New Post Hold Digger and how do you use yours?

[PowerTracManiac]

Wow superjob:thumbsup:

 

[SpringHollow]

You need to know what RPM you want. That combined with your desired flow rate from the tractor will determine the size motor you are looking for. I typically prefer not to have to have the tractor at 100% when doing this calculation. You could use the displacement calculator found here:
Surplus Center

Ken

 

[ponytug]

Resurrecting an oldie, but goodie thread.

So...I was starting to use my new to me auger.

I have a problem post that I tried to drive a post in a few years back, and the post stopped moving downward and started crack, so I called it "good enough" left it. I figured that I had either hit a rock outcropping or a big rock. A few years later, the cattle pushed the post and fence over, and I replaced it with some metal fence panels, but I would like a post there, so I can put in a gate.

I drove over to the hole to be, squared up the PT, slowly augered a 9" hole. The auger went right down as if I am in loose gravel, not hard soil with a buried rock. Pull the auger out, and most of the soil comes out, too. I come back with my 8x8 post (10.25" on the diameter for those of you keeping score) and start driving it in with my post driver. 18" down, it grinds to a halt. I noticed that with each impact, a 3'x4' area on the south side seemed to be vibrating, and moving loose dirt. Figuring that the post could only have 3/4" of overlap, I keep pounding the post in. On pile drive number nine, my 8x8 shatters. Grrr. I picked up the pieces went back and got the auger, and tried to auger a hole a couple of inches farther north. I took it really slowly, figuring that the auger was going to catch a rock. I wasn't that worried as our "rock" is barely more than chalk in hardness. The auger goes in as if it is in loose gravel again, I pulled it out of the hole every 8-10" just to be sure. Right around 24", the auger seems to hit a loose pocket and starts really digging. At about 30", I went to pull the auger up and the PT lifted the rear wheels. Double grrr. I popped the PTO switch a couple of times with rear wheels up, but I can't free the auger. Triple grrr.

Back to the shop on foot to get my 1" flare wrench to swap the hydraulic lines. That is an awesome tool for hydraulic lines in tight places. Like @woodlandfarms, I put JIC adapters on the motor to make this bit easy. I got the hydraulic lines swapped and reversed the auger slowly out of the hole. No rock fragments in the dirt. Then I got my old fashioned post hole digger, and I hand dug the hole down to 4'. No rock fragments, and nothing visibly projecting into the hole. I put a new post in the now oversized hole, where it just fit, and packed with space around it rocks, and called it a day. The post does feel like it is anchored in bedrock, as in absolutely solid.

So, calling all auger gurus, what happened down the hole, and what could I have done differently? (Besides having a reverse function on the hydraulic lines, which has now moved way up the "need to have" list.) Have I just been sent down to go play single A ball in the back forty drilling holes in soft earth for more practice to up my skills?

My goal with this auger was to put in 8x8 posts in problem areas like this one where the soil is hard, or I need to replace a post with a post. After I jammed the 9" auger, I was tempted to come back with an 12" auger, but I can't say that I was feeling lucky...

All the best,

Peter

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I have a little machine like that. Duals all around and hinges in the middle to steer it.

I have a straight shovel. I mean if you lay it flat, the handle touches all the way and the tip does too. Perfect for shaving sides of holes out. Then take hand diggers and get the loose, shaved off sidewall dirt out. Built some hay sheds with that set up. Pole barns and pipe metal buildings.

 

[MossRoad]

Resurrecting an oldie, but goodie thread.

So...I was starting to use my new to me auger.

I have a problem post that I tried to drive a post in a few years back, and the post stopped moving downward and started crack, so I called it "good enough" left it. I figured that I had either hit a rock outcropping or a big rock. A few years later, the cattle pushed the post and fence over, and I replaced it with some metal fence panels, but I would like a post there, so I can put in a gate.

I drove over to the hole to be, squared up the PT, slowly augered a 9" hole. The auger went right down as if I am in loose gravel, not hard soil with a buried rock. Pull the auger out, and most of the soil comes out, too. I come back with my 8x8 post (10.25" on the diameter for those of you keeping score) and start driving it in with my post driver. 18" down, it grinds to a halt. I noticed that with each impact, a 3'x4' area on the south side seemed to be vibrating, and moving loose dirt. Figuring that the post could only have 3/4" of overlap, I keep pounding the post in. On pile drive number nine, my 8x8 shatters. Grrr. I picked up the pieces went back and got the auger, and tried to auger a hole a couple of inches farther north. I took it really slowly, figuring that the auger was going to catch a rock. I wasn't that worried as our "rock" is barely more than chalk in hardness. The auger goes in as if it is in loose gravel again, I pulled it out of the hole every 8-10" just to be sure. Right around 24", the auger seems to hit a loose pocket and starts really digging. At about 30", I went to pull the auger up and the PT lifted the rear wheels. Double grrr. I popped the PTO switch a couple of times with rear wheels up, but I can't free the auger. Triple grrr.

Back to the shop on foot to get my 1" flare wrench to swap the hydraulic lines. That is an awesome tool for hydraulic lines in tight places. Like @woodlandfarms, I put JIC adapters on the motor to make this bit easy. I got the hydraulic lines swapped and reversed the auger slowly out of the hole. No rock fragments in the dirt. Then I got my old fashioned post hole digger, and I hand dug the hole down to 4'. No rock fragments, and nothing visibly projecting into the hole. I put a new post in the now oversized hole, where it just fit, and packed with space around it rocks, and called it a day. The post does feel like it is anchored in bedrock, as in absolutely solid.

So, calling all auger gurus, what happened down the hole, and what could I have done differently? (Besides having a reverse function on the hydraulic lines, which has now moved way up the "need to have" list.) Have I just been sent down to go play single A ball in the back forty drilling holes in soft earth for more practice to up my skills?

My goal with this auger was to put in 8x8 posts in problem areas like this one where the soil is hard, or I need to replace a post with a post. After I jammed the 9" auger, I was tempted to come back with an 12" auger, but I can't say that I was feeling lucky...

All the best,

Peter

Maybe there was a flat horizontal piece of rock right at the edge of the hole that is slipping in and out of another rock pocket? That’s about all I can think of.

 

[Gravy]

Resurrecting an oldie, but goodie thread.

So...I was starting to use my new to me auger.

I have a problem post that I tried to drive a post in a few years back, and the post stopped moving downward and started crack, so I called it "good enough" left it. I figured that I had either hit a rock outcropping or a big rock. A few years later, the cattle pushed the post and fence over, and I replaced it with some metal fence panels, but I would like a post there, so I can put in a gate.

I drove over to the hole to be, squared up the PT, slowly augered a 9" hole. The auger went right down as if I am in loose gravel, not hard soil with a buried rock. Pull the auger out, and most of the soil comes out, too. I come back with my 8x8 post (10.25" on the diameter for those of you keeping score) and start driving it in with my post driver. 18" down, it grinds to a halt. I noticed that with each impact, a 3'x4' area on the south side seemed to be vibrating, and moving loose dirt. Figuring that the post could only have 3/4" of overlap, I keep pounding the post in. On pile drive number nine, my 8x8 shatters. Grrr. I picked up the pieces went back and got the auger, and tried to auger a hole a couple of inches farther north. I took it really slowly, figuring that the auger was going to catch a rock. I wasn't that worried as our "rock" is barely more than chalk in hardness. The auger goes in as if it is in loose gravel again, I pulled it out of the hole every 8-10" just to be sure. Right around 24", the auger seems to hit a loose pocket and starts really digging. At about 30", I went to pull the auger up and the PT lifted the rear wheels. Double grrr. I popped the PTO switch a couple of times with rear wheels up, but I can't free the auger. Triple grrr.

Back to the shop on foot to get my 1" flare wrench to swap the hydraulic lines. That is an awesome tool for hydraulic lines in tight places. Like @woodlandfarms, I put JIC adapters on the motor to make this bit easy. I got the hydraulic lines swapped and reversed the auger slowly out of the hole. No rock fragments in the dirt. Then I got my old fashioned post hole digger, and I hand dug the hole down to 4'. No rock fragments, and nothing visibly projecting into the hole. I put a new post in the now oversized hole, where it just fit, and packed with space around it rocks, and called it a day. The post does feel like it is anchored in bedrock, as in absolutely solid.

So, calling all auger gurus, what happened down the hole, and what could I have done differently? (Besides having a reverse function on the hydraulic lines, which has now moved way up the "need to have" list.) Have I just been sent down to go play single A ball in the back forty drilling holes in soft earth for more practice to up my skills?

My goal with this auger was to put in 8x8 posts in problem areas like this one where the soil is hard, or I need to replace a post with a post. After I jammed the 9" auger, I was tempted to come back with an 12" auger, but I can't say that I was feeling lucky...

All the best,

Peter

I know from hard experience that an amazingly small rock can do that if it's wedged into something solid like clay or a mass of bigger rocks. I have sometimes had to spend too many hours to dig out tons of soil and rocks to make a hole just where it *had* to be, because a rock the size of my hand was trapped by much larger rocks.

 

[Lnk]

Whenever I use my auger, I pull it up every few inches it digs. I too have done the rear wheel lift while drilling. Don't let it dig too much at a time. Plus if you lift almost all the way out, it spins the dug dirt out around the hole for packing later. Don't let it become a corkscrew, as the cork is 8000 miles in diameter. Lol

 

[woodlandfarms]

Sounds like a root or a rock edge that just fits the blade. As an fyi I still use this home made phd. My neighbors love it as I can get posts in on there steep hills. I bought a 24” bit for planting trees which is great. Darn good tool.