Backhoe PHD or Backhoe?

[Bear Foot Farm]

I'd buy the PHD then sell it when done.
If you can find used utility poles, they will be cheaper then 6 X 6 treated posts
Around here they are only 35 cents per foot.[/quote]

Wow, only 35 cents a foot. I would buy them all day long at that price. Around here, when you can find them, they are $5 a foot.

The power company in the next town over sells them for 35 cents, with a maximum charge of 35 ft. Often the poles are 40 ft or a little more.

All we have to do is call to set up a time to pick them up, and take a chainsaw to cut to lengths we can haul, and they load them for no extra charge

Between my neighbor and myself, we've probably bought 50 poles in the last 5-6 years

 

[bw_wis]

I think you're making the right choice with PHD.

Call around to your area dealers. I found my Landpride PH15 for a steal. Less than a PH10 I was planning to buy. It was traded in unused. Just some rust from sitting around. You never know what might find.

Good luck.

Brian

 

[Redneck in training]

Get one with down force kit.

 

[mojoinco]

You could watch for a low flow skid steer type -- or if you have a skid steer type loader, rent one from a construction rental yard. My local Bobcat dealer (big chain) rents them. You have to call ahead and ask them to swap out the low flow unit to the standard skid steer mounting plate (not very hard, just a few bolts, or knock out a pin and swap it).

 

[magicheater]

I use old power poles for fence posts too. Gave up on the auger, hard to handle alone, ended up digging the hole bigger anyway. Be hard to set the poles without a tractor and the appropriate bucket also.