Stuck PHD auger removal

[AlanB]

Digging some holes for planting for the missus yesterday and ended up plugging a 12" auger between a ground stump, and a large 4" diameter root that was running at angles to the stump.

Gave me a wonderful opportunity to check the shear bolt on the PHD I just put together and check that the retainer bolt worked as well. It did /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

It was so wedged in, I could not lift it out, basicly it had screwed itself between stump and root and was thoroughly stuck.

So there I was, no tools, no pipe wrench, no pick etc. I ended up chopping the root out with a claw hammer, boy was that fun, getting the thing up and changed the shear bolt and went on and did the rest of the holes. (about 25)

My wife is a Landscaper by the way so the tractor is not operated near the shop usually.

So here was the thought, I think I will take a piece of say 2" pipe and weld it too my auger at the top edge laying flat on the flights, at right angles to the shaft, maybe in line with the lower auger bolt hole.

I do not think that it will interfere with anything there, I seldom dig to the top of the auger, and it would have given me a point that I could have stuck a bar or shovel handle through and backed the auger out with.

Has anyone done this, or have suggestions as to what it will interfere with?

I realize many people will say just bring a wrench, but the reality is when the crew goes out too work, we do not always think through well enough what all will be potentially needed. The more that I can have fixed in place or permanently mounted the easier it is to get the job done.

 

[Freds]

If I'm reading you right, you want to weld some "ears" to the auger bit that would spin around as the bit drills?
I'm not in favor of it from a safety standpoint. I know you aren't supposed to have anyone that close while you are drilling, but anything that is another potential grabber of loose clothing and such doesn't sound like a good idea.

I would rather see you drill a couple holes in the shaft, at the top and across from each other that you could stick a small diameter pipe or digging bar through. I don't think a couple holes would weaken it anymore than the heat from welding would.

 

[AlanB]

I did not post that as clear as I should have.

About a 4" piece of 2" pipe. It would remain inside the flights of the auger. It would allow me to have a larger hole than I could drill into the shaft.

It would be inside the spinning diameter of the auger, and the top of the flight which is currently a square edge would catch you before the pipe.

 

[BB_TX]

Sounds like a great idea to me. So simple. And a whole lot better than a claw hammer or a pipe wrench.

 

[RonR]

I've worried about that also.

I thought about seeing if my biggest pipe wrench (yes, I'm OLD) would fit on the auger tube. If it did that would be one way to back it out--using a cheater........

 

[Freds]

Oops, gotcha.
Sounds like it would work. Post a pic when it's done. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[GerardC]

Doesn't hurt to try. Let us know.

 

[Rch]

This happened to me and I was able to back it out with a cheap chinese 24" crescent wrench after disconnecting the auger from the gearbox. If no flat surface maybe a big pipe wrench. I paid ~ $20 for it at some liquidation/discount store. Toto Indiana, actually. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

OK, so you weld on the piece of pipe to the auger and now you have to keep a piece of metal with you all the time in order for it to work. You could easily also weld on a bracket to the PHD to hold your rod, so it's always there. Sounds like a decent project for a couple of hours.

Then again, you could buy an extra wrench and keep it on the tractor for repairs AND removing your auger.

 

[AlanB]

I was figuring on sticking the shovel handle in there. Almost always have a shovel handy in her line of work.