JD Post hole digger on CK-20?

[malk315]

Wanted to thank you guys again for all of your tips.

Today went great -- 5 out of 6 holes we were able to auger right on down to the lowest the 3 point would go. One hole has a massive rock we plan to jackhammer tomorrow. Only sheered one sheer bolt due to a small rock in the first hole. Did everything at idle. Used Bearhawk's tip of digging a starter hole by hand to keep the auger where we wanted it centered.

The only thing that could have been better would be a 12" instead of 9" auger since code requires 12" sonetubes for deck footings here. An auger extension might have been nice also since we needed to go down 4 feet.

But I can't complain -- the PHD save a lot of time and labor today.

 

[unhappykioti]

Anybody know how big of an auger I can use on a CK20HST? Need to punch about forty holes in the ground to plant a hedge row. Some of the holes will be in hard clay.

 

[fastpat]

Anybody know how big of an auger I can use on a CK20HST? Need to punch about forty holes in the ground to plant a hedge row. Some of the holes will be in hard clay.

I don't know, but I'd expect you could run an 8 inch auger which should be more than enough for planting individual hedge plants. I frequently don't run my digger higher than engine idle speed if I want the best control such as digging next to other plants or posts that I don't want torn out of the ground suddenly. I've never run the engine at full rated power with the digger, too much danger of hitting a rock with broken things the result. I have hard red clay here too.