My custom Post Hole digger stand

[stevepsd]

Here are some pics of my post hole digger stand that I just made for my JD PHD200 w/12" auger.

I got the basic idea from a video I saw from asktractormike.com

It is made from 1-1/2" x 3" rectangular stock that I already had laying around. It rolls on 3" swivel casters.

The main support is 60" long, and could have been a couple of inches longer as the end of the PHD slightly overhung the end of the main support, but this piece was already 60" long so thats what I used. You can see where I welded a couple of pieces of flat stock to the sides so I could pin the end of the PHD to the stand.

The 3 main uprights are 18" long, and if I did it over again they would be 24" long so as to 'capture' another 'round' of the auger.

The front upright is shorter, in my case 10", to allow the stand to slide under the auger when in its full-up position. I would have made this 12" tall as I decided to use 3" casters instead of 4". Just to be safe, after I place the auger in the stand I insert a 24" long piece of tight fitting steel in the opening on the 10" piece to give it more bearing on the auger, especially before the front of the PHD is pinned to the stand.

With the cross braces it is just about 36" wide.

What I found is a critical dimension is the spacing between the uprights. My auger is a 12" unit and thought I would leave a little space in between the uprights to make it easier to set the auger in place. I initially made the spacing 12-1/2". Wrong. There was way to much slop and the PHD really moved around, so after experimenting I made the spacing 12-1/8". Perfect. And easy to put the auger in and out, especially with the casters which allow the stand to move as the PHD auger moves in a slight arc.

I added a 2" piece of 3/4" square tube near the far end of the stand to hold the PTO shaft in place. You have to play around with its placement on the main beam so that the PTO shaft will will go over it while in the full up position on the tractor and when the PHD is on the stand.

It rolls around real nice on the 3" casters - 5 in all.

 

[coobie]

Nice looking stand.I had one made also.Much easier to attach to the tractor with a stand.

 

[kebo]

Both of those very slick!! I just hang mine from a 4x4 post, suspended across two other 4x4's set into the ground. Not as "cool" but it ain't fell yet lol.

 

[EddieWalker]

Very nice. I like the idea of being able to roll it out of the way when not needed, and not having to work around it. Mine hangs from a wood frame at the end of my yard out in the elements. Having it indoors would make it last a lot longer.

 

[stevepsd]

That stand makes it so much easier to hookup as well.

Hookup is as simple as rolling the stand to the back of the tractor, unpinning the front of the PHD from the stand and simply lifting the front of the PHD and pinning it to the tractor. Hook up the 'U' to the lift arms, and lift the PTO off its holder and slide onto the PTO shaft. Then start up the tractor, lift the 3pt to its maximum height which pulls the auger free from the stand. Presto. Easy and no manhandling any loose, heavy weights. Putting the PHD back on the stand is just the reverse. Only takes a minute.

 

[gwstang]

Wow, that garage is way too clean and organized. That is a nice stand, my poor old phd would have a fit if it saw the luxury that yours is living in... I usually just screw it into the ground about 3/4 way and then it sits waiting for the next episode of..."How I got my poor PHD screwed in too far and can't get it out because it is wrapped around a large root or rock and how not to say bad things when the neighbors can hear me"...lol They live quite a ways....but evidently angry sounds carry... a lot. The red head has cautioned me about this... :ashamed: