Post Hole Digger Comparision

   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #1  

saxon11

Bronze Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2021
Messages
59
Location
Minnesota
Tractor
TYM T474
I'm looking to add a PHD to my attachments for my 47HP TYM. I'm looking for 12" capacity. Here are the options.

1. from Dealer for $1,250
2. from TSC, for $650. That is half the price!

I'm looking to use it for planting a few hundred trees each year. Is the dealer on worth twice the price?
 
   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #2  
Those are extremely simple devices. I personally wouldnt even consider a $1200 version. I would worry more on the type/quality of the auger bits than to be worried about the implement itself. My .02

But, i guess one reason i don’t worry about my phd is because i run it on a small tractor at a low throttle so if i hit something the tractor stalls before the phd is stressed at all, and that’s preferable to me. I can crank it up after i look at whats down there. I’d rather take longer than find the weakest link.
 
   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #4  
I have the TSC one, County Line brand. It spins a 9 inch auger. I have drilled so far about 20 3 foot deep holes with it. Stalled my 23 HP tractor once. It works great. I can't see spending twice as much unless it was needed for drilling thousands of holes. Here on Whidbey Island the ground is all glacial till so rocks can be quite common. Every time I drill a hole the auger hits and pulls up several rocks. That would seem to be tough duty.
Eric
 
   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #5  
What are the differences between the two units? Does one have slip clutch, hex drive for auger while other no slip clutch with round drive for auger. Does one have longer boom so lifts higher so can drill deeper hole?

To me the features should be considered along with price.
 
   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #6  
I'm looking to add a PHD to my attachments for my 47HP TYM. I'm looking for 12" capacity. Here are the options.

1. from Dealer for $1,250
2. from TSC, for $650. That is half the price!

I'm looking to use it for planting a few hundred trees each year. Is the dealer on worth twice the price?


Before you open your wallet I want to make your life easier;
DO NOT use the standard auger unless you have sandy soil.

Invest in a tree transplanting auger to do this as the tapered
transplanting auger will eliminate the stress that the compacted
soil will create against the auger as it penetrates the soil.

I convinced my brother to do this with his post hole digger and
he had no problems getting to depth for his deep post holes
using his small agco tractor.

When I planted my first annual Christmas tree, I had a deep hole
that I filled with shovels full of pea gravel for drainage and
concrete sand until the root ball was near the surface and then
I covered it with concrete sand.

Forty years later that first live potted Christmas tree is 50 feet tall.

The only faster way to do this is rent a backhoe with a very wide
bucket to plant the trees.

The downside to this method is that the block of dirt will have to be
broken up and the rocks in the dirt will be hidden where with a
transplanting auger the rocks will be spit out where you can see them
and toss them into a wheel barrow or the loader bucket if you have one
mounted on your tractor.

The transplanting auger will create a wide tapered hole that will let
the tree roots grow rapidly in the loosened soil if watered regularly
with a hose or drip irrigation method.

A tree transplanting auger will save you a great deal of work and
will create less stress on your mules rear PTO and the gearbox of the
post hole digger.

I have talked about the transplanting augers before on the forum and
uploaded links and pictures.
 
   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #7  
I picked up a Mahindra branded PHD at auction for $300 about six years ago (about 150 less than TSC county Line at the time) in looking at the two, the only difference I found was the color of the paint. both were round drive/no slip clutch & identical gear boxes. Got augers at TSC & no problems with my set-up.
 
   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #8  
Deere seems a bit extreme in their pricing. I wonder who actually makes their Post Hole Diggers? I know they buy other brands and paint them green for different things. I wonder if they are doing the same with their auger?

I have a Leinbach Line post hole digger. The auger was really bad, so I bought a Speeco auger and it was a lot better. Having replacement teeth made a huge difference. Then I couldn't find any Speeco replacement teeth, and I needed to drill a bunch of holes to finish off my fence, I bought the Country Line auger. That has proven to be the best auger ever!!! It drills through the hardest clay, in the middle of August, when it's at it's driest.

My tractor is 37 hp. My biggest problem with the Country Line auger is that it can drill down too fast and burry itself in the ground. It's super aggressive!!!!

If I was buying today, I would get the Country Line!!!
 
   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #9  
What are the differences between the two units? Does one have slip clutch, hex drive for auger while other no slip clutch with round drive for auger. Does one have longer boom so lifts higher so can drill deeper hole?

To me the features should be considered along with price.
Never seen one with a slip clutch, always a shear pin.
 
   / Post Hole Digger Comparision #10  
I'm looking to use it for planting a few hundred trees each year.
You may want to consider a SSQA auger. Easier to connect, no neck strain, can reverse if you hit something solid, may be tax deducable if starting tree farm.
20221004_152049.jpg

Using planning auger to remove tree stump
20220610_145231.jpg
 
 

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