Looking for recommendations and advice for my first Post Hole Digger

[wooftank]

I would go cheapest

 

[MH8675309]

I have one of these county line augers and they work well. It cant be over emphasized about not going too deep without pulling it back out fairly often - so you dont get it buried / stuck. You wont need high RPM to do this either. My machine is pretty much at an idle when I use mine. Something else to think about is that once used for the job these augers can wind up sitting for extended amounts of time. Be sure every year to at least spray the inner shaft of the PTO - on the digger - with a good spray lube or even grease it. When these get stuck or frozen in place - getting them loose again can be hard on your religion

 

[rswyan]

Was thinking of getting one of these myself. What do you do if you get the augur stuck? Lots of shoveling?

Basically what CH4Ohio said but I would add that sometimes it is necessary to engage the PTO and let out the clutch a little, slipping it to turn the auger a little bit when trying to pull it out.

Have to be careful of not screwing it in further though.

Like I said previously most of the problems I've had sticking the auger has been with the smaller 6" auger.

Probably from not lifting it often enough to clear the spoil as I drill the hole.

 

[Sportsman762]

A Continental brand PHD from your local implement dealer is what i would recommend. Cost us ~$550 and does a great job. Grew up with one on a big tractor too! Simply works well for decades at a modest cost.

Continental Belton went out of business and was taken over by Ag Meier. Ag Meier no longer manufactures post hole diggers.

About - Ag-Meier Industries

ag-meier.net

 

[Onecountry]

Following...

 

[garry1p]

My first choice would be rental, since you prefer to have a new toy cost, spare parts availability and limited use I would go with the TSC.

 

[lman]

Time to unsubscribe from the lists that are setup for click bait harvesting....

It seems like I've seen this before but I don't understand. Could you clarify what the issue is.

 

[lman]

The biggest issue I have with an implement like this is getting to it and moving it out of the rear of the barn since I only use it every 10 years and other items tend to pile up in front of it. My PHD has always worked fine here with few rocks and sandy loam subsoil.

 

[kenhar]

I have two that go on the rear of a tractor that haven't been used for years. Hard to use on unlevel (hill sides) ground and can't always get where you need them. I use a Hole Hog now. Wheel mounted digger, pulls behind the 4 wheeler, Honda engine that hasn't failed yet. Only has a 6" auger but works better for me than those on a tractor. More versatile.

 

[olenjohn]

These have never failed me. My not be as fast as an auger / pto but very economical.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Have you considered a post pounder, no digging, no back filling ... ?

Shaver | Post Drivers

 

[Sid Post]

Have you considered a post pounder, no digging, no back filling ... ?

Shaver | Post Drivers

Fine in softer soils, but in clay you will likely bend or break posts.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

We have clay and rocks here in Missouri, they work!

 

[lman]

These have never failed me. My not be as fast as an auger / pto but very economical.

Let me know how you like them after digging 30 42 inch deep holes.

 

[Sportsman762]

These have never failed me. My not be as fast as an auger / pto but very economical.

They work in shale about as good as a butter knife cutting peanut brittle.

Tamping / Digging Bar with 3/8-Inch Thick Steel Plate - Bully Tools, Inc.

The Bully Tools Tamping / Digging Bar is built for digging into tough and rocky ground, then when backfilled flip the bar to tamp the soil.

bullytools.com

The clamshell style diggers are only good for pulling the cuttings from a spud bar (digging bar) in shale. Hit sandstone or a harder rock and no hand operated tool will work, or even a 3pt. I have used the spud bar clamshell digger for way to many holes in areas I could not get a tractor. They suck but work in most of my soil. However this is not what PO was looking for. I think he wanted powered.

 

[bmaverick]

Whatever brand you pick, ensure the gear head has GLEASON type gears. These are known in the industry to take impacts, shock, stress and continue to keep at it.

