Posthole Digger Post hole digger

[Crutches]

I just bought a Leinbach L7200 post hole digger. I wanted a Bush Hog digger but it was double the price. I will be using it primarily in sand. I will be hitting some roots but not rocks. It will be used quite a bit as I have to fence in 40 acres plus sections for horse pastures. Dose anyone have experience with this digger? Any advice on using it would be appreciated?

 

[kensfarm]

No experience w/ that PHD.. but make sure you have some extra shear bolts.. those roots will do a number on them.

 

[MikePA]

I have the Leinbach 7200 as well. However, after digging about a hundred holes I gave up and got a Worksaver Post Driver to fence in 3 acres. With 40 acres, you are going to be drilling a whole lotta holes. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

The problems I had with it were as follows. Some of these are related to the Leinbach unit (Items 3 - 4), some are related to post hole diggers in general (Items 1 - 2).

1. Get a bunch (several boxes) of grade 2 bolts to use as sheer bolts.
2. Carry tools (pin and hammer) to drive the remains of the bolt out when it sheers.
3. With 40 acres, I also recommend getting a second auger and a set or two of the cutting edges.
4. Get a box of the bolts that hold the auger on the shaft. Since the drive shaft is round and it's only held on by 2 bolts, digging puts a lot of stress on the bolts. They tend to deform, then they're real hard to get out.

My guess is that you're going to be very frustrated using a 3ph post hole digger to install a fence around 40 acres. Digging the holes, setting the post, then tamping it in will be quite a bit of very tiring work. Mark a couple of holes, dig the holes then set the posts. Don't do what I did, dig all the holes then start setting posts. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I found out the hard way that the holes tend to fill in over time. By then I had the driver, so it didn't matter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I don't want to discourage you, but if I had to do it again, I would have never bought the post hole digger to install a fence. It's probably OK for a small number of holes, but I had to install 187 4" x 4" x 8' PT posts and 40 T posts. Hopefully, the soil in your area isn't like it is in my area. I got advice to use a driver, thought I could do it with a post hole digger. The post hole digger was just too frustrating and it was taking too long.

 

[Crutches]

Thanks for the advice. I will go get the sheer pins tomorrow before I even dig the first hole. Our soil here in north Florida is primarily sand so "hopefully" I will not encounter the same problems you did. I am not under any pressing time frame, so I am going to take it a little at a time.

Thanks

 

[skipmarcy]

Crutches, I used my Leinbach PHD back in Tenn. putting 12" holes in a very rocky creekbed to put posts in for bulkheading. I turned-up rocks over 75 lbs. and some odd metal framing and all kinds of crap and I think I broke one shear bolt(grade 3) in maybe 30 holes that I dug. Now that I'm in Florida, the holes go in like butter and I doubt I'll ever shear a bolt again unless there's something terrible buried where I'm digging. I just did a job last month putting in 4, 12" gate posts - I went down the full depth of my digger, about 4 1/2 feet, and it took me about 45 seconds per hole. The key is not to turn the auger too fast while digging, only when you pull it out of the hole to sling the sand/dirt off it. I'll go down maybe 1 1/2', pull it out and get the dirt off, go down again another 1' or so, pull it out again - this gives you a nice clean hole. Use your foot throttle to control the speed. When digging I barely hit 1,000 - 1,200 rpm's and be real careful on the throttle to sling the dirt off - don't let it get too high and sling that auger around, you'll get used to it quick. Good luck!!

 

[Crutches]

Thanks for the information. You are right on target for what I am trying to do. We are working in the same soil as I am just north of you in Seville, Florida. I have always used hand post hole diggers. I was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident last October so I am trying to get as automated as possible, post hole diggers, log splitter etc.