me on the above-mentioned brands, but take a good look at what you are using it for. I got a used TSC (speeco) unit with a 12" auger for $200. I have had no issues other than shearing some bolts (my issue, not the PHD).

Some will say you will have headaches if you don't buy top of the line. I say you can buy a lot of ibuprohen (or attachments) with the $1000 you will save.

I think a big part of what you purchase depends on your location, the availability of said implement in your area, how often said implement may get used, Your time restraints, other conditions. Lots of different things to consider before plunking down that hard earned cash.

 

[sweettractors]

The OP mentioned 3 different people/tractors using it and I am sure over time tractor trading will come up. I would go with the heaviest unit I could find. This way you only go through this one time. Ken Sweet

 

[QRTRHRS]

The gerabox is 3 times as big on these older models plus, the shear weight of the HD construction helps in digging the hole. I saw a 12 incher dig through a 3-5 inch aspault highway. No problem! The also hold their value batter than any digger. We have a used one now for $895. Probably more than it sold for new. I have seen the older units bring $1200 at auction. Ken Sweet

I got 950 at a poorly attended auction today for a twelve year old Danuser G20/40 with a nine and a twelve inch auger. The unit had the usual paint chips but still had the shaft guard.

I had paid 895 for the digger with the nine inch auger when I bought it. Added a seven inch extention to get a four foot hole for another fifty bucks. The twelve inch auger cost me about 250. Boiled down to 250 bucks for twelve years of use. Not bad.

 

[sweettractors]

I got 950 at a poorly attended auction today for a twelve year old Danuser G20/40 with a nine and a twelve inch auger. The unit had the usual paint chips but still had the shaft guard.

I had paid 895 for the digger with the nine inch auger when I bought it. Added a seven inch extention to get a four foot hole for another fifty bucks. The twelve inch auger cost me about 250. Boiled down to 250 bucks for twelve years of use. Not bad.

You did alright. What auction did you run it through? Ken Sweet

 

[bigbull338]

ive got an old wore out danuser PH digger that weve had for 50yrs or more.here last year we bought a BH PHD.an it has the bear claw it,an it diggs a hole fast.i also priced the belltec hydro digger at $4600 3yrs ago.when we bought the BH PHD new it cost i think $900 for the digger an 9in auger along with a 12in auger.since it had been on the lot for a good while we saved $900.

 

[Chilly807]

I've got an older Kubota-branded PHD that I picked up used last year. Made in the US by somebody, I forget who it was exactly.

A little paint and some new bearings and it was good to go. I'll say this, my L3400 WILL NOT bend the boom on this one. I've had it quite solidly anchored under a tree root, and it laughed at the tractor trying to pull it out of the hole.


Sean

 

[QRTRHRS]

You did alright. What auction did you run it through? Ken Sweet

The spring sale at the Ag Expo in Liberty, KY. It was kind of a last minute decision so I did not try anything online.

 

[JB4310]

No push-back from me on the above-mentioned brands, but take a good look at what you are using it for. I got a used TSC (speeco) unit with a 12" auger for $200. I have had no issues other than shearing some bolts (my issue, not the PHD).

Some will say you will have headaches if you don't buy top of the line. I say you can buy a lot of ibuprohen (or attachments) with the $1000 you will save.

I've got a chance to buy a used speeco for 250. it is laying in pieces on a barn floor so not sure if that is a good deal. owner says it was rarely used, the 12" auger looks like it very little wear.

How much are these new? the only numbers on it are PD24-07-41 and 280P anyone know if these numbers mean anything?

JB.

 

[Grandad4]

I have a Speedco that's 8 or 9 years old and I'm thinking it was between $400 and $500 new. We've done hundreds of holes setting fence posts with it, but it really gets only occasional use. We have clay soil with few rocks, and for that kind of use, it's been OK. If we had tougher conditions or needed to use it more often, it would make sense to go with one of the better quality ones that have been mentioned.

