Posthole Digger Good post hole digger

[chadincolo]

I am looking for a post hole digger. Rather than discuss brands (TSC's are good, Danhauser is great...) I would like to know what makes a good digger good, a bad one bad, a great one great. Differences I've noted:

1) Cutting edges, what is good? Cast steel, formed?
2) Tips, fishtail, spiral, screw in, bolt in?
3) Flighting, is thicker better?
4) Boom, has anybody actually bent a boom in normal use?
5) Mounting a-frame, is one better than the other?

Also, has anybody used a downforce kit (Land Pride has one) that worked well?

Looking at a 9 inch and an 18 inch auger. Thanks for any input.

 

[Birdman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 4) Boom, has anybody actually bent a boom in normal use? )</font>
Raising my hand while lowering my head. TSC brand, not the fault of the PHD,what is normal to me may be abnormal to most folks.

 

[Gaspasser]

My only experience has been with a Danuser (both models)

1) Cutting edges - serrated, hard faced
2) Tips - fishtail, hard faced
3) Boom - loaned the smaller model to a "friend" who bent the center of the 3-point , just behind the "ball".
4) Downforce kit - have not used but in very hard ground, it is safer.
5) 9 inch and an 18 inch augers - have used both. 9" for fence posts, 18" for corned posts (electric poles)

Have had a good experience with Danuser. Just replaced a 9" auger that was 20 years old - at the tip it was 6". Had the new one hard faced all the way up the auger on the sides.

 

[johnk]

I think it all depends on the cost difference and how much you will be using it. I have a TSC brand for three years and use it quite a bit. I dug over 120 9" holes with it and this past weekend I dug 12 more in very Rocky soil. Only problems I had was breaking shear pins but that is what they are for.

 

[johnk]

Another pic

 

[johnk]

pic3

 

[johnk]

pic 4 Last one........

 

[gotrocks]

I purchased a Leinbach 12" for $446 in 1995. Don't know how many holes I've dug but I did wear out the cutting edge. Called Leinbach told them the problem and they shipped new one same day. About $20 if I remember right.
I've done some pretty rough diging with this unit rocks, roots... always at idle speed. I like it. I like it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Dargo]

I dug over 4000 holes in rocky soil this spring with a rather inexpensive Lienbach 7400 and the 12" auger. Using a 50 hp tractor, I actually broke the auger after about 3000 holes. I was sort of ticked about it, but then I figured that 3000 holes is far more than most see in a lifetime. I bought a slightly stronger bit and have had no issues since. Some days I was getting tired and pretty well flat abused it with no bad results. I don't doubt at all that the Danhauser models are better, but after drilling 4000 holes and being rough on a $375 (including 12" auger) PHD, I don't think spending more money would have served me any better.

 

[jhixf564]

I have a Bush-hog 2103 with the down force kit on it. It is just short of amazing. It digs good have never had any problems with it, except for one. It doesn’t stay at the farm. All my friends come and get it to use and most of them have diggers themselves. Don’t know exactly how many holes it has dug. But the bottom of the auger has been replaced about four or five times. The teeth about 3 times that. The auger is a double flight with a replaceable auger point. As far as the down force kit. It is what makes it amazing. When you engage it will sink it to the hilt so fast you can’t believe it. It does a good job of pushing through the hard stuff and you don’t have to run the tractor as hard either. I have been pleased with it so far

Justin