The majority of spiral bevel and hypoid gear sets manufactured today are of the Gleason design. Don't go with knock-offs from China with straight cut gears on a bevel disc or elsewhere with inferior gears.

Gleason Bevel Gears​

The main advantage of Gleason Bevel Gears is that the ends of the teeth are slightly curved inward. This results in gears which are more tolerant of minor errors in shaft alignment compared to straight-cut teeth. Can only be ordered in pairs and it’s advisable to replace them in pairs because of teeth aging.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Find a used bushhog, replace the lower seal. Make sure the PTO shaft is free meaning it telescopes properly. Take it apart and grease the PTO shafts when you get home.

 

[Spanner]

Whatever brand you pick, ensure the gear head has GLEASON type gears. These are known in the industry to take impacts, shock, stress and continue to keep at it.

The majority of spiral bevel and hypoid gear sets manufactured today are of the Gleason design. Don't go with knock-offs from China with straight cut gears on a bevel disc or elsewhere with inferior gears.

Gleason Bevel Gears​

The main advantage of Gleason Bevel Gears is that the ends of the teeth are slightly curved inward. This results in gears which are more tolerant of minor errors in shaft alignment compared to straight-cut teeth. Can only be ordered in pairs and it’s advisable to replace them in pairs because of teeth aging.

Interesting information.
Thanks.

 

[Tony H]

I am looking for my first post hole digger to use on my Kioti CK27 HST. Sadly tractor does not have any front end loader hydraulic attachment provisions or any rear remotes so will limit me to a rear 3 point PTO digger. Engine HP is 28 with from memory 20.5 PTO HP.

Initial use will be to dig (30) 12 inch diameter holes to a 42 or 48 inch depth. Location is clay soil with likely some small rocks (less that 3 inch diameter) and small tree roots (the two trees in the area are maple 14 foot tall and 10 inch diameter at base). This will not be an expected high use piece of equipment for me. Expect casual use every few years. Possible next use would be for a smaller poll barn in a years. A few tree holes for new plants and mailbox post from time to time.

(I considered renting a 2 person gas trimmer but two reasons make this not a desirable option. 1) hole dig phase will likely be spread over 5 weeks so rental cost gets high and 2) I am concerned the 2 person hand held hole diggers will be more than I can handle at my mature phase. Son is capable but I think he would be covering too much for me and have to over do physically for himself)

Now looking for recommendations, advise, and help from this group.

My first thought is the Tractor Supply Company (TSC) Country Line 3 point post hole digger (item 1353114) for 18HP to 100HP Tractors. Current sale price is $585 USD with a 12 inch auger adding $153 = $738 total before tax. It has a 3 year warranty so suspect basically if the gearbox, 3 point shaft, or weld fails you might have some support. From my review of the still in shipping box at TSC store it looks to be a light duty post hole digger intended for casual low use.

What other options would the group suggest.
Again this would be my first post hole digger. I have never use one myself so I am looking for any help. I would love to get the heavy duty piece of equipment but my expected use does not support an expensive unit.

Thanks and best regards

Spanky100

I think you will have a very tough time. 12" holes, 40+" down in clay like material? The TSC unit will do its job but I dont think you have the horses to get it done. Keep in mind your rear Cat 1 does not have down force hydraulics. My experience with a 30+ has tractor with a 8" drill on hard ground is, the drill spins and does not dig.

 

[rswyan]

Kubota B2910, 22 hp @ PTO.

Just drilled around twenty 12” holes to a depth of 36” to 39” in Ohio clay for a 8’ high fence around the garden, using 12’ long posts.

Would have went deeper but auger wasn’t long enough, gearbox bottomed out at grade.

Biggest issue was hitting the occasional rock which stopped progress, had to use a digging bar to loosen those up and, in one instance, a clamshell to pull out one large rock that wouldn’t fit in the auger’s flighting.

IMO, he has enough HP.

If he’s in really hard, dry soil he can do what I did: dump in a couple gallons of water after the hole is started to soften things up.