Questions of PHD's and Augers

[Reg]

Keep in mind I'm only going down an foot or two. The PHD's I'm looking at are the woods 35 and 65. They offer the 24" on the 65 but not the 35. I know the auger will fit the 35 since the 35 an 65 use the same 12" auger. On the hydralic unit I could run a low flow one but there a bit too expensive since I already have the BH. I know the soil I'll be in is free of rocks larger than 6".
So are you guys saying a phd won't work in my soil or this application?

Matt

Not saying it won't/can't work, just that fist sized rocks will probably stop it or throw out dangerously.
I put in a couple of dozen 6 inch holes a couple of weeks ago, it was on the back edge of what used to be a marble and decorative stone dealer's back yard.
Just looking at the place you would think I was out into the agricultural zone, but bits of trash get moved out.
SEVERAL times the drilling would just go nowhere and (safety police please ignore this) I climbed onto the PHD frame and still got nowhere until I manually picked out bits of stone smaller than the palm of my hand.

Well, your project, your time, your money, but my decision would be in favor of the hoe that I already have, even for 12 to 18 inch deep holes - plus the bonus of using it as a tree planting boom.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Not saying it won't/can't work, just that fist sized rocks will probably stop it or throw out dangerously.
I put in a couple of dozen 6 inch holes a couple of weeks ago, it was on the back edge of what used to be a marble and decorative stone dealer's back yard.
Just looking at the place you would think I was out into the agricultural zone, but bits of trash get moved out.
SEVERAL times the drilling would just go nowhere and (safety police please ignore this) I climbed onto the PHD frame and still got nowhere until I manually picked out bits of stone smaller than the palm of my hand.

Well, your project, your time, your money, but my decision would be in favor of the hoe that I already have, even for 12 to 18 inch deep holes - plus the bonus of using it as a tree planting boom.

I have done that as well but always at idle. On my MF phd I can stick a 4x4 into the framework and use it as a lever to apply pressure from a safe distance. The 4x4 gives me a safety net and also increases the amount of down force I apply. Luckily I seldom have to do this anymore as most of my ground is just loam, clay and gravel so as long as there is a tad bit of moisture in the ground I am fine.

I have thought about rigging up a simple bar to hook onto the back of the phd when the added force is needed. Something that wouldn't always be sticking out but would be stored on the phd frame for those few times its needed.

 

[jenkinsph]

I moved and planted eight trees a couple of weeks ago and used just the backhoe and trailer to do so. My largest auger for my phd is only 14" so that was a no go. Since the backhoe is on my 110 fulltime now it was the easy choice.

Four of the trees were Poplar's that were about 25' tall, two were small Red Maples, one was a Red Delicious and one Aspen cluster of 3 shoots. These were all inside a patio with a wall around them with only a small walk gate. All of the trees were transplants themselves so they were easy to uproot and lift over the wall with the backhoe.

With the 110 I could quickly dig the hole for each tree and drive the tractor to the next hole location. Then with the aid of my helper we set all of the trees out and guyed the taller Poplar trees upright. Took us about two or three hours total time to save some trees that could have cost me money to haul away.


GWH, I would think the smaller hoe and bucket would really shine here.

 

[Reg]

I have done that as well but always at idle. On my MF phd I can stick a 4x4 into the framework and use it as a lever to apply pressure from a safe distance. The 4x4 gives me a safety net and also increases the amount of down force I apply. Luckily I seldom have to do this anymore as most of my ground is just loam, clay and gravel so as long as there is a tad bit of moisture in the ground I am fine.

I have thought about rigging up a simple bar to hook onto the back of the phd when the added force is needed. Something that wouldn't always be sticking out but would be stored on the phd frame for those few times its needed.