 

[grsthegreat]

new speecos run 400-650 plus auger costs. They assemble real easily. go to their site and view manuals. Change the oil and you'll be ready to go. mine is probably 8 years old and used alot. i finally had to break down and replace the 8" auger.

 

[sweettractors]

Here is a Danuser that we are currently running on Ebay. Ken Sweet
Used Danuser 12 inch Post Hole Digger, CAN SHIP CHEAP | eBay

 

[Chilly807]

$250 is a very good price if you don't need to buy anything for it. The fact that it's apart (I assume you don't mean the gearbox is stripped down?) is simply the fact that any PHD is a pig to deal with when it's off the tractor. If it does need work then you have to factor in the price of parts. Bearings and seals are cheap for these, most any bearing supply store will have them on the shelf as a rule.


The Speeco augers I've seen I wasn't impressed with, it's one of the things that makes the Woods HD and Land Pride HD augers expensive. A decent new auger is about $200 or more, just the cutting teeth were $150 for my Kubota-branded auger (made by Auburn Consolidated Industries). I made some instead of buying them, cost was minimal doing it that way.

Check out the gearbox and PTO shaft, those are your two main cost items on any auger. If the boom is bent it can be reinforced if it isn't too bad.

Sean

 

[grsthegreat]

$250 is a very good price if you don't need to buy anything for it. The fact that it's apart (I assume you don't mean the gearbox is stripped down?) is simply the fact that any PHD is a pig to deal with when it's off the tractor. If it does need work then you have to factor in the price of parts. Bearings and seals are cheap for these, most any bearing supply store will have them on the shelf as a rule.


The Speeco augers I've seen I wasn't impressed with, it's one of the things that makes the Woods HD and Land Pride HD augers expensive. A decent new auger is about $200 or more, just the cutting teeth were $150 for my Kubota-branded auger (made by Auburn Consolidated Industries). I made some instead of buying them, cost was minimal doing it that way.

Check out the gearbox and PTO shaft, those are your two main cost items on any auger. If the boom is bent it can be reinforced if it isn't too bad.

Sean

just cause there expensive doesn't make them better :laughing: :laughing:

Ive dug 100's and 100's of holes in decomposed granite type soil with mine. I actually finally wore out the bottom 1/2 of the auger with this crappy soil i have. the Speeco has held up tremendously. Its built well and has a heavy gearbox. doesn't leak any oil even after 8 years =/- of work.

It can handle alot of different makes of augers. i can even use rock auger if i wanted to (and had $1,300 - $2,300 handy to buy the thing).

SO to each their own.

 

[Chilly807]

just cause there expensive doesn't make them better :laughing: :laughing:

Ive dug 100's and 100's of holes in decomposed granite type soil with mine. I actually finally wore out the bottom 1/2 of the auger with this crappy soil i have. the Speeco has held up tremendously. Its built well and has a heavy gearbox. doesn't leak any oil even after 8 years =/- of work.

It can handle alot of different makes of augers. i can even use rock auger if i wanted to (and had $1,300 - $2,300 handy to buy the thing).

SO to each their own.

Maybe I should re-phrase my post to reflect that the part I wasn't impressed with is the actual drill part of the auger, not the whole unit.

A decent quality auger (twisty part, now) is not made of 1/8 steel for the flights, and the bottom half is normally a double flute, not a single. The few Speeco augers I've seen were pretty lightly built, and most had the flutes deformed so badly from hitting rocks that they were nearly useless.

I looked at a couple of Land Pride replacement augers, much heavier material and high quality teeth, and the price certainly reflected the difference, nearly twice the cost. I think they were the heavy duty version, which again carries a premium price.

If you're shopping for a replacement auger, or even ordering a PHD new from the dealer, ask exactly what's available for augers. Woods has at least three different grades of auger that will fit the same PHD, Land Pride is the same. I expect Speeco has the same options. Most folks I know are too cheap to buy the good one in the first place, thinking they're only going to be drilling a few holes.

