Posthole Digger Stand for my Posthole Digger

[Timber]

I store mine against the wall in my shop, it is the easiest way I have found to deal with it and it doesnt take up any room at all.

 

[Gittyup]

Timber,

That's how I do it it too. I don't have a convenient place to hang it where I can get to it with the tractor. So, I pull the rod attaching the gearbox to the boom. In two pieces I can pick it up and carry it to the back of the barn where it stays dry and out of the way.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

The hole the bar is run thru was already there. Its for adjusting the arms and post hole digger.

The hydraulic assist adds about 250-500 pounds of down force while digging holes. This way i dont need someone holding on a steel rod hanging off the PHD to dig the holes.

Its a single acting cyllinder that applies downpressure but immediately deflated when i raise the PHD.

And it works GREAT

Thanks for the answer sir! I happen to have a single acting cyclinder laying around here... Hmmm...

But actually, it digs great without it. My problem is it rarely digs straight holes...

Thanks,
David

 

[greg_g]

My problem is it rarely digs straight holes...

That's geometry at work Dave. Consider this. You typically start a hole with a vertical auger; the tranny directly above the auger. As the auger tip digs in, the boom necessarily lowers. Because of the three point geometry, this lowering makes the tranny move rearward in a slight arc. It's this arc that takes the auger off vertical.

The solution is to slowly move the tractor slightly forward while the boom is lowering. This motion counters the effect of the arc, just make sure you only move far enough to keep the tranny and the auger tip in a vertical line.

//greg//

 

[MossflowerWoods]

That's geometry at work Dave. Consider this. You typically start a hole with a vertical auger; the tranny directly above the auger. As the auger tip digs in, the boom necessarily lowers. Because of the three point geometry, this lowering makes the tranny move rearward in a slight arc. It's this arc that takes the auger off vertical.

The solution is to slowly move the tractor slightly forward while the boom is lowering. This motion counters the effect of the arc, just make sure you only move far enough to keep the tranny and the auger tip in a vertical line.

//greg//

Greg,

I had planned for that movement, and did move the tractor when it went tha way, but the problem is this borrowed PHD seems to tilt to the left pretty hard and I cannot find any adjustments I can make.

I believe I need to just buy one actually... Probably a used one, but at the moment the attachment budget is limited.

Be well,

David

 

[greg_g]

PHD seems to tilt to the left pretty hard and I cannot find any adjustments I can make.

Ok, tilting hard left is likely due to transmission torque. That suggests (a) excessive play in the TPH attachment points, and/or (b) dull cutting edge on the auger. My PHD is Cat 1/2, so make sure you're using the correct size ball/pin combos. If you're putting a Cat 1 pin through the Cat 2 hole(s), there's gonna be slop. This is particularly important where the boom pins to the toplink bracket. Also, make sure you've taken up all the slack on the lower lift arm side stabilizers. If necessary, consider freshening the cutting edge on the auger.

//greg//

 

[beppington]

The left tilting can occur because of torque, gravity or both.

My improvement: Look at the top connection where the PHD attaches to your 3-point ... i.e. where you removed your top link ... if yours is like mine there is a lot of side-to-side play at that point. IIRC the PHD is maybe an inch wide there, but there's 2 inches for it to slide around in.

I cut a piece of PVC the length required to fill in that play. On mine that took about a 1" long piece of PVC ... 3/4" diameter PVC I think it was (schedule 40).

Once you cut the length you need, cut it again longways so you can open the piece & slide it over that top link pin itself. It should pop into place. I had to not only cut the PVC piece once lengthwise but again to actually remove a 1/4" wide section, to get it to go over the pin. PVC is strong in that direction!

Anyway, after that the PHD can't slop around as much at that point, & the holes we were digging became a lot more precise.

(I put the PVC insert only on one side because even though that would seem to imbalance the PHD (force it crooked), you can adjust for that with your 3PH side-to-side tilt adjustment)

 

[Chilly807]

Mine is two pieces (8 ft ) of 4x4 dug into the ground with the PHD, and a couple pieces of 1x4 nailed to the top sides. A 2x4 completes the stand. You back into place, lay the crosspiece in place, lower the PHD and unhook. Hookup is just the opposite.

Sean

 

[MossflowerWoods]

The left tilting can occur because of torque, gravity or both.

My improvement: Look at the top connection where the PHD attaches to your 3-point ... i.e. where you removed your top link ... if yours is like mine there is a lot of side-to-side play at that point. IIRC the PHD is maybe an inch wide there, but there's 2 inches for it to slide around in.

I cut a piece of PVC the length required to fill in that play. On mine that took about a 1" long piece of PVC ... 3/4" diameter PVC I think it was (schedule 40).

Once you cut the length you need, cut it again longways so you can open the piece & slide it over that top link pin itself. It should pop into place. I had to not only cut the PVC piece once lengthwise but again to actually remove a 1/4" wide section, to get it to go over the pin. PVC is strong in that direction!

Anyway, after that the PHD can't slop around as much at that point, & the holes we were digging became a lot more precise.

(I put the PVC insert only on one side because even though that would seem to imbalance the PHD (force it crooked), you can adjust for that with your 3PH side-to-side tilt adjustment)

Beppington,

I think you hit the nail on the head. I believe this is exactly the issue on the borrowed PHD.

Thanks!
David

 

[Trav City]

Mine is two pieces (8 ft ) of 4x4 dug into the ground with the PHD, and a couple pieces of 1x4 nailed to the top sides. A 2x4 completes the stand. You back into place, lay the crosspiece in place, lower the PHD and unhook. Hookup is just the opposite.

Sean

Great stand. I'm going to duplicate. Thanks for sharing.