To buy or not to buy? Post Hole Digger

Tall T

Well-known Member
Says: "Asking" $500.
so he'd probably take $400 unless he's getting lots of calls.
I do want a 10" auger as well. Not sure if PTO shaft is complete
but my square MF Cutter one might.

Anyone recognize this beast?
Thanks,
T

47775.jpg
 
Tall T.......rented a 2-cyl yamabotadeer with post hole augar. Caught a BIG tree root and the next think I knew, the front wheels were off'n the ground. Hadda jack-up the front end so I could block it up. Then use a BIG pipe wrench to unscrew the auger from the tree root. I now have a spring loaded fence post pounder. I buy pointed pressure treated fence posts and with a heavy wrecking bar, start a tapered post hole that I jamb the post into. I then back up my eazy starting 8N with pounder and whack away. I found when using an augar, there was never enuff dirt to refill the hole with the post in itt. (frown) Driven posts are much more solid. Which reminds me, I gott some rotten fence posts to replace when it quits raining........fencing Dell at the foot of 14K Mt Rainier
 
My guess is the lift frame is home made
and would be heavy.
I have a Ford phd. Can't remember the
model #. 12" auger. Have used it exactly
three times in the 6 years since I bought
it - for half that price. Once I drilled 3
holes to pour piers for my front porch.
Another time I actually got paid to drill
about 20 holes for a fence around a lady's
yard. Last time was when my little dog
died I drilled a hole in my yard and
dropped her in it.
We do plan to use it this summer to drill
4 holes for my buddy's deer stand.
I only have one because I like Ford
implements and the price was right. But if
I didn't have it and needed to drill a few
holes I would just rent one.
george.jpg
 
It looks very much like mine, although that one is nicer.
Mine is home made from an old truck axle.
Someone told me was out of a model T but I don't know for sure.
I bought it at an auction sale. The PTO shaft did not have any
guard on it, but I figured the shaft was worth what I paid.
 
I have a Howse post hole auger, and have not found it to be very useful in the rocky soil we have around here because the 8N has no provision for applying downward pressure on the auger. I have reverted to digging my post holes by hand.
 
I would pass on it, too much, see them used on craigslist all the time for around $350, I bought mine new at TSC for just about what that one is priced at, that was about 5 years ago more or less
 
(quoted from post at 02:04:59 04/14/17) Tall T.......rented a 2-cyl yamabotadeer with post hole augar. Caught a BIG tree root and the next think I knew, the front wheels were off'n the ground. Hadda jack-up the front end so I could block it up. Then use a BIG pipe wrench to unscrew the auger from the tree root. I now have a spring loaded fence post pounder. I buy pointed pressure treated fence posts and with a heavy wrecking bar, start a tapered post hole that I jamb the post into. I then back up my eazy starting 8N with pounder and whack away. I found when using an augar, there was never enuff dirt to refill the hole with the post in itt. (frown) Driven posts are much more solid. Which reminds me, I gott some rotten fence posts to replace when it quits raining........fencing Dell at the foot of 14K Mt Rainier

Dell,

Never heard of a spring loaded post pounder for an 8N. Could you maybe post a photo of this thing or maybe explain a bit more how it works please?
 
Dell,

The root-catching and labor to get the screw unstuck, do make
a good case for the pounder method. But I thought that all the pounders needed remote hydraulics. (?)

Thanks,
Terry
 
Jerry,

It does look seriously heavy doesn't it! I guesws the only advantage to that heavy top I-Beam is that it looks like the powerhead and the 3-point end are adjustable on the beam.

Nice pooch! I had a Border Collie/Shepherd Cross who's out under one of my Cedars. Shovel dug grave though.

Was thinking practically about spending that much money for such limited use. Kind of like my MF Cutter . . . I don't really have very much to mow.

"To buy or not to buy?"
roughly translated:
When is an attachment a luxury :)

Thanks for the "down to earth" (must be a farmer's expression")
Terry
 

Hobo,

Good approach!
Most of them are much more streamlined and lighter.

thanks,
T
 
Royse,

Interesting.
Hadn't thought about the home-made differential ones but I had heard folks here mention them on other threads. Sure does look like that all right with the axle tubes coming out both sides.

Thanks,
Terry
 
Terry.......yeah, I gotta remote hydraulic pump but iff'n ya do it rite, you kenn gittchur remote hydraulics from yer corner drain port. Ya pump against the springs until ya reach the limit (3-ft?) and then suddenly release the hydraulic pressure (valve on the pounder) and the springs ker-whang the top of yer fence post. The pounder fits my 8N's 3-point lift and sometimes I haffta adjust the top-link to gitt the vertical that I want. It sure beats a pair of idiot sticks........Dell
 
Bill,

Heavy clay here and roots to watch out for. Interesting about the need for down pressure. This one looks very heavy . . . but surprising that even though you [b:607d01a54b]have[/b:607d01a54b] an auger you've gone back to manual digging.

Do you have one of those manual hole diggers? I've never had one.

Thanks,
T
 
Cary........I have an auxillary hydraulic pump that I use to extend the hydraulic cylinder (3-ft?) against the springs. I then suddenly release the hydraulic pressure (valve on pounder) and the springs ke-whapp the top of the fence post. Sure beats a pair of idiot sticks.........Dell
 
Grayrider,

Good heads up on pricing. I never see them around here for under 5 or $600.

