am i the only PHD abuser

[lblair]

Ive really been beating on my post hole digger the last few days. Many rocks and many shear pins. Some time i have to dig 3-4 holes around my real hole to get rocks to give way. It hammer's on the digger. I hope i dont damage my tractor! Has anyone hurt theirs with the post hole digger?,
Larry

 

[gotrocks]

Hello Larry,
I've put mine thru some pretty rough times also. I usually keep 1500 or slower RPM and just lower slow when things get rough. A while back I could not get it to dig at all, just sit on top and spin a slick spot on the dirt. Then I checked and saw my cutting edge was GONE. Called the mfg and had them UPS two replacements. Now it's back diging like before. I have not sheared any pins. Mine looks like it has a 1/4 inch bolt. When I first got mine I screwed it into the ground and had a little difficutly getting it out. Reverse on PTO would have been a nice feature.

Wish I had your rocks.

 

[JFarms]

Larry, My ground is full of rocks from pebble to football size. A slower rpm helps in most circumstances, and the PHD works best when soil moisture is perfect, not too soft, but damp enough that it hasn't begun to harden. So I schedule PHD work for early to mid spring. Best of luck.

 

[MDSteve]

I can use up some shear bolts. I buy them by the box 50 for $7. It has been so dry in Md that while digging I will pour a bucket or two of water in the hole. This helped alot. On my property after you get past the topsoil you hit bank run gravel for about 8-12" and then sand for another 8-12" and back to gravel.

Steve

 

[JTD]

Make sure you use grade 2 bolts for the shear pins and you shouldn't hurt the tractor. You can buy them cheaper from a bolt supplier than a tractor dealer. I bought 50 for my front fence line where there used to be an old road. Buried concrete, asphalt, brick, etc. Broke 20 or so pins and had to use my backhoe on half a dozen holes to dig them out first. Bent the auger shaft when it got stuck once trying to get it back out.