Posthole Digger PHD for JD2520

[pkav32]

Does anyone have an opinion on a PHD for a 3PH. I have read in the treads that they either work well, or they are a waste of money. I have to put in about 100 fence post at my new house and I was planning on using a PHD with my JD 2520. I live in Mass and with the amount of rocks I could get I am skeptical of the results. Either way 100 holes by hand will not be much fun. I could also use opinions on which brand. I was looking at the Frontier or Land Pride. I have seen cheaper PHDs, but I always feel you get what you pay for.
Thanks,
Paul

 

[Timber]

I have lived in Massachusetts most of my life. I have put in miles of fence most of it by hand. I own a Land Pride PHD and would not be without it. It is a PHD 15 with a 9 inch auger. You get what you pay for is all I can say.There are many who insist on a 12 inch but I'm my opinion a 9 works best. stone is something to deal with no matter how you dig your holes, clay is a bigger problem for a PHD than stone. I would definitely purchase a PHD if it were me, It might help if you gave us a little background. If you are putting up livestock enclosures the is no question what to do. Anyway welcome to TBN

 

[mjncad]

I had a mid-level Bush Hog PHD and that was a stupid purchase that I made. Not the brand; but the PHD. We have claycrete where I live and I got the auger stuck at the gearbox. I managed to rock the thing loose; but if I ever get the foolish notion to get a PHD again, it will be hydraulically powered unit so I can reverse it if it gets stuck, and it won't be a 3 point hitch type either as they are like wrestling with an octopus to connect and disconnect.

Go rent a skid steer with a hydraulically powered auger and go to town digging holes.

I traded my PHD in as a down payment on a riding mower.

 

[jimgerken]

I own a Speeco, from TSC. It is about the lowest cost one there is. And it works great. As far as rocks, they come in all sizes. If you are drilling a small hole (9 inch for instance), and you hit a four inch rock, you are about screwed and must bust the rock out of the way with a bar or something. BUT if you are drilling a bigger hole (12 or 14 inches), that same four inch rock will come out with the dirt. Northern sells a larger bit (14, I think) that fits the speeco, even though Speeco themselves sell only 12 inch at the biggest.
A great idea someone here on TBN had, I still need to copy, is to weld on a segment of 2 inch water pipe horizontally across the bit down-tube, like at the top end of the flighting, or higher. this way when you hit a rock or auger under a root, you can stick a shovel handle thru the pipe segment (with tractor OFFF!!!) and turn the drill backwards. Sure beats disconnecting it from the powerhead and pipe wrenching on it.
Ideally you would have power revers on the PTO, to back out of bad situations. Hydraulic would also help a lot, variable, and reverse. There are some PHD that are loader-bucket mount ones, hydraulic powered, etc. Nice, but expensive.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I had a mid-level Bush Hog PHD and that was a stupid purchase that I made. Not the brand; but the PHD. We have claycrete where I live and I got the auger stuck at the gearbox. I managed to rock the thing loose; but if I ever get the foolish notion to get a PHD again, it will be hydraulically powered unit so I can reverse it if it gets stuck, and it won't be a 3 point hitch type either as they are like wrestling with an octopus to connect and disconnect.

Go rent a skid steer with a hydraulically powered auger and go to town digging holes.

I traded my PHD in as a down payment on a riding mower.

Maybe if you would have had your phd on a stand you would not have fought it so much. By selling your phd you now have taken away the convenience of being able to go and drill just a few holes when needed. My guess is that in your situation you don't need that convenience. I have found that renting equipment is inconvenient and costly. Renting can be a real problem if needed on spur of the moment type of conditions. We each do what works best for us. Oh, unless I'm having a bad day, I can have my phd hooked up and ready to use in about 5 minutes.

 

[pkav32]

Thanks for your input guys. I am putting in a 4 ft high post and rail fence ( 6" posts). I think that I would like to get a phd, but the thought of getting it stuck in the ground seems to be very frustrating. I also find it frustrating when I bought the tractor for these jobs, and I am told to rent. I will have a tough time explaining it to my wife why we just spent 16K and still rented equiptment. I do hope that building my house on a christmas tree farm will mean that it is pretty good soil. The more opinions the better. Thanks again guys.

 

[JiminGa]

buy the phd, for 4ft fence you only need to go 2 ft down. control the dig with the tractor lift and it won't get stuck.

 

[pkav32]

Thanks JiminGa,
I like definitive answers. What size auger do you recomend. I was thinking about a 9" like Timber recommended. Jimgerkgen mentioneed smaller augers jam up with rocks that a 12" auger will dig up, maybe it is wiser to go bigger. Of course this is a motto here at tbn, always bigger when you can.
thanks again.

 

[Timber]

I have yet to have to back my PHD out of a hole, not that it can't happen but you do have to pay attention to what your doing. I also recommend an assortment of bars and a clamshell. Every hole is going to be different you might sing 10 holes in a 1/2 hour and spend 2 hours on 1. Welcome to earth man. I use my PHD for post holes and sauna tubes as well as loosening up the soil around stumps I want to dig out.

 

[Gittyup]

I have a bush hog phd. Works great. Never got stuck. Went right through that power line too! But they are a bear to put on and off. I partially disassemble mine to make it lighter. If you get one, either build a stand or buy one.

Not sure about your deere. But, if it's not a full cat 1 hitch, some phd won't fit. Your JD dealer would probably advise you best.