gas powered hand held PHD

[Soundguy]

Anyone have any experience with either of the 2 sizes of 'single person' hand held PHD's that TSC sells ( or similar units at northern tool ) ?

Any comments? Are they capable?

I forsee having to put in 3000+' - 7000' of fencing within the next few years... The bulk of it would be in places where i could not maneuver a tractor to use a mounted PHD.
And I don't see me hand digging it /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif... and can't convince the wife to let me T-post the bulk of it either /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.. especially where we are running parallel to other pasture fencing...

Soil conditions are about 1' of sandy topsoil, then you start getting into sandy clay. Have to go down a few feet 4+ to hit packed limerock....Virtually no rocks. Soil digs decently easy with a spade shovel.. and tunnels easilly with hand held PHD's.. but I aint dropping that many in by hand.

Am I gonna be 'happy' with one of those single person gas powered jobs?

Anyone use the 2 person jobs.. by yourself /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Soundguy

 

[RonR]

You said space was tight, so it might not work.

If I had that much to do, I'd try to find a hydraulic unit that mounted on a flatbed.

Then again, if I had that many to do, it probably wouldn't get done til I could hire it done! Hoisting that thing for that distance will get tiring.

ron

 

[bandit67]

Hire it out! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've only used the 2 person hand held units, and those work, but are a pain. Seems we always needed to put our weight into it to help it dig. Can't imagine being able to get enough down pressure on a 1 person hand held unit, while trying to keep the thing nice and vertical, no matter how heavy you are, though your soil sounds like it may allow the auger to just dig its own way in.

This past summer, I saw a few guys with a Bobcat digging a ton of holes and installing fencing up in Steamboat Springs - the ground was as rough as I've seen (up and down, and all over the place) and covered with Aspen, and I was shocked at how they were able to get in and out of the trees without clearcutting the area. The fence looked great, and aside from it looking nice and new, the ground, groundcover, and trees looked virtually intact from the road (20'-30' away). I never would have imagined anyone being able to get a machine in there without having seen it.

 

[5030tinkerer]

I own the two person unit from Northern Tool. Outside of having to rebuild the carb each year, it works well. I cannot imagine having the smaller motor that comes with the one horse units, though. I have used it by myself, but it was tough. I have mostly clay soil, though, so real dense stuff. I did have substantial trouble with the unit wanting to dig in (digging 9" holes). As much I tried to not let it (my lifting the unit out of the ground every few seconds), it was futile. I ended up letting it dig as far it would go down before bogging (quite a ways, actually) and then used some 2" strap with a metal hook at the end. The strap would go around the four corners of the base of the handle assembly and then the hook would come up the middle, where I would attach it to the lip of my skid steer bucket to pull it back out. My neck felt a little red at the time, but it worked incredibly well. Each time, the auger would be completely caked with the clay, requiring a hand tool to remove. This episode was digging in August-September. I've also used it in the spring with better results.

 

[KubotaSteve]

My brother has a one person unit. I used it a couple of times and it beat you to death if you're going to drill over a couple of holes. If the ground is hard it doesn't do much. He used it to put in over a hundred posts. There is a spring in there that he broke several times. I think it was some type of slip clutch or something.
Putting in as much fence as you are talking, I would definitely check into something else.

 

[BB_TX]

Sounds like a good time to rent a small dozer and clear a path for the fence row so you can get in with the tractor.

Or hire a couple day laborers and hand them the PHD.

One way you have a lot of fun. The other you simply get out of a lot of work relatively cheap. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[daveh1]

Soundguy, last summer my neighbor and I rented a 2 man Honda post hole digger to put approximately 55 posts in hard NC clay/ rocks. It just about killed us! Fortunately the throttle broke at about number 30 and we returned it. We still haven't finished it. I guess we will wait for spring and use a 3 pt PHD on the D-2050. You may be alright in Florida sand though as long as you dont get hung up a palmetto root balls! Just my .02 worth. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Good luck. DaveH1 D-2050 4'BB, 4' brush cutter, Honda Rancher 4wd. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif <font color="red"> </font>

 

[5030]

Chris:

Some years ago I had an Ardisam one man digger. I think Northern sells them now. I got mine at the defunct Quality Farm and Fleet. Mine had a 2 stroke (you mix the oil and gas like a chainsaw) Tecumseh engine with a centrifugal clutch and a 6" auger. It had loop handlebars with a lever throttle attached to one side. The auger itself had a replaceable cutting edge, matter of fact, I have a couple extra laying around somewhere.

I drilled all the post holes on our new farm (years ago) for the pastures around the house and used it for planting a large number of conifers and deciduous tree plantings. We have a variety of soil here depending on where you are drilling holes. It varies from sandy loam to blue and orange clay

The digger lived up to my expectations. You had to "pump" it in and out of the hole or it would auger itself in and would have to be dug (by shovel method) out. If I encountered a rock, I'd angle the digger to the side and then go down....something you can't do with a pto PHD.

A nice second use for mine was using it as an ice auger for ice fishing on Lake Erie. It had a shaver accessory that replaced the cutting edge though I don't think that would benefit you in Florida.

I literally bored hundreds of holes with mine. I had to re-shoe the clutch once, replace a broken throttle spring and clean the foam air cleaner a couple of times. When I got my tractor and toys I gave the little guy to my neighbor and he is still using it.

If you have a chainsaw, you already have the gas mixed. It runs on the same gas/oil mix as your chainsaw.

In my opinion, it was money well spent. It's much more agile than a big unit and easier to store away when you are through with it. My big PHD is hanging from a limb on an oak tree in the side yard. The little guy could hang on the pegboard in the garage.

 

[FarmGeek]

There is one type of PHD you haven't mentioned. I've seen them digging fence post holes in town and they were doing a wonderful job with one one operator. Check them out here:
web page

If it was me, I'd use the Bobcat and to heck with what was in the way. I'm too old and pressed for time to try that much work by hand. Too much beer in the fridge calling my name. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Soundguy]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

So far this is what I am up against. I will have 1 stretch of 'open and cleared' land 500' to 1000' long ( depending if I get the pasture next to me ).. and then I will have 2 stretches of 1000' that wil be up next to another fence line, with intervening trees on either side. And then there will be a run in the back of the property of 500-1000' that is dense forest.. so dense you have to cut your way in with a machette just to swing the chainsaw if you know what I mean. In either case.. I won't be allowed to drop any trees...( maybee some scrubby bushy stuff.. but nothing 4" and up.. and the fence line is populated with that kind of 4" and up stuff.. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif ) Wife has made that clear.

I do have the option of hire out... just looking at the money issue. I hired out our 3board black and 2x4 redbrand wire fence that we have on one pasture and it cost me about 14k$ in cresote, wire and manpower... that was about 2200 board feet, and 2000 wire feet.. etc.. wallet was kinda sore after that /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.. that's why I was thinking about sinking it myself.

Still got time.. perhaps a year or so before any work will need to be done. I'm still re-habbing the pasture right now.. But trying to get my ducks in a row.. as I'm either gonna get big arms or a sore wallet come fencing time /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Soundguy