Auger Sizes

[SpaceRage]

Hey folks,

Planning to buy a post hole digger in the next few weeks

What size augers are worth buying with the implement? It will just be used for lifestyle property on a Kubota B26, so nothing too extreme or high powered.

I also figures the 'hydraulic assist' post hole digger might not be worth the extra $ in this case as I only have a small tractor.

Options are: 6 inch, 9 inch, 12 inch and 18 inch.

Also considering getting a few spare blades / tips for the augers.

Cheers!

 

[3Ts]

What are you going to use it for? That will determine what size to get. For example if you're setting 2" metal fence posts, the 6" would work, but with wood 4x4 i'd go with the 9", and for 10" treated gate posts, you'd need the 12" size and if planting trees, the 18" would be better.

 

[bullbreaker]

For me my first size i would buy is a 12 if not second choice a 9 . Everyone's needs vary . Check your gearbox oil on your phd most come shipped dry (80/90) .

 

[stuckmotor]

I have a 9" and a 12" . There's less packing to be done with the 9" inch and more wiggle room to line up and straighten the posts with a 12".

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I only have a 9" for my auger. We have hard clay, anything bigger would just cause frustration. I have 19 pto hp, the 9" digs great! I could probably do just as fine woth a 12", but decided not to get one. We do a lot of tree planting and if I need a bigger diameter hole, I just dig clusters of 3,4,5 holes in the area (making like a circle of holes) then just shovel out the remaining dirt. Works well for the bigger trees. For 4-5" fence posts, the 9" works great.

 

[mike48130]

I have a 9" and a 12" . There's less packing to be done with the 9" inch and more wiggle room to line up and straighten the posts with a 12".

I have 9 and 12. Use the 12 for almost everything because if you hit a larger rock, it will push the auger to one side. So to keep your post in alignment you want a bigger hole. Like everyone said, depends on what you are doing. A 4x4 post is 3.5" so that only 2.75" on each side of the post if you are cementing. Less along the diagonal, and less if it is not centered.

 

[Scrambler82]

To add another question, if you are using 6x6 Gate Posts, very solid/packed ground, will the 9" auger work ?

 

[SpaceRage]

Well thanks everyone

Its going to be used for setting some fence posts and digging in small plants............

I figured 18 inch might be too big for my 19.5 hp PTO.

Think I'm pretty much settled on a 9 inch and 12 inch, seems like these are pretty standard for most uses.

 

[ning]

Also pertinent will be, what type of soil are you digging in?
Depending on the answer, there's going to be a limit to how big of an auger your tractor's going to be able to effectively use.
This will also likely depend on the season; around here, I could probably turn a 36" auger in the spring, but come mid-summer I'll be lucky to get the 12" started!

Personally, I started with a 9", and picked up a 6". The 6" makes a great hole for 4x4's and 4" peelers, and the 9" makes a fine hole for 5-6" peelers, and I used it for a 8" tubular concrete form. I've yet to find a need for anything bigger, myself.

When I planted a bunch of trees, I rented a ctl with a 36" auger; I could've done the job with my backhoe but the ctl has a much lighter footprint and didn't rut everything up when it was still soft in the spring.

 

[Texasmark]

2 considerations as I see it: Large enough diameter for you to miss the designed spot and have to skin the post in the hole to make it and if your soil has no supporting ability, large diameter to make a concrete disc at the bottom of the hole onto which the post sits....then fill back in with dirt.

On drilling, I like Live PTO over tranny and Ind....having used all 3. Also, digging use an up and down motion to keep the finds out and help to keep the auger from augering to China. When the depth is acquired, stop the PTO, pull the auger straight up out of the hole and hit the PTO........Live is perfect for the last remarks besides inching fore or aft to line up the hole as you dig...usually the bottom sucks back to the tractor slightly due to the arc of the lift arms on the digger yoke. If you get stuck, aka augered to China, unpin the auger from the digger and using a pipe wrench and a cheater pipe, back the auger out of the ground.