Post Hole Digger and Rocks?

[jake98]

All this research is because the local fence companys want $9k to install a fence in my back yard.

~Kevin

Tell them if they throw in the shed they got a deal..

 

[RPW]

9k, wow. I had a fence company do 2 sides of my property (a bit over 2500ft) for just over 6k. Of course mine was just 5 strand barb wire and entrance gate posts (I did a custom gate). Depending on the type of fence having it done by a company is sometimes cheaper. In my case I just didn't have the time. You also have to consider the cost of the PHD and how often after this project you will be using it.

Good luck.

 

[whistlepig]

Whistle, I went to my local tractor equipmeny store and walked around the lot and I got to see a Land Pride PHD next to a Bush Hog 2102. Though I am not sure of the Land Pride model number I have to agree. The Bush Hog looked, felt and smelled of durablity and strength. The Land Pride model did not.

All this research is because the local fence companys want $9k to install a fence in my back yard.

~Kevin

I priced having the fence done by a contractor also. By doing it myself it paid for my post hole digger, three point fence roller, and some really good fencing tools with money left over. All this stuff is sitting in my barn and is paid for. It was well worth the effort for me to do it myself.

 

[MMH]

Wow. I have to put in a fence too & thought that it would be as simple as getting a PHD and letting it do the work. Good thing I read this.

 

[kday64]

MMH,

It can be just that simple depending on your soil type. I live on the edge of what is called a Boulder Moraine and I have some pretty heafty rocks to deal with (as one can seen in the picture below).

When I was younger I dug 300 holes with an old fashion PHD, in the sandy soil of FL. Up hear in CT though digging is not so easy. A 3 foot hole here might result in a 4x4x3 foot hole.

~Kevin

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Whistle, I went to my local tractor equipmeny store and walked around the lot and I got to see a Land Pride PHD next to a Bush Hog 2102. Though I am not sure of the Land Pride model number I have to agree. The Bush Hog looked, felt and smelled of durablity and strength. The Land Pride model did not.

All this research is because the local fence companys want $9k to install a fence in my back yard.

~Kevin

I know that you acknowledged that you did not know the size of the Land Pride unit and everyone should take that for just as it is. I
just wanted to emphasize that when comparing any implement, always compare apples to apples. The Bush Hog 2102 would compare to the LP PD25 and the BH 2103 would compare to the LP PD35. Bush Hog has 3 sizes of PHD where as Land Pride has 4 PTO units and 2 hydraulic units.
My guess is that the Land Pride unit was one of smaller size-rating such as either the PD10 or PD15.

 

[kday64]

My guess is that the Land Pride unit was one of smaller size-rating such as either the PD10 or PD15.

MTR,

I agree. I was not comparing peaches to peaches. You are totally right. I will have to take this onboard for future examples.

I am not even sure if the small Land Prides can be used with the heavy duty augers. I am thinking the down pressure kit is seriously lacking power.

Thanks,
~Kevin

 

[Haoleguy]

Heavy duty will be the way to go on the phd. A friend over in the Mystic area bent one of the phd support arms by trying to force the auger down. Not sure what kind of fence you're planning but for my wood fence I moved the posts to where I could get a post in without obstruction. This created a problem for using 8' premade fence sections. For one side I custom made the fence myself so that the lengths were of flexible length. For the back fence with similar post issues I actually made nailing rails between and flush with the posts which allowed me to use premade 8 ft fencing. I have a larger project where I intend to use a post driver with a rock spike. Again if I run into heavy issues I will move over. Depending on your soil type ( see NRCS web soil app) if you do not have shallow bedrock you should be successful in getting posts in. I know that those folks with bedrock issues anchor a plate into the rock that will hold the post or make a cement post to the surface and then anchor. Good luck.

 

[Dave5264]

Consider renting a "post pounder". Ive put in aprox 400 cedar posts in the past year (8' long and 4 - 8" in diamiter). Rented a pounder for $80 a day and $25 an hour if I want the guy to operate it for me. We pound aprox 90-100 posts a day, 6 minutes per post (average time). Small 3-4 inch rocks are no problem, Big Rocks are a Big problem (fortunatley I have only hit 2 of those).

Very economical way to do it, they are solid as soon as they are done, and its very very quick. If I had to Drill/Auger 400 holes, Id stil be there !
Not sure that works for you or not, but its worth considering

 

[MtnViewRanch]

MTR,

I agree. I was not comparing peaches to peaches. You are totally right. I will have to take this onboard for future examples.

I am not even sure if the small Land Prides can be used with the heavy duty augers. I am thinking the down pressure kit is seriously lacking power.

Thanks,
~Kevin

When you say heavy duty auger, do you mean heavy duty or do you mean bigger diameter? I believe that heavy duty works on all the PHD, but 12" is the cut off size of the PD10 & PD15. The other 3pt PHD go up to 24".

How do you mean that the down pressure kit is lacking power? I am fairly sure that everyone's down pressure kit puts out about the same force which is 500lbs. There is a relief valve that is part of the kit that regulates this pressure. I know that before I put my down pressure kit on, I had holes that would take hours to get drilled between drilling and waiting for water to soak in. Now with the down pressure kit, I have not had a hole that has taken me more than a minute or two to drill. That has been with 18" and 24" augers.

 

[kday64]

MTR,

I test drove a PD15, with the down pressure kit (DPK) and 10" Auger, at a Kubota Dealership up in NH. I agree that there is a significant difference, in both speed and control, between the PD15 with and without the DPK. However, I was expecting the DPK to be gods little gift to PHD. I just dont think it will supply the power I need to help me build my fence. Darn, CT Potatoes! I might have to rent a skid loader PHD.

Someday soon this project will be the test of my patience. But for now the ground is frozen solid and the wife wants me work on her honey do list.

~Kevin

 

[MtnViewRanch]

MTR,

I test drove a PD15, with the down pressure kit (DPK) and 10" Auger, at a Kubota Dealership up in NH. I agree that there is a significant difference, in both speed and control, between the PD15 with and without the DPK. However, I was expecting the DPK to be gods little gift to PHD. I just dont think it will supply the power I need to help me build my fence. Darn, CT Potatoes! I might have to rent a skid loader PHD.

Someday soon this project will be the test of my patience. But for now the ground is frozen solid and the wife wants me work on her honey do list.

~Kevin

If you have used the PHD with the DPK and you do not feel that it is going to work for you, I doubt that the skid steer is going to be much better. But the only way to find out is to try out the SS, it's not like you are going to get it all done in 1 or 2 days anyway. It sounds like you have a HUGE project and should not be expecting to get it done quickly. Maybe use a different type of post that can be put in in a different manor?

 

[kday64]

MTR,

Amazingly enough the project is not that large, it is just challenging. I am looking to add about 500' of fence including three double gates. The problem is the soil composition and the slope of the hill I live on. Earlier last summer when I tried to use a 2 person auger I darn near re-broke my ribs and the ribs of my friend. We were using a conventional dirt auger when we caught the edge of a rock... ouch! Needless to say about a foot into the first hole I determined this was a task better suited for another day/year.

This event caused my wife to re-evaluate the fence situation for the near term. She wants me to focus on pushing back the wood line before I build the fence. So I have plenty of time. I probably wont restart the fence project until the spring of 2012. The invisible fence is keeping the puppy in the yard and the wife and I have no kids yet.

~Kevin

 

[Sherweld]

It has been a long time since I've dug any holes with an auger, so I'm not up on the latest tools.
Also I haven't operated in your soil conditions, but here in the far northwest we have our share of glacial till and hardpan. Using nothing more than a little Kubota B7100 I have put down hundreds if not thousands of post holes as a one time contractor. So this is what I learned. (copied from an earlier post)
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/141009-auger-teeth-question.html

"Years ago I had a couple of augers retrofitted with Pengo teeth, and simply couldn't believe the difference. The way it is set up, no two teeth travel in the same path, so when the first tooth skips over a fist size or larger rock, the following tooth (or teeth) which is offset from the first, will probably snick the rock right out instead of the auger bouncing around in the hole.

Also the auger simply digs better because the cutting is done with much smaller "edges". Kind of like loosening the compacted soil with a pick versus a shovel. This especially helpful as most 3PH's do not have down pressure, so gravity and the auger configuration are your only friends.

If you are digging in an area with a lot of glacial till loaded with "alley apples", you should be very pleased with the performance, especially compared to traditional bits with plain cutting edges."

 

[F250DSLPWR]

I have a Beltec TM48 3pt post hole drill with hydraulic down pressure. I run it on my M5040 Kubota. It uses the weight of the tractor to push against while drilling. The drill bits have carbide teeth. They just grind the rock up to drill the hole. It will drill through solid rock or concrete very quickly. Of course a Beltec is major expensive. The price of a Beltech bit alone cost more that many of the farm type 3 pt post hole drills.

The TM 48 also drills very straight holes with very little wabble or drift. The bucket mounted or skid steer drills are much harder to drill a straight hole and don't provide as much down pressure as the TM48. Short of a professional drill used by the power companies or well drillers, the Beltec is an awesome piece of equipment.

 

[weldingisfun]

I have a Beltec TM48 3pt post hole drill with hydraulic down pressure. I run it on my M5040 Kubota. It uses the weight of the tractor to push against while drilling. The drill bits have carbide teeth. They just grind the rock up to drill the hole. It will drill through solid rock or concrete very quickly. Of course a Beltec is major expensive. The price of a Beltech bit alone cost more that many of the farm type 3 pt post hole drills.

The TM 48 also drills very straight holes with very little wabble or drift. The bucket mounted or skid steer drills are much harder to drill a straight hole and don't provide as much down pressure as the TM48. Short of a professional drill used by the power companies or well drillers, the Beltec is an awesome piece of equipment.

I'll second what he said. Don't own a Beltec myself, wish I did though. Have hired a fellow a couple of times to put some post holes in where my little 3pt PHD just couldn't do it. That Beltec does the job and does it well, even in broken rock.