mwemaxxowner
Platinum Member
Hey y'all. I recently acquired a nearly new Bush Hog post hole digger for compact tractors. I work for a concrete and grading company, and an old customer called us to come auger in some post holes for her fence with our skid steer.
I got there, and realized that she had a BX tractor just like mine and a 3 point PHD. She got the auger stuck in the first hole and tried to back it out with a flimsy metal rod that just wrapped around the bit.
She said it was the second time she'd used it, she was fed up, and was "Ready to just GIVE it away..."
I said well I'll take it! Then she backed up a little bit. We agreed on $400 for the auger with 2 bits.
I just finally got it together and hung on my tractor, and drilled a few test holes. Man this beats the 2 stroke 1 man auger I've been using!!
Bear in mind that I have little experience with 3 point mounted post hole diggers. I've always used a 2 stroke auger or a skid steer mounted auger. I know and understand the limitations of the PTO augers.
I've been looking at rock bits or bolt on rock cutters, but they're crazy expensive for something I would probably hardly ever use. I currently have the spiral type point on the 9" bit I'll use most, but I'd like to also get the "fish tail" type. I understand that they are slower to bore but less likely to suck the bit down. I'd like any and all advice or recommendations on bolt on cutters and points that may be available for PHD bits that I can use for different situations. I'm lucky that where I live I won't often be working on rocky ground.
I'm also looking at downforce kits. Again something pretty expensive for something that I may not need frequently. I could possibly DIY something, but I wonder if I were to set my PHD to mount on my quick hitch, if I could use my hydraulic top link on the quick hitch to add some down force.
On the topic of downforce, most of the kits I see mention around 500 lbs of downforce. Has anybody simply set one up to hang weights on? Either suitcase weights or gym weights designed to go on a barbell?
I set my 3ph up to go down very slowly with the knob on my tractor, and on my test holes I didn't have much trouble with the bit sucking itself down or being hard to lift out. I have a large pipe wrench which I'll keep with me and a pipe to slip over the handle when I auger in unknown ground.
Just hoping to pick the hive mind here and see what folks have done that was successful, and what information I can get on cutters and tips. When I look them up the descriptions aren't too helpful in telling me what sort of situation each one is designed for.
I got there, and realized that she had a BX tractor just like mine and a 3 point PHD. She got the auger stuck in the first hole and tried to back it out with a flimsy metal rod that just wrapped around the bit.
She said it was the second time she'd used it, she was fed up, and was "Ready to just GIVE it away..."
I said well I'll take it! Then she backed up a little bit.
We agreed on $400 for the auger with 2 bits. I just finally got it together and hung on my tractor, and drilled a few test holes. Man this beats the 2 stroke 1 man auger I've been using!!
Bear in mind that I have little experience with 3 point mounted post hole diggers. I've always used a 2 stroke auger or a skid steer mounted auger. I know and understand the limitations of the PTO augers.
I've been looking at rock bits or bolt on rock cutters, but they're crazy expensive for something I would probably hardly ever use. I currently have the spiral type point on the 9" bit I'll use most, but I'd like to also get the "fish tail" type. I understand that they are slower to bore but less likely to suck the bit down. I'd like any and all advice or recommendations on bolt on cutters and points that may be available for PHD bits that I can use for different situations. I'm lucky that where I live I won't often be working on rocky ground.
I'm also looking at downforce kits. Again something pretty expensive for something that I may not need frequently. I could possibly DIY something, but I wonder if I were to set my PHD to mount on my quick hitch, if I could use my hydraulic top link on the quick hitch to add some down force.
On the topic of downforce, most of the kits I see mention around 500 lbs of downforce. Has anybody simply set one up to hang weights on? Either suitcase weights or gym weights designed to go on a barbell?
I set my 3ph up to go down very slowly with the knob on my tractor, and on my test holes I didn't have much trouble with the bit sucking itself down or being hard to lift out. I have a large pipe wrench which I'll keep with me and a pipe to slip over the handle when I auger in unknown ground.
Just hoping to pick the hive mind here and see what folks have done that was successful, and what information I can get on cutters and tips. When I look them up the descriptions aren't too helpful in telling me what sort of situation each one is designed for.
. Someone in the seat to turn off/on the pto.
