Posthole Digger bucket mounted posthole digger?

[RMulkey]

Looks like the prices at eastern are pretty simmiliar.

Power unit $1021
9" HD auger $535
Brackets ~$75
Welding/Hoses ~$75
Total (gulp...)= $1700

 

[MarkV]

RMulkey,

One more question. Do you know the wieght of your unit with head and auger? You sure have a nice set up.

MarkV

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Take a look at the shaver units I bought a 510 with 9" auger and bucket mount for $1050.00 over the net. Shipping cost me $185. I do about 100 holes a year with it.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Roger,

Ditto on the learn/lurking...coincidentally, also for about a year

Thanks to what I (hope I ) have learned here, I feel confident that I have been able to make some reasonably-intelligent choices in selecting my tractor/equipment pkg. Signing papers this week...full report of shopping experience, choices/reasons, etc., will follow some time after, in hopes they will be helpful to someone else. As you say, it feels good to be able to help out , even just a little, as we have been helped. GREAT list!!

Re. "shearing bolts" :
I talked with Steve Anderson @ McMillen, and I believe he told me that when the auger gets stuck, it simply "stalls", because a pressure-bypass operates above a set-pressure, and you then reverse and try again ..i.e. NO SHEARED BOLT.

Does this match your experience? Your description of the type of soils you have drilled in was helpful to me in feeling that the X450 will do the job in mine. ...Also your comments about your local contractor (heavy vs. reg. auger-bit) and the utility company's use(was that the X450? ... you said "same unit"!?)

I'm leaning toward the McMillen , over the Danuser (8300-1, I think), because of the "clean" looking design, and your report.

I'm glad to hear the "small" unit will probably do the (my) job, because another $800 for the X920/950 makes the "OUCH" a little more than I'm willing to bear.

As it is, the X450 is attractively priced when compared to a top pto-unit (Danuser F8, etc.) and when the operational aspects of a backhoe mount are considered, I think it's a hands-down winner!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

...continued to Roger (posted when I meant to edit!)

So I reccommend that anyone with a backhoe, shopping for a post-hole auger consider a set-up like this. Being able to see clearly, while easily positioning the hole, using the backhoe's downforce( no $400-500 "downforce-kit" to buy), drilling at an angle ( into a bank, for instance), digging two or more holes without having to move the tractor, etc. AND (not-least, to judge by the "how to remove/store the unit" thread on this list) the quick-attach feature of the 48 backhoe might make setting the whole assembly off the tractor a snap. (Might NOT?... not really sure how this works!)
When just the hydraulic auger/drive-unit is to be removed, you are dealing with a much smaller/lighter attachment than the pto-mounted rig [ and a simple jig (on-wheels?) into which the backhoe could lower the auger for attachment/removal should be easy-enough to design].

Just my thoughts:-0 ...still lots to learn. Comments?

Thanks for the flow/pressure/torque info... maybe someone else can offer some torque info for the pto-units...haven't seen any listed anywhere!?
Larry

 

[dmccarty]

RMulkey,

Thank you very much for posting the info about the hydraulic McMillen augers. I never would have guessed that such a creature existed and could be hooked up to a backhoe. This really is what I'm going to need in the next 12-24 months. I'm going to fence in the perimeter of 54 acres which is a little over a mile if I remember correctly, as well as a bunch of internal fencing. I don't want to think how many holes/posts are going to be required. Much less the price of materials! I've been worried about using a "oneway PTO auger" as well as having enough downforce.

Using the backhoe is perfect. I'm REALLY glad I got the JD48 backhoe!

Thanks again for the specs and info!
Dan McCarty

 

[RMulkey]

I am happy to help out. Here are some more observations and answers (kind of)...

Weight: Gee I don't really know, and it is not in the manual. My guess is the Power head is somewhere in the 60-75lb range. The auger is 40-60lbs. The power head is the most difficult to deal with. I am about 250lbs and the thing feels heavy to me. I carry the power head to the tractor and lower the loader or backhoe almost to the ground. Then I rest the powerhead on the ground, then 'tilt' the powerhead in place while sliding in the 1-1/4" pin. I usually carry the auger in the loader to the area where it will be used, otherwise you have to have the loader up too high for safe travel (something I learned on this board). For the backhoe you can tie up the auger and leave it on while traveling distances.

Shear Bolts: I have never sheared a grade 5 bolt. I have stalled the auger 100s of times, but never a broken bolt. I think the relief valve on the tractor is the limit. The auger has a built in relief valve but the unit is rated at 3000psi. I think the tractor is only ~2500psi.

Utility Company Use: According to the dealer, PG&E buys the X450 for small jobs (posts, fences, signs...). They buy the bigger drive units for telephone poles and such...

Backhoe mount: I bought the BH mount to reach in, over, or around into tight spaces. I have not used this much yet but it works great. For lots of fence posts you may want to get the 3PH

Question: Anybody know how the power of the hydraulic augers compare to the PTO units? How can you tell what torque has been applied when a shear bolt or slip clutch lets loose?

Hope this helps.

 

[MarkV]

RMulkey,

Thank you for the weight information. I have a B21, which is a pretty small backhoe, and didn't want a wheelie machine./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Sounds like the unit is in the 150lbs range and that would work fine. Thanks for all the info.

MarkV

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Roger,

Thanks for the additional info. I belive you are right about the 450-powerhead weight, seems that McMillen told me it was about 70 lbs.

" For lots of fence posts you may want to get the 3PH "

Why is that... for the drive-stop-drill convenience? If so, it seems that the drill-2-holes-from-one-position backhoe mount would partly offset the pto "advantage". And the first couple of "stuck" augers, or sheared-pins would eat up enough time to offset the rest of any "advantage".
Am I looking at this wrong?

Larry

 

[RMulkey]

Larry,
Sorry I was not clear and for the slow response.. For drilling lots of holes you should consider the Loader mount or the 3PH Hydraulic powerhead mount with downforce for the reason you describe. If you have a lot of holes to drill you need to be able to Drive...Drill...Drive quickly. The BH mount is great for getting into weird, tight or dangerous places, but setting up the tractor for drilling 1-2 holes takes a lot of time. I personally like the mount on the side of the Loader. The visability is good. Control and placement are excellent since you just steer using the steering wheel to locate the auger.