PH auger for trees?

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member
Anyone know of a good source for a tree planting auger? I see them around but really pricey. I need to make 16-18" holes just deep enough to shove a root ball into. I don't plant much bigger than that. Last summer I messed up the rotator cuff digging holes. Any affordable options out there?
 
Some times I see them used but now would be the worst time of the year to find them as the use season is just about to start. You maybe stuck buying new if you can not find a used one.

Look at it this way. What is the cost of an auger compared to shoulder surgery.
 
Are there any of those rental places around you that might have one? Sounds like you only need one now and then. Might be better off renting one.
 
If you are mechanically inclined and have a welder you can make a simple one. All you need is a piece of three or four inch pipe for the drive shaft. Get a piece of three eights plate and cut out an eighteen inch circle, mark the center for welding the pipe vertically to it. Cut a slot about two to three inches wide from the edge of the circle to the center of the edge of the pipe. Take a piece of inch and a half wide flat bar for a cutting edge and weld on the edge of the slot for a cutting bit at about a twenty to thirty degree angle. Then take about a two inch wide strip by 1/8 thick strap and weld around the top outer edge of the plate to hold the dirt on. I made a hand auger like that last year for a five foot deep hole I had to dig. Worked good. You really don't need all those spirals that a normal bit has to get the dirt out of a short hole. I don't have a camera so I can't show you a picture of the one I made.
 
I forgot to add in my post that you then adapt the top end of the drive shaft to fit on the output shaft of your post hole digger.
 
There are several different drive ends on PHD's. Let's see if I can remember them all. 1-1/2" and 2" round shaft, on the cheaper light duty augers. Commercial 2", and 2-9/16" and 2"Hex, like JD, and Pengo use. Knowing what shaft sticks out of your PHD, is the most important thing. Then go to the closest rental yard, and see what they have. If need be, you can make an adapter, to fit their auger, to your shaft. On Ebay, real pricey, you can find the adapters, from Iowa Farm Equipment. I would check Auctionzip, for an auction near you, search term landscaping. New, these augers will cost around a grand, but at auction, $300 or so, might have to replace teeth ($4per) or center($25-150).
 
Well I found one down in Illinois for roundabout $170 and I am going to have to sink $100 into freight but I am pretty happy with the deal. May have to bush the shaft to make it fit my PHD but have a plan for that too! Thanks!
 
Mechanically inclined? (slightly) A welder? (Umm...that is a story for another time but...NO) I would truly love to be able to do that but this is not the time. As it happens one jumped off ebay right into my lap. Thanks for the help, though!
 
As rrlund said rent one, Home Deopt around here rents out those toro dingo things with a auger, bucket, forks ect.
 

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