posthole diggers

[magyarbacsi]

I dont have any experience with PHDs and looking for one to use, eventually, to dig approx 200 holes (have 9 acres and need to fence of sections for horse(s) This will be used on a 55 hp tractor and most of the soil is easy to dig. I've been looking at Danuser ( bit pricey) Leinbach L800, not bad, and the L7300, Howse PHDH50. Can't find a review as to ease of use and durability.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Tractors; 07 Mahindra 5525 and '74 Massey 165.

 

[Timber]

I use a landpride myself. Do yourself a favor get a quality PHD. You will have junk before to long with a cheep one

 

[390GT]

I have a Landpride. Have dug about 80 holes. No trouble with it. Greg

 

[scott_vt]

I dont have any experience with PHDs and looking for one to use, eventually, to dig approx 200 holes (have 9 acres and need to fence of sections for horse(s) This will be used on a 55 hp tractor and most of the soil is easy to dig. I've been looking at Danuser ( bit pricey) Leinbach L800, not bad, and the L7300, Howse PHDH50. Can't find a review as to ease of use and durability.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Tractors; 07 Mahindra 5525 and '74 Massey 165.

Good Evenin magyarbacsi,
I bought the L7300 this past spring and am very happy with it, although admittedly havent used it alot ! I did some fence posts and a bunch of seedling holes and thats about it, but it worked great other than shearing one shear bolt. I felt for what I payed it was a quality unit ! I would advise to go look at the units your interested in and go from there !

 

[driver444]

I also would go the quality route if I were you. You have a higher horsepower tractor, so make sure your gearbox on the digger is sufficient.

 

[nmu98]

I have a red and black one from TSC. I have a 12" auger and I use it to plant 2 foot trees. I have dug over 7,000 holes. Not a single issue. Its been on a ford 5000, JD 4110, JD 5203, JD 3720, and international 856 with no issues at all.

I have also used it to dig the holes for 2 pole barns. It owes me nothing....

 

[MikeInEburg]

You may also want to look at a post driver - especially if you have easy soil. Let the tractor do all of the work for you...
Mike

 

[warhammer]

I have a Rhino RPHD with 9" auger. It seems to work pretty well on the blackland I have at my place. Have someone on hand to help hitch it up. The gearboxes are HEAVY.

WarHammer

I dont have any experience with PHDs and looking for one to use, eventually, to dig approx 200 holes (have 9 acres and need to fence of sections for horse(s) This will be used on a 55 hp tractor and most of the soil is easy to dig. I've been looking at Danuser ( bit pricey) Leinbach L800, not bad, and the L7300, Howse PHDH50. Can't find a review as to ease of use and durability.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Tractors; 07 Mahindra 5525 and '74 Massey 165.

 

[zzvyb6]

I also have the red one from TSC. My advice is to get the lightest one you can manage. The biggest problem I see most users having is the digger teeth needing replacement. So, get an auger which has replaceable teeth. I make my own out of steel plate or can buy them from stores & eBay. Once you finish the fence, you won't need one for 10 years. Can you rent one?

 

[pitt_md]

I bought an old rundown 30 acre farm (part of a bigger farm) and most all of the old fence needed to be cleared out and replaced. I have a 50hp tractor and bought a TSC PHD with 9" auger. I am well over 200 post at this point. I have hit a few good size rocks and broke two shear pins (bolts). The auger works fine and 50hp does not adversly affect the gearbox as long as you have the protection of a shear bolt.

 

[63DH8]

I learned something in regards to phd and small tractors. If you don't have enough weight on the front end, you'll end up having to unscrew the PHD from the ground. Before I realized what had happened, my PHD caught on a root or rock or something, and the front end of my tractor was looking skyward! I tried to bounce the PHD out of the hole by clutching and declutching and raising and lowering the 3 point hitch, but only managed to bury the PHD to the gearbox. Because there's no reverse for the PTO, I had to unwind the auger by hand. Three hours later, the PHD got retired until I get a larger tractor.

 

[63DH8]

Fortunately, I have a strong sense of self preservation and turned off the engine prior to getting off the tractor. I've seen too many accidents on other pieces of machinery in the past to want to join the league of victims. Besides, my daughters still need their daddy.

Someone on this site had some stickers made up saying, "Caution! Stupid People Are Not Allowed To Use This Machinery" and "Danger! Acting like an idiot can result in death or dismemberment". I'd like to put those stickers on every PTO shaft shield as well as the PHD and the rototiller. Maybe the brushhog too.

 

[jas67]

I also have the red one from TSC. My advice is to get the lightest one you can manage. The biggest problem I see most users having is the digger teeth needing replacement. So, get an auger which has replaceable teeth. I make my own out of steel plate or can buy them from stores & eBay. Once you finish the fence, you won't need one for 10 years. Can you rent one?

I can rent one here in Central PA for about $69/day, but with a wife that works (outside the home) odd hours, and a 3 year old at home, I rarely ever get a full day to work.

I bought a new Linebauch L7200 off ebay for $365. I've used it for only a few hours at a time for about 5 separate days now, doing fence work, and will probably use it another 5-8 days before I'm done. In my circumstances, renting would easily have cost me 2-3 times more, not counting my time and hastle to go pick up the rental.

Plus, I could easily resell it for nearly what I paid for it.

So, unless you only have a day's worth of hole-digging, you're better off buying a good used one, or decent, but inexpensive new one.

Just my humble opinion.....

 

[jas67]

I learned something in regards to phd and small tractors. If you don't have enough weight on the front end, you'll end up having to unscrew the PHD from the ground. Before I realized what had happened, my PHD caught on a root or rock or something, and the front end of my tractor was looking skyward! I tried to bounce the PHD out of the hole by clutching and declutching and raising and lowering the 3 point hitch, but only managed to bury the PHD to the gearbox. Because there's no reverse for the PTO, I had to unwind the auger by hand. Three hours later, the PHD got retired until I get a larger tractor.

I got mine stuck a couple times in roots too, but it only takes a few minutes to unscrew it with a large pipe wrench. I didn't even disconnect the auger from the rest of the digger -- just pre-loaded the three point, and then shut to the tractor down for safety, and crank it counter-clockwise with the pipe wrench.

 

[teg]

If you have easy soil to dig in, you don't need an expensive PHD. (a cheap one will work fine) and you should be able to re-sell for less then a rental. I have a Linebauch 7200 that works well, Paid $365 new.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I bought mine out of a guys front yard for $100. It is home made out of a Ford 9" rear diff. Works great. Must be 40 years old. I gave it a coat of paint, changed the gear oil, and replaced all the bolts and nuts since most were square head. See, I told you it was old. I have dug aprox. 200 holes and not one problem except when I got it stuck once like the others. I just unhooked it at the shear bolt and hooked a chain to it and popped it out with the FEL.

Mine is built where you put the lifting part on or boom pole if you want to call it that. Then I just back up to the gear box and slide in a pin with a clip and it ready to go.

Chris

 

[Ridgewalker]

I've got a Leinbach, 7300 I think, it's got the stronger gear box, no guide handle. I have use it in very trying soil; rocky, clay etc with 9" auger.
So far it's been great. I do have to watch "sticking" it and have snapped one sheer pin. It cuts great holes!

 

[magyarbacsi]

Thanks all for the replies. I'm leaning towards a Leinbach, but cant find any dealers close to Seattle. So I may have to by from the east coast and then pay the extra for shipping. Any dealers on the west coast you know of/

 

[frwinks]

I bought mine out of a guys front yard for $100. It is home made out of a Ford 9" rear diff. Works great. Must be 40 years old. I gave it a coat of paint, changed the gear oil, and replaced all the bolts and nuts since most were square head. See, I told you it was old. I have dug aprox. 200 holes and not one problem except when I got it stuck once like the others. I just unhooked it at the shear bolt and hooked a chain to it and popped it out with the FEL.

Mine is built where you put the lifting part on or boom pole if you want to call it that. Then I just back up to the gear box and slide in a pin with a clip and it ready to go.

Chris

any chance to get a few pics of this beast... have a few 9's hanging around looking to make themselves useful