PHD - bucket mounted gas unit?

OkeeDon · Apr 2, 2004

The idea of mounting a PHD on a FEL bucket has great appeal to me, especially since the Class I NH TC18 doesn't have a whole lot of lift height on the 3PH.

The problem is I don't have a burning need for a PHD, just want one to help in landscaping planting. I've briefly looked into the hydraulic powered units, and the price is too high for my needs.

So, it occurred to me -- there are always lots of one- and two-man gasoline hand held post hole diggers available on the used market. What would be wrong with the idea of making a mount for one of these units to attach to my FEL bucket?

Fire it up, jump on the tractor, position the augur, and use the downforce of the bucket to push the augur down. Pull it up when done; reposition a few inches and drill multiple holes when a large hole is needed. easy to position if it's mounted on the side of the bucket where you can see it.

Run a wire from the driver's seat to the gas engine so it can be shorted out and stopped immediately if necessary, for safety.

Anyone have any good reasons why it couldn't -- or shouldn't -- be done?

jinman · Apr 2, 2004

Don, taking it into consideration that you can get all the controls so you could operate the unit from the tractor, I think the major problem might be related to keeping the engine running. When you are standing over it, you get instant tactile feedback related to load on the engine. From the tractor all you would have is the sound of the gasoline engine. I'd also bet that if you used much downforce, you'd stall the engine pretty quickly. Until you got used to it, I'd bet you would get pretty tired of getting on and off the tractor to start the gas engine. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

...do these things have any kind of centrifugal clutch? Hmm...

OkeeDon · Apr 2, 2004

Until you got used to it, I'd bet you would get pretty tired of getting on and off the tractor to start the gas engine. 

That's what sons-in-law were invented for. Mine lives next door, and is a fireman on 24 hr shifts, so he's around a lot. He can stand there and restart it /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif.

He and I have rented a hand held model a couple of times when putting in a few fence posts. Frankly, I'm getting too old to wrestle with one. He can handle it, but it gets away from him, too, sometimes.

Just saw some units on Ebay as cheap as $94 (current bid); maybe I'll just try it and see if I can make it work.

mikim · Apr 2, 2004

They're using something similar across the street right now. There's an auger ... and a motor ... the auger is 7 FEET in diameter and the motor is diesel and it's all mounted on a crane. They're sinking holes 60+ feet deep - filling them with steel and lots of concrete (50 yds?) for a comms tower base ... told the wife about the PHD they were using over there - she said "yer gonna need a bigger tractor" /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif wish I had my camera ....

AlanB · Apr 2, 2004

Wow, that would be pretty neat.

If I quick attatched it too a set of front forks, and made it so it either pinned or latched in somehow so it could still be used as a stand alone machine if needed????

I do like the idea of the Hydraulic being able to back out though.

Looking forward to pictures.

Maker102 · Apr 3, 2004

I know this might sound dumb but why would you want to mount a one or two man posthole digger to your FEL? I planted over 1000 seedling with a supposed one man 2 cycle post hole digger. With two people on it you can just walk down the line and dig the holes then come back with a bucket of seedlings and plant them. After the first rain you will need to go back and repack the holes to make sure the roots are not showing. But you will need to do this no matter which setup you get. I normally hire two strapping lads to do the dirty work. Makes life alot easier. If you want shade trees right away plant "Green Ash" trees, mine are two years old and already over 7' tall and this is from bare root seedlings 12' to 18" when planted. Sure wish my "Blue Spruce" trees did that good. Best of luck. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

OkeeDon · Apr 3, 2004

I can't physically handle a hand-held PHD any more, and why should I waste money on two strapping lads if I can figure out a clever way to let hydraulic power do the work? The CFO has trained me to be a good little miser... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

dummy · Apr 5, 2004

why should I waste money on two strapping lads That's what sons-in-law were invented for, so he's around a lot. So, just get some more of these. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

OkeeDon · Apr 5, 2004

I'll have to have a chat with my only daughter -- is polygamy legal in Florida? Seriously, the last time we rented one, he ran it -- I can no longer wrestle with one and horse it out of the ground. But, handy as he is, he's a little guy, and after about 12 holes, he was out of steam, too. Neither one of us believes we should work that hard when there's a machine around that can do the job.