There are SOME Speeco gear boxes with a hole through the side to put a guide bar through, the TSC one is like this.
I returned the TSC one PARTLY because it came without the guide bar.
The bar is long enough that you are supposed to be able to reach it from the tractor seat and lift it to bring the drill vertical.
The weight of the PTO shaft normally causes it to swing back and out, so without the handle you have to land the drill point and back up a few inches to get it vertical - PITA.
Anyway, you could probably turn that handle around and put it in from the back, then hang on it (-:

 

[Robert_in_NY]

There are SOME Speeco gear boxes with a hole through the side to put a guide bar through, the TSC one is like this.
I returned the TSC one PARTLY because it came without the guide bar.
The bar is long enough that you are supposed to be able to reach it from the tractor seat and lift it to bring the drill vertical.
The weight of the PTO shaft normally causes it to swing back and out, so without the handle you have to land the drill point and back up a few inches to get it vertical - PITA.
Anyway, you could probably turn that handle around and put it in from the back, then hang on it (-:

I have owned two of those types of PHD's and still have one that I use along with my MF PHD. I took those handles off because as guides to line up the point they hit the cab on the tractor and get bent up. Since they bolt on they are not too handy to have sticking straight out the back as then it catches the wires and vines in the vineyard. I am thinking of building a simple bar that would hook around the round frame of the PHD and extend out the back. Just something simple that I could keep strapped to the PHD frame till I need it then just hook it, apply pressure and put it back once done.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

One of the problems with using a hoe for digging tree holes is that the dirt pulled out ends up in clumps. Those are clumps that have to be dealt with while putting the plant in the ground. When I use my PHD, it leaves a nice powdered dirt to work with. Much, much easier to work with soft soil vs clumpy soil. Plus another thing that I will do is after the hole is dug, I will shovel the dirt back into the hole with the auger in the hole. Along with the dirt I will put fertilizer in and then mix using the auger and hole as a big mixing bowl.

This has worked well for me over the years.

 

[jenkinsph]

Brian.
I like the mixing bowl idea, will try to remember that. One thing I don't seem to need is a pulverizer, no clumps here.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Your not serious are you? If you are, then it would seem to me that something is wrong BIG TIME. I dig 24" holes all the time in hard and not so hard ground, always at an idle, with a down pressure kit when needed, never have any problems, never sheared a shear bolt. I have a Land Pride PD35, the biggest PTO unit that they have, zero problems.

How deep do you dig them? My first thought is I'm using hydraulic, I bet I get half the hp to the ground that you do with your big machine.

Main issue is rocks and roots - a big oak root is tough to cut with a backhoe, so I don't blame the auger. "Stuck" rocks are another issue - they don't have to be that big, if they've got nowhere to go but sideways the earth wins.

I can get it done, as the hydraulic doesn't shear, and reverse and up and down is easy. But I usually stall the 24" once a hole. Rarely stall the 12.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

That's what my dealer was saying about the 12" auger being the max in NE. But when I mentioned it was the 24" for planting he said I should be ok. I don't mind spending the money if it will work for properly. But I hate to shell out over 1k for a setup that doesn't work. I've excavated most of the earth where I'll be plant so I know the soil conditions well. There are no roots or larger rocks.
The backhoe clumps are one reason I really want the phd. I've probably got 12 24" holes and then the rest will be 12". Charles are you drilling in virgin soil or previously excavated?

Matt

 

[Charlesaf3]

virgin is the issue. Previously excavated no problem around here, but heck, that you could almost do with a shovel.

I use my 24 primarily - in fact pretty much exclusively these days, as a tree planter. I do like the holes it makes. But a though on that - if you are going to do that, get the one that is shaped like a cone and meant for planting. It'd be less likely to bind. Mine is shaped like a Forstner bit, and that requires a lot more torque.

Its possible that I'm the cause of the binding a bit as well, thinking about it - I might be using too much downpressure. If I fed it slower it would probably work better. Thing is, I don't really use it enough to develop "touch".

I still think its an iffy move Matt, but in excavated soil it'll work better no doubt.