</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've read from many that the PTO driven PHD's can be a problem in rocky ground. Without a reverse the auger can get jammed (stuck) and you have to manually back it out. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
That does not sound like the reason I purchased my CUT. The idea is to do less hand work.
Any experiences with this?
Should this be a real concern?
Gary )</font>Depending on your soil, they can be a blessing or something to curse at. I have never researched the exact makeup but my soil is clay like with brown shale like stones. With little give to it, even the smallest of stones can make the auger just sit and bounce.
Since the 3ph relies on weight for down pressure, you develop a feel for the correct amount of throttle and down pressure while watching the auger. Generally, if I am able to dig with it, I will load up the auger with some dirt, pull it up an inch or so then lower it to load it some more until I get it pretty loaded up. I find it less likely to get stuck if I load it this way rather than to just keep it digging without pulling it back a bit every now and then.
Depending on the moisture level, I will increase my auger speed while I pull it out of the hole to spin the soil off and try to prevent it from dropping back into the hole although some invaribly will. Then I will go back into the hole repeating the procedure until I reach the depth I want.
I go down three feet to set an eight foot post or four feet for a ten foot post depending on the application. You get stuck that deep, well, it can be tough to get it backed out. I grab the four foot pipe wrench and back it out with that. Sometimes I add the cheater bar.
I have to clean at least some soil out of the hole by hand then I tamp and perhaps throw some soil back in until I get my correct depth within an inch so the posts look uniform. If I have a lot of posts in a line, I set the corners, stretch a line and mark off the position with paint.
You may need to adjust the tractor position as you dig to keep the auger vertically aligned. Stones can make the auger go ascew too so it is sometimes difficult to keep the hole where you want it, especially working alone.
Most of my fence posts were pounded in. It is amazing to see a blunt post driven into the ground where it would take you an hour to dig one hole! It is expensive and requires enough work to get the company out to drive the posts though. With enough changes or additions to the fence, I find the auger worth having around.
I also use it to prep for tree planting. I use it to tear up ground hog holes so I can tamp them in properly (until the little rascals come back).
Like any tool, you need to consider expense and usefulness based on your land and needs.
