Howse or Leinbach PHD

[hunterridgefarm]

I am going to buy a post hole digger in about 3 weeks. Getting pricing now and would like to know if anyone has experience with these two and how price looks.

Leinbach PHD with 9" auger $420.00

Howse PHD with 9" auger $499.00

Harvard PHD no auger $256,000.00 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Both are medium duty. I am going to check again tomorrow with my dealer on the Leinbach to make sure that price included the auger...seems a little low compared to others...but at the time he did say it included the auger.

Also any suggestions on additional augers?

 

[RonMar]

I have a leinbach 7200 with the 9" auger and I like mine. It is probably not the most heavy duty but works well with my 25ish PTO HP. It does have some handy features which is why I chose it. It has a pipe handle on the gearbox that runs forward so you can place the bit accurately by yourself without leaving the tractor seat. You can also easilly disconnect the gearbox from the boom. This makes for fairly easy 1 person installation/deinstallation. I install the boom pole on the tractor then back the boom up to where the auger/gearbox/driveshaft are stood against the back wall of the barn. Lean the gearbox out a little from the wall and slide in a single pin, connect the drive shaft and I am off and punching holes without a strained back. The boom pole already has hooks and attach points out on the end. You can possibly use the boom pole for other things such as a lift rig for a chain harrow which is one of the things I am going to use it for.

Unless you are doing something extreme or using it commercially, probably any of the ones you mentioned would work fine.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Thanks for the reply. I did not see alot of difference in the two but just like to get some opinions before I buy.

I have been thinking about going with heavy duty, not sure if I really need to since I will only be using for corner post and gates, plan on using steel T-post on fence line. But this is something to consider. Not sure if $300-$400 more is worth it for a heavy duty no more than I will be using it. But I will always have a need for one.

I have an old-old two man auger. It has a old BIG chain saw motor on it and that thing is heavy so it is time for a 3-pt hook-up, especially with the amount of holes I have to drill.

 

[MadDog]

One advantage of the Harvard PHD is that if you drill the auger in and can't pull it up, you don't need to stop the tractor, get off, detach the auger and manually unscrew it out of the ground.

...they can talk their way out of anything, without help. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

But you're right, they're still overpriced. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Maka]

I like the leinbach. Have never had a problem with them and have sold many of them.

Maka

 

[MtnViewRanch]

hunterridgefarm, one of the big advantages of a heavy duty phd is that most of them have a lower gear ratio than the medium or light duty ones. Lower gear ratio = slower auger speed, slower speed = easier, safer control. You could buy a heavy duty phd now and it would be good for your future tractor. Of course this is just MHO /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
Good luck with all your decisions,
Brian

 

[Devildog]

I got the lienbach 7300, it has the adjustable top link for compact tractors. I got the 12" auger and it has worked great so far.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I am considering the heavy duty. I will compare price and use to decide if heavy duty is better for me.

 

[5103Owner]

I decided to go with a Lienbach L-7200 with 9" auger. found one at a salvage yard that also stocks used farm equipment for $425. It was used once or twice but is in nearly perfect condition except for a little paint scraped off. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MtnViewRanch]

hunterridgefarm, here are some prices on some phd stuff that I bought about a year ago.
Land Pride PD35 $1495
6,9,12,18,24 inch augers,$1676
The only individual auger price I have is the 18", it was $350, sorry. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif When I started this reply, I thought that I had individual pricing. At 1st my dealer was selling me the LP25 for $995, I decided that I didn't want any problems and upgraded to the LP35.
Hope that this helps in some way. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Good luck
Brian

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Thanks Brian, I have 3-4 weeks to make up my mind.

I'll let yuo know what I decide.

David

 

[andrewj]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( One advantage of the Harvard PHD is that if you drill the auger in and can't pull it up, you don't need to stop the tractor, get off, detach the auger and manually unscrew it out of the ground.

...they can talk their way out of anything, without help. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

But you're right, they're still overpriced. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )</font>

no silly, with his Harvard PHD all he would have to do is to put his PTO into reverse.

 

[PA John]

I have a Howse PHDL15. It's listed as the light duty for use with 20-30 horsepower. I am using a 9" and 6" auger. The next one up is the PHDM for 30-40 HP and the PHDH fjor 40-50 HP. If you get a heavy duty make sure your equipment can handle it. I would prefer a heavy duty model, but am limited to 27 hp on my tractor.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Question concerning auger size.

I found some Creosote 6x6 beams that I can saw some good corner post and post for gate. I plant to cement at least the post for the gate (other post on the fence line will be t-post).

I was planning on getting a 9" auger, will this be sufficient or should I also get a 12"auger for the 6x6?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

hunterridgefarm, minimum of 12" hole for a 6" post. A 6x6 is 7 3/4" diagonally, not much room left for cement in a 9" hole.
Brian /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Brian,
Thats what I was thinking...but since I have always used the manual or the 2-man post hole digger and then the manual if the hole was not big enough, I wasnt sure.
Thanks,
David

 

[rdp58]

hunterridgefarm, Have you tried thesmartfarmer.com. I see you're in western NC. He is in East Tenn. Might be close enough to come and pick it up. I have bought from him and was satisfied.