The next owner gets the cheap auger whether he realizes it or not. I didn't buy a used Speeco for that reason, the PHD itself wasn't in bad shape but the auger was beat.

Sean

 

[Timber]

Got to go with Landpride in this 1. It was my very 1st implement.

This is how I store it when not in use

 

[Ductape]

I just bought the Speeco from Tractor Supply about three weeks ago when they were on sale. $420 , plus about $130 for the auger bit.

$250 complete sounds good as long as it doesn't need repairs. I've had my eyes open for one on CL for a couple years....... can't find a used PHD for what I paid for my new one. I regret not buying the slightly used LP hydraulic unit I passed up for a grand a couple years ago.

 

[grsthegreat]

Maybe I should re-phrase my post to reflect that the part I wasn't impressed with is the actual drill part of the auger, not the whole unit.

A decent quality auger (twisty part, now) is not made of 1/8 steel for the flights, and the bottom half is normally a double flute, not a single. The few Speeco augers I've seen were pretty lightly built, and most had the flutes deformed so badly from hitting rocks that they were nearly useless.

I looked at a couple of Land Pride replacement augers, much heavier material and high quality teeth, and the price certainly reflected the difference, nearly twice the cost. I think they were the heavy duty version, which again carries a premium price.

If you're shopping for a replacement auger, or even ordering a PHD new from the dealer, ask exactly what's available for augers. Woods has at least three different grades of auger that will fit the same PHD, Land Pride is the same. I expect Speeco has the same options. Most folks I know are too cheap to buy the good one in the first place, thinking they're only going to be drilling a few holes.

The next owner gets the cheap auger whether he realizes it or not. I didn't buy a used Speeco for that reason, the PHD itself wasn't in bad shape but the auger was beat.

Sean

ok...now i have to defend my poor little Speeco post hole digger...shes all riled up.
hehe
i placed a metal thickness Guage on the metal and it reads at 0.166 inch..thats thicker then 1/8" (which would be 0.125). its actually 6 gage metal thickness. I also have double cutting edges and very strong teeth. i have attached some pics.

maybe its just the one you had looked at?? maybe my supply house sells a better version?? not sure. they do have different tooth styles available i know that. I can also use other brand augers if i wanted to.

I finally got the hydraulic assist unit installed, but im waiting for the tank dump valve to arrive from my Kioti dealer. So i wont be able to play with the thing for a few days yet.

 

[Ductape]

Hey, now I know why mine has that hole in it, and the tab with the hole in it........... :ashamed:

 

[JB4310]

I just bought the Speeco from Tractor Supply about three weeks ago when they were on sale. $420 , plus about $130 for the auger bit.

$250 complete sounds good as long as it doesn't need repairs. I've had my eyes open for one on CL for a couple years....... can't find a used PHD for what I paid for my new one. I regret not buying the slightly used LP hydraulic unit I passed up for a grand a couple years ago.

I made a mistake, 250. was for one I missed out on in CL. The guy said he had 10 calls and sold it to the first one to look at it.

This speeco, the guy wants 500. and when I offered him 250 he said he was insulted, and that he paid 1,300. w/o the 12" auger. I really have no immediate need for a PHD right now. may be doing some fencing in the future. I figure for around 200-300 I can't go wrong for used. otherwise I'll just rent one for the future project.

This speeco looks a little heavier than some others I've seen, but the gear box looks the same. If I tell him a brand new one is only $420. maybe he wont feel so insulted.

JB.

 

[JB4310]

$250 is a very good price if you don't need to buy anything for it. The fact that it's apart (I assume you don't mean the gearbox is stripped down?) is simply the fact that any PHD is a pig to deal with when it's off the tractor.
Check out the gearbox and PTO shaft, those are your two main cost items on any auger. If the boom is bent it can be reinforced if it isn't too bad.

Sean

I now believe that's why the PHD was in components on the floor, this is an older guy and was probably to help make it easier to handle.
The shaft looks fine, I did not inspect the gear box.

But unfortunately this was not for sale for $250. see above post.

JB