Post Hole Digger - if stuck

[Devildog]

Nice looking digger Charles.

I just dug about 50 post holes this weekend and hung the auger up twice. Since I didnt have my trusty pipwrench handy I kept some pressure up on the 3pt and rocked the tractor back and fourth and it inched up out slowly. I dont like doing it this way cause Im afraid ill bend my auger but it worked when we were hung up.

 

[hilld]

The Posthole digger - mines a Mcmillen, but a couple of other comapnies make them - takes 5 gpm or so. You have to have hydraulics run forward, which I do for my grapple. A diverter off the FEL would work I assume.

The digger mounts on a QA plate, so it should be easier to get on and off than a 3 pt, which is evidently a pain. Since its on the FEL, you can apply down pressure, which the reuglar 3 point doesnt have.

I'll try for a picture, but I've enver done it before

So what did that PHD cost you?

Derek

 

[Raddad]

I use a Jackall 8000. It's a big bumper jack. I put it under the 3 point or chain it to the auger.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200310544_200310544

 

[Charlesaf3]

So what did that PHD cost you?

Derek

$1700 for the drive, $283 for a 12" auger. Also got a 24" auger for planting.

I already had remote hydraulics running forward.

 

[Raddad]

How fast can you spin the auger. McMillen has a specification of 15 or 20 gal/min to get good speed out of an auger. I believe a fast auger speed helps it get stuck less often.

McMillen

 

[johnk]

Charlesaf3,
If you don't mind asking;;;; How much did that Rascal run you? What is that frame where your bucket goes? Did that come with it? Looks like it will sure do the job...

 

[Raddad]

I couldn't stop thinking about the speed of my augger so I looked it up on the Land Pride site. I think at 5 gal/min your spinning the auger at 20 rpm. On a Land Pride 3pt post hole digger running at 300 rpm from the pto its spinning the auger at 100 rpm. For large augers I slow mine down but for my 9" I spin it at 100rpm. I have only gotten it stuck on roots other than the time I got it too close to the fence when replacing posts on an existing fence. Regardless of the post hole digger, changing fence and posts in an existing fence row full of trees and shrubs is one of the worst jobs I have. Fortunately I don't have any pictures of that self imposed disaster.

 

[Charolais]

If your tractor has a ground speed PTO you can jack the rear wheels off the ground, engage the GSPTO, put the tractor in reverse and back/reverse the auger out of the hole. MF,Long and Farmtrac have ground speed PTO and I'm sure there are a few other brands as well.

This also works on pull type combines, hay conditioners and round balers if you get the pick up plugged with crop. You can just back up and back the plug out.

The ground speed PTO isn't used often but I sure like to know it's there when I need it.

 

[The Gardener]

It sure is! Impressive.

As a complete novice, I just need a little more help with this option. Aside from the advantage of downward pressure, does the hydraulic connection also allow for a reverse direction on the auger's spin?

If not, besides the easy, QA attachment [which looks terrific] and the downward pressure, are there other advantage(s) that this design has over the PTO design?

I must say that unit pictured is amazing.

Thanks!
The Gardener

 

[crazymike]

for those of you interested in the hydraulic, I second that notion.

I just set up a tractor for a customer with front mount hydraulics and a quick attach plate.

The front mount hydraulics are just two hoses run from the rear remotes.

The front remotes I put on male/female bobcat quick couplers. The quick attach plate is also bobcat.

This allows the customer to go to any rent-all place and rent bobcat attachments for their tractor. This customers main use was a hydraulic sweeper. However, they can now attach any number of rented pieces of equipment.

hydraulic post hole digger
hydraulic front mount bush hog
tree shear
front mount snowblower
concrete breaker
hydraulic chipper

then, with the quick attach you can rent pallet forks, etc...

Aswell, there is a huge market of used skid steer implements.