Probably the seller has jacked up his $500. asking price up to WAAY over what he expects to get or would take. (?)

Thanks,
T
 
Right, T, a clamshell digger and a digging bar make petty quick work of it, IMHO. If the going gets really rough, I fill the hole with water and come back later.
 
i bought this one a few years ago for $300
it is a Greenline 5000

works very good, it had a new auger and sharpe points or cutter teeth.

one good thing my old TO35 Ferguson will run the pto in reverse, ground speed, if you were to hang the auger.
but still no downward pressure that would be a real advantage.

you start buying pto shaft parts, etc: you can get more money in one than its worth,
I would keep looking.

only problem I have had with it, (people want to borrow it), I just tell them its broken, busted gear, so far its worked.
a157348.jpg
 
Wellmax,

That's a nice looker and doesn't appear any where near as heavy
as the one in question.
I think I'll make $300 my benchmark.

A reverse PTO! Sounds like something else to Ferguson's credit.
Is it a 3 or 4-speed?

Thanks and I [b:900e338081]wil[/b:900e338081]l keep looking.
Terry
 
one thing to consider is the speed of the auger
I do not know the gear ratio of the vehicle differential if the machine you are looking at was made from a vehicle differential. ratio of auger speed to pto speed

how to make a TO35 Ferguson pto run in reverse

you must jack up one rear wheel, place pto lever in ground speed, then start tractor and place gear shift in reverse, as you let out on the clutch the pto will run in reverse rotation,

I know this sounds like a lot of trouble, but still useful information to know, because when your post hole digger auger is hung under a big root or whatever and is stuck in the ground.

the only other way to get it out is to use big pipe wrenches and try to turn it in revese so it will unscrew it self out of the ground.

I have never gotten mine stuck, but I did dig a deep hole and used this method to see if it worked, it did. the auger just unscrewed itself out of the hole, no problems.

be careful this can be a dangerous machine, it has a lot of open turning shafts and augers.
also it can be dangerous to hook up if not properly supported.

picture is how I store mine.
a157416.jpg
 
Maxwell,

You wrote:
[color=darkblue:e3c3924e5e]one thing to consider is the speed of the auger
I do not know the gear ratio of the vehicle differential if the machine you are looking at was made from a vehicle differential. ratio of auger speed to pto speed
[/color:e3c3924e5e]
Good point; the mystery ratio.

[color=darkblue:e3c3924e5e]how to make a TO35 Ferguson pto run in reverse
you must jack up one rear wheel, place pto lever in ground speed, then start tractor and place gear shift in reverse, as you let out on the clutch the pto will run in reverse rotation,[/color:e3c3924e5e]

I remember reading this method elsewhere; maybe it was a former post of yours. I got the impression from your first post here that there something about your Ferguson that makes this possible, whereas it wouldn't work with my Jube. Is that right?

[color=darkblue:e3c3924e5e]I know this sounds like a lot of trouble, but still useful information to know, because when your post hole digger auger is hung under a big root or whatever and is stuck in the ground.
[/color:e3c3924e5e]

A lot less trouble than pipe wrenching it out.

I have never gotten mine stuck, but I did dig a deep hole and used this method to see if it worked, it did. the auger just unscrewed itself out of the hole, no problems.

[color=darkblue:e3c3924e5e] picture is how I store mine. [/color:e3c3924e5e]

If I had one and stored that way up here in the now perpetually raining pacific Northwest (thanks to Geoengineering) and wed clay soil, my auger would be eaten up by rust . . . so I would figure out another way, like a tree to keep it upright and ready.

Thanks much,
Terry
 

Like others mentioned how well it works for you depends a lot on soil type. Around here our adobe clay soil has about a ten minute window for when the soil is ideal. Rock hard in summer and sticky in winter.

When I was a kid, Dad would have us hanging off the end of a long pipe to add downforce when digging post holes. Once I inherited the 8N I got rid of the old post hole auger. Nowadays if less than 10 post holes I will dig them by hand, and if more I will just rent a skid-steer with a hydraulic post hole digger and 3 different auger sizes plus lots of downforce.

Funny about using auto differentials for PTO drives, we had about 6 different implements that either used the axle to drive something or used pto drive through the diff like some of these augers.
 
My PHD advice as always is to buy or rent a skid steer phd. You able to control the plum of the hole while digging, you have down pressure,
reverse in case you hit a rock or tree root and most important the hole is straight and clean.. My brother and I grew up with a 3pt phd. Neither
of will use anything but a skid steer phd now.
 
Then use a BIG pipe wrench to unscrew the auger from the tree root. I now have a spring loaded fence post pounder. I buy pointed pressure treated fence posts and with a heavy wrecking bar, start a tapered post hole that I jamb the post into. I then back up my eazy starting 8N with pounder and whack away. I found when using an augar, there was never enuff dirt to refill the hole with the post in itt. (frown) Driven posts are much more solid. Which reminds me, I gott some rotten fence posts to replace when it quits raining........fencing Dell at the foot of 14K Mt Rainier[/quote]

DELL would love to see that post driver !!!! :D
 
(quoted from post at 00:00:04 04/17/17) Then use a BIG pipe wrench to unscrew the auger from the tree root. I now have a spring loaded fence post pounder. I buy pointed pressure treated fