post hole auger

[danl]

I need to get a new post hole digger. I have been searching on here to see if anyone had any preference of one brand over the other. Haven't found anything.

I can get one for about $600.00 or a Rhino for about $1200.00. I would think the teeth are the most important part.
I don't have many rocks on the place but I hit hardpan about 18" down. And the one I have now just sets there and smokes.
It is my father in laws and seen better days.

Any thoughts or suggestions???

 

[1982vett]

I need to get a new post hole digger. I have been searching on here to see if anyone had any preference of one brand over the other. Haven't found anything.

I can get one for about $600.00 or a Rhino for about $1200.00. I would think the teeth are the most important part.
I don't have many rocks on the place but I hit hardpan about 18" down. And the one I have now just sets there and smokes.
It is my father in laws and seen better days.

Any thoughts or suggestions???

Replace the teeth on the bit.

 

[danl]

Already did that. I am not sure they were the right ones though. It is a real old Farm Star.

Has had the auger twisted off at some point in time. (not by me) and welded back together.

When it does go in the ground, it wants to drill me a slanted hole, which gives me a lot of unwanted manual post hole digger time.

 

[jkwilson]

When it does go in the ground, it wants to drill me a slanted hole, which gives me a lot of unwanted manual post hole digger time.

You can buy a whole new auger much cheaper than the digger.

Crooked holes are mostly a result of slop in the 3pt hitch on the tractor and the change in auger position as the hole gets deeper. If I want really straight holes, I tie a come-along to the frame to control side to side movement, and I start drilling with the auger tilted slightly toward the tractor so it's tilted slightly away at the bottom.

My main strategy is to use a big auger so there's a straight hole in the middle, regardless of how crooked the sides are. :o

 

[danl]

My main strategy is to use a big auger so there's a straight hole in the middle, regardless of how crooked the sides are. :o

That's a great idea, in my case I think I'm gonna need about a 36" auger. :D
It really takes off on me sometimes.
These are not my diggers though, so I kind of hate to spend much on fixing them, and then have them get tore up again.

 

[dun]

I have a Danuser with hydraulic downforce. Don;t know why I didn;t spend the money years ago.

 

[bigbull338]

you might also try replacing the stinger on the bottom of the auger.like dun we have an old danuser digger.an that thing is wore plumb out.last time we dugg any postholes i got a friend to bring his tractor an digger over.

 

[dun]

you might also try replacing the stinger on the bottom of the auger.like dun we have an old danuser digger.an that thing is wore plumb out.last time we dugg any postholes i got a friend to bring his tractor an digger over.

The first thing I do with the new point is hardface it. That way it last for 2 hours instead of just one

 

[Brute 23]

We also use a danuser.

 

[dun]

One thing I've found with Danuser is you alwasy get the parts you need. Some of the other brands(?) change so often that the point or the new auger tips aren;t available and you have to bastardize them to make them work.

 

[lavacarancher]

IMO Danuser is the only digger made. Like Dun said first thing to do is weld on some hardfacing. That'll get you a few more hours of diggin. Don't know about the downforce. None of my tractors have that option but then my newest tractor is a 1979 vintage! :D Sure would be nice to have that.

 

[dun]

IMO Danuser is the only digger made. Like Dun said first thing to do is weld on some hardfacing. That'll get you a few more hours of diggin. Don't know about the downforce. None of my tractors have that option but then my newest tractor is a 1979 vintage! :D Sure would be nice to have that.

The downforsce is all on the auger frame, works on anything with a controllable hydraulic outlet.

 

[lavacarancher]

IMO Danuser is the only digger made. Like Dun said first thing to do is weld on some hardfacing. That'll get you a few more hours of diggin. Don't know about the downforce. None of my tractors have that option but then my newest tractor is a 1979 vintage! :D Sure would be nice to have that.

The downforsce is all on the auger frame, works on anything with a controllable hydraulic outlet.

Son-of-a-gun! That's neat. Thanks for the info. (why didn't we think of that).

 

[1982vett]

I don't get it......"Controllable hydraulic outlet", even if the hydraulics are controlled so they don't float, I don't see how a cylinder positioned where this one is puts any downforce on the bit. If it were attached to the center link yes, but the is just mounted halfway up the "stinger" frame. Should bend nicely where it is mounted to the yoke.

 

[shaz]

I've used the danuser and it's good on dirt.
You guys with a lot of rock might want to check out Belltec. They'll dig thru blue limestone if your patient.

 

[1982vett]

I've used the danuser and it's good on dirt.
You guys with a lot of rock might want to check out Belltec. They'll dig thru blue limestone if your patient.

First one of those I saw, a chainlink fence company was drilling holes in a concrete parking lot to put up a fence. Did a nice job of it.

 

[jkwilson]

I don't get it......"Controllable hydraulic outlet", even if the hydraulics are controlled so they don't float, I don't see how a cylinder positioned where this one is puts any downforce on the bit. If it were attached to the center link yes, but the is just mounted halfway up the "stinger" frame. Should bend nicely where it is mounted to the yoke.

Since everything else can pivot, extending the cylinder will push down on the auger.

 

[1982vett]

The two ways I see it:

Bends and the fulcrum...If it did apply down pressure, the 3-point still can float up.
Now if the tractor has down pressure capability on the 3-point, what do you need the cylinder on the digger for?

Guess I need to see one work to understand it.

 

[dun]

I don't get it......"Controllable hydraulic outlet", even if the hydraulics are controlled so they don't float, I don't see how a cylinder positioned where this one is puts any downforce on the bit. If it were attached to the center link yes, but the is just mounted halfway up the "stinger" frame. Should bend nicely where it is mounted to the yoke.

There is this thing called leverage. One end is secured to the bow that connects to the 3 point, the leverage is from arm at the top of the bow to the part that goes to the gear box.
Doesn;t put any stress on the tractor, it's all a function of the digger tiself. Of course it takes a solid piece of equipment to be able to not bend like a pretzel. But Danuser makes that kind of equipment.

 

[Angus Cowman]

I've used the danuser and it's good on dirt.
You guys with a lot of rock might want to check out Belltec. They'll dig thru blue limestone if your patient.

First one of those I saw, a chainlink fence company was drilling holes in a concrete parking lot to put up a fence. Did a nice job of it.

Beltec is the heaviest and best on the market that I have used or seen
I don't even own an auger anymore if we hit solid rock (limestone)and can't drive our pipe corners I pull out the rock drill and air compressor and drill thru it then drive the pipe in that hole and the pipe WILL NOT pull back out