Homemade auger question ????

[weezzell5400]

Hello all .....I am pondering some ideas here ....I can't afford a new auger post hole digger .....so I thought about making one ....I was given a gearbox from a older bush hog ....and I have tons of stuff that I can fab stuff up and what not ....my question is there any specific direction that the gearboxes turn and would the rpm be ok for a post hole auger

 

[bcp]

I think a bush hog gearbox increases PTO speed (about double) and an auger gearbox reduces speed(about half.)

Would you want an auger speed at idle as fast as a bush hog blade at idle? You could make some really fast holes, or a fast screw anchor.

Bruce

 

[4570Man]

I'd say it's too fast. What's your plan for the augurs? I've yet to figure out out how to build one.

 

[weezzell5400]

I have some telephone poles I need to put in the ground for a pole barn........I wonder if I hooked it up backwards would it slow the speed down

 

[bcp]

More reduction than I thought on the PHD gearbox.

Post hole gearboxes 3:1 to 4:1 speed reduction
Post Hole Digger Drive | OmniGear

Rotary cutter gearboxes and ratios: 1:1 to 1:2.83 speed increase
Rotary Cutter Drive | OmniGear


Long ago I probably saw 10 built from old rear ends for every one I saw factory made. Most older cars and light trucks had 3:1 to 4:1 in those days. They are mostly faster geared now.

Bruce

 

[weezzell5400]

I have seen them made from the rear ends out of a old car or truck and the pumpkin was the gear box ...maybe I can go that route

 

[4570Man]

If the ratio doesn't work right you could use belts to slow down the input speed. If you have enough power you could idle the tractor so it doesn't actually run 540. If I remember correctly my PTO turns about 180 rpm at idle.

 

[ss4010]

Surplus center has what looks to be a beefy PHD gearbox for $180. Item 13-525

44 HP OMNI GEAR PHD 26 POST HOLE DIGGER GEARBOX

 

[CADplans]

By the time you get a gearbox($200), an auger($100), a pto shaft($100),,,,
the $300 post hole digger off of CraigsList looks cheap!!

 

[bcp]

By the time you get a gearbox($200), an auger($100), a pto shaft($100),,,,
the $300 post hole digger off of CraigsList looks cheap!!

Average price around here on CL seems to be about $750.

Bruce

 

[CADplans]

Average price around here on CL seems to be about $750.

Bruce

I got two that I would sell for $300,,, and $400,,,,,, Hmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,

I got a third I would sell for $550,,, it has never been in the dirt,, it is a NH,,,

 

[FarmWrench]

If fencing is the plan then I'd support a Build. Pole barns really should have a bigger hole. 6*6 post has a corner to corner dimension over 8". Even with a 12" auger there is very little room for having the hole off from the pole final location.

Hanson building has a guy who writes a blog and for "Rural Builder" magazine. (Pole barn Guru, Mike Momb.) He has extensive explanations on proper footing and the demand placed on the pole to soil. If you want to stuff a pole in the ground with maybe a bag of dry unmixed concrete under it, that is your prerogative.

There are many outfits that specialize in making the larger holes (including when massive rocks are encountered) for a very reasonable price.


I'm a farmer, many of these infrequently used tools are traded around amongst neighbors. It violates the suburban tractor owners unwritten code to not getting along with neighbours but find someone who has one and see what they need. Box blade? Dump wagon? 2yard scraper? Disk? Lawn aerator? Fertilizer spreader? (Sarcasm, wink, elbow in your side)

 

[franklin2]

If fencing is the plan then I'd support a Build. Pole barns really should have a bigger hole. 6*6 post has a corner to corner dimension over 8". Even with a 12" auger there is very little room for having the hole off from the pole final location.

Hanson building has a guy who writes a blog and for "Rural Builder" magazine. (Pole barn Guru, Mike Momb.) He has extensive explanations on proper footing and the demand placed on the pole to soil. If you want to stuff a pole in the ground with maybe a bag of dry unmixed concrete under it, that is your prerogative.

There are many outfits that specialize in making the larger holes (including when massive rocks are encountered) for a very reasonable price.


I'm a farmer, many of these infrequently used tools are traded around amongst neighbors. It violates the suburban tractor owners unwritten code to not getting along with neighbours but find someone who has one and see what they need. Box blade? Dump wagon? 2yard scraper? Disk? Lawn aerator? Fertilizer spreader? (Sarcasm, wink, elbow in your side)

I agree with the above. When I built my pole building I hired a guy with a skid steer and a post hole attachment. He had a 24 inch auger. I had 6x6 posts also. I thought 24 inches was overkill, but by the time he dug the holes which naturally drift a little bit, and after I took a couple hours bracing and getting the building square on the 4 corners, I was glad I had the larger holes. I had to move some of the posts off-center in the holes and even doing that, I still had plenty of room around the posts to have a nice thick wall of concrete around the posts.