Post Hole Digger - if stuck

Raddad · Oct 26, 2006

I am very impressed with the Danuser 8300. Here is their responce to my question regarding speed at only 5 gal/min. Most run too slow at 5gal/min.

The 8300-1 at 5 GPM will have a RPM of 47.

Glenn Danuser
sales@danuser.com

Danuser Machine Company, Inc.
500 East Third Street
Fulton, MO 65251
573.642.2246 PH
573.642.2240 FX
Welcome to Danuser Machine Company

3RRL · Oct 26, 2006

Jerry,
How does that Danuser compare price wise?
Thanks,

aesanders · Oct 26, 2006

Here is a link to a 5-10 gallon Mcmillen phd.

McMillen

JerryG · Oct 27, 2006

3RRL said:
Jerry,
How does that Danuser compare price wise?
Thanks,

I don't know what the prices are right now. They are not an economy line, but they are less expensive than Belltech. What I can say is that everything that they have is designed to last and they stand behind their equipment very well.

Keith_B · Oct 29, 2006

The Gardener said:
What prevents a tractor PTO from having a reverse? Is it simply impossible to design? I ask because that would certainly eliminate most of the concerns rearding a Post Hole Digger becoming stuck.

My late FIL's 430 Case didn't have an independent PTO, as a result the PTO shaft turned whichever direction the gear shift indicated. The tractor has a lever to place the tractor into netural to allow you to use the PTO without the tractor moving. This was really handy with a PHD. You could dig at a variety of speeds and have reverse to back the PHD out of holes.

N80 · Oct 31, 2006

My B-I-L and I got his stuck over the weekend in some rocks. Of course it was all the way down. Howwever, it really isn't that hard to back it out with a pipe wrench. It only took about 3 reverse turns to get it loose enough to come out. It took longer to take the auger off and put it back on. So fo for me, I think I'll just get a basic one (one day) and reverse it out by hand when needed.

Here is a question though, why doesn't anyone put a reverse gear on the gear box of the PHD? I realize it would be bigger and more expensive...and maybe not as durable. But it sure would be nice and still a lot less expensive than a hydro unit.

Dargo · Oct 31, 2006

Early last year I dug over 5000 holes with a cheapo Leinbach 7400 and 12" auger. After getting tired of breaking shear bolts, I added an inline slip clutch. I never came close to getting it stuck, but I did make a mistake by tightening up the slip clutch when I kept smoking it. I ended up twisting the 12" auger in half.

Honestly, if you keep a close watch on the auger and one hand on the 3 pt. lever, you can pull up every so often and almost never get it stuck. As I mentioned, I was zero stuck in over 5000 tries. With a decent cutting edge on the auger I never felt the need for any down force at all either.

I've used a skid steer with a front auger before and it worked fine. But, as someone else mentioned, how could you see your auger with the tractor hood in the way? I spray painted a line on my auger so I'd know when to stop at the depth I needed. If it were in front of my tractor I couldn't see when to stop nor could I see very easily when it started to bite in too hard. It looks like a nice setup that way, but I'd be afraid of not being able to see the auger.

patrick_g · Oct 31, 2006

Please excuse my ignorance but how do you get a PHD stuck? I have used mine (with the 12 inch auger mostly) off and on for 5 years and have sometimes had trouble getting a hole started but never got the auger stuck. I use full down control on the 3PH to dig and anytime I pull the 3PH up the auger comes up. Dumb luck I'm sure as I never had instruction on using a PHD.

Pat

Dargo · Oct 31, 2006

It usually happens with a smaller auger, like a 9" one, but the auger basically screws itself into the ground rather than dig a hole. If you use a smaller auger and slow speed in good heavy clay soil you can get it to happen without much trouble.

shvl73 · Oct 31, 2006

N80 said:
My B-I-L and I got his stuck over the weekend in some rocks. Of course it was all the way down. Howwever, it really isn't that hard to back it out with a pipe wrench. It only took about 3 reverse turns to get it loose enough to come out. It took longer to take the auger off and put it back on. So fo for me, I think I'll just get a basic one (one day) and reverse it out by hand when needed.

Here is a question though, why doesn't anyone put a reverse gear on the gear box of the PHD? I realize it would be bigger and more expensive...and maybe not as durable. But it sure would be nice and still a lot less expensive than a hydro unit.

If he had room to get at the bolts to remove the auger, could he have left it on and just used the pipe wrench with the pto off? Thats what I've done and it worked well and was quick. I didn't need a huge wrench either. It took longer to go get the wrench than to use it.