New Post Hold Digger and how do you use yours?

[beppington]

You might consider a smaller diameter bit, & then the sloppiness will actually be needed.

I've had the same problems with our 3PH auger. It follows an arc on the way down. The best we've come up with so far is, dad guides the auger point to where it needs to be, then guides me driving the tractor to or fro until the auger is plumb, then I try to back up just a tad while the auger's dropping to keep it plumb. Not always great results. We currently have an 8" or 9" diameter auger bit, & I'm thinking about getting a 6".

I do like the ideas of attaching levels & a mirror, though. My dad "eye-ballin' it" ain't perfect :laughing:

 

[woodlandfarms]

Today we set gate posts along our driveway. used the PHD to set 6X6 Pressure treated to support a 16 ft tube gate. our road has been built up and rocks go all the way down. it was chunky pulling sometimes.

Learned a lot, like even if you think you are not anywhere near the drain pipe double check, but that being said, I am struggling with something.

The post holes do not come out empty. Our soil is a real mix, but at the end of the day it is pretty good stuff. Not too sandy, not too much clay, very few rocks. But when I dig down no matter what I do (pulling up and out frequently, speeding up) none of it gets me an empty hole. I ended up pulling out the manual post hole digger to get the last foot of loosened dirt out.

Should I expect this or????

Thanks for any advice.

Carl

 

[beppington]

... I am struggling with something.

The post holes do not come out empty. Our soil is a real mix, but at the end of the day it is pretty good stuff. Not too sandy, not too much clay, very few rocks. But when I dig down no matter what I do (pulling up and out frequently, speeding up) none of it gets me an empty hole. I ended up pulling out the manual post hole digger to get the last foot of loosened dirt out.

Should I expect this or????

Using post hole diggers after the auger is the only way I know of to get nearly all of the loose dirt out. You'd have to have a very precise dirt hole for the auger to get most of that loose dirt, & even then, the design of the bottom of the augers I've seen would still leave some loose dirt. Augering is just imprecise work.

 

[ponytug]

Dear Carl,

The challenge of drilling a straight hole while trying out the PT auger in Tazewell convinced me that I was never going to get good at it, given my abilities and my slopes. I found that for me drilling a straight hole "was a rub your stomach/pat your head" job. To bore a vertical hole, you have to move the tractor forward/backward as the arms arc down into the hole to keep it vertical for/aft, and you may have to adjust L/R (& yaw) to keep it straight L/R, as the auger encounters harder/softer material.

However, a hydraulic auger is way easier to use than a PTO design. If yours isn't clearing all of the dirt as you go, just stop it, and lift out the auger. The bulk of the material should come off.

If you drill oversize, and back fill with concrete, it isn't as much of an issue, just make sure you put 12" of gravel at the bottom, and get the post into the gravel. Otherwise, water can accumulate at the bottom of the post and rot it. Since I put gravel in the bottom of my post holes, I don't worry about a little debris in the bottom.

Yours looks like a great design. I'm with MR- you could put some tell tales on the upper part and be able to see how you are doing.

Personally, I went with the PT post hole driver, which you can plumb up and monitor while you are driving it in. It is a one person implement.

Supposedly, the driver will set 8x8, but the largest that I have done is 6x6.

Not that I haven't thought about an auger for other reasons...

All the best,

Peter

Yes Moss, it centers up, but as you dig down the arc of the lift arm comes into play. None of the test holes I have dug have been anywhere near straight. They are not terribly far off but I would love to improve my skills.

I have no experience with this kind of implement, I can say I have only seen a couple of holes being drilled before so I am learning on this one.

thanks again for all the advice

Carl

 

[MossRoad]

Yes Moss, it centers up, but as you dig down the arc of the lift arm comes into play. None of the test holes I have dug have been anywhere near straight. They are not terribly far off but I would love to improve my skills.

I have no experience with this kind of implement, I can say I have only seen a couple of holes being drilled before so I am learning on this one.

thanks again for all the advice

Carl

O.K. I get it now. As you bring the FEL arms down, it wants to push the auger forward a ways and makes the hole an oval instead of a circle.

I suppose the only way to correct it is to constantly correct position with your treadle pedals as the hole is dug.

Can you see the auger tip and hole from the driver's seat?
Is the pile of dirt brought up by the auger obscuring your view?
How far "off" is the hole when you're finished? A few inches, half a foot or more?

I'd run that thing out into the back 40 and make it look like Swiss cheese practicing. Just be sure to tell the spouse not to walk out there. :laughing:

 

[KentT]

I'd run that thing out into the back 40 and make it look like Swiss cheese practicing. Just be sure to tell the spouse not to walk out there. :laughing:

Just be sure to put up appropriate warning signs:

:laughing:

 

[beppington]

O.K. I get it now. As you bring the FEL arms down, it wants to push the auger forward a ways and makes the hole an oval instead of a circle.

You can end up with an oval, or more likely here in FL, a round hole that is very not plumb.

 

[Putter]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to remember a guy reversing the rotation of the auger as he pulled it out. Will this help in getting the most dirt out of the hole?

 

[beppington]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to remember a guy reversing the rotation of the auger as he pulled it out. Will this help in getting the most dirt out of the hole?

I think that would do the opposite - Leave most/ all of the dirt in the hole.

 

[woody]

I like your design I have a TP auger I would like to convert to hydraulic but I do not know what motor, mount and adapter to use.