ideas for weighing down auger?

[BruceT]

Looking for ideas to weigh down auger bit for use on a compact.

I guess I've been spoiled over the years with the double acting hydraulic action on my International 300 utility 3-pt hitch. Never had a reason to complain in augering out fence post holes. Have recently picked up a small Yanmar that does not have downward pressure. Considering welding some hooks on the boom near the auger gearbox, then hang formed concrete weights on both sides of the hook. Interested in forum comments if anyone has found this to be useful, or other ideas also welcome.

thanks.

 

[rambler]

I'd consider new teeth on the bottom of the auger, maybe shaping them a bit, & see if you can get it to bite in on it's own. There are difficult soils out there, but a good auger should work like a good drill bit - work itself in.

I find when I need to lean on the drill with all my weight, & work work work, it is bad for the drill, bad for me, & makes a poor hole. A new bit will work itself in, fun job, nice results.

Post hole auger is the same way. We abuse those cutters, and don't think of how much wear they get.

--->Paul

 

[BruceT]

Thanks for the reply here Paul. I agree with you, the auger bit shouldn't need force.

I did try a few more holes in various soil types, and the areas where the soil is hard simply won't allow the tip to get started without additional weight. When I did apply some body weight to the boom it then broke through the crust and engaged itself downward. I've used this same auger for 2 years on my larger tractor that has double acting hydraulics and have probably gotten "conditioned" to easier drilling.

Another factor here is it's a 9-inch bit and seems to have a rather non-agressive tip on it with enough distance beween the tip and the main blade to need a substantial push to get started.

If I didn't have over 400 fence post holes to do I wouldn't be asking, but instead would go out and primer each hole with a manual post digger. So, I'll have to get creative and attached some sort of weight to the boom. On another forum I found others have had to do this also. I was just looking for solutions that others had already tried/tested.

thanks again.

Bruce

 

[countrybumpkin]

Do you have any frontend weights for your compact or any tractor for that matter? You could make some type of mount so you could add and remove them as needed.

 

[mwood]

Just thinking off the top of my head here, but could you mount a post to the top of the auger to allow you to use weight plates made for weighlifting?

I saw someone with this idea on a boxblade that seemed to work well. Plus, those weightlifting plates are rather inexpensive!

Just an idea.

 

[CTyler]

I may be off on this but....can you grind a slot and/or weld a piece on the tip to help it break up, cut or grind into the soil?

 

[heehaw]

just did this a couple weeks ago, i have an alum pipe, about 10-12 ft long: i chain it in two places on the diggers support mast, then hang on the far end, plenty far away to be safe and can control how much weight i need. when the ground here is dry and hard, thats the only way to use a post hole digger.
heehaw

 

[gabby]

Hey TEV,
Get a new point. That makes a huge difference. The old one should unscrew off the auger shaft, or else you will see a through bolt that holds it in place instead of threads.

As for applying down pressure, my Bush Hog auger head is made such that a helper can insert the flat end of a digging bar and bear down on the bar. This is necessary in dry ground. Avoid digging in dry ground if at all possible. It wears you out and it wears out all the cutting edges much faster than moist ground.
gabby

 

[BruceT]

All - thank you for the comments, great input and several options I'll try out. I expect that some added weight will be the answer but I will first take a look at the old point. Yes, it is removable.

Bruce

 

[hans2]

Recently saw a guy who had backed his truck close to his 3-point post hole digger and had a comealong stretched between the top of the post hole digger and the pickup's receiver. Seems like it would give you about a 1,000 pounds of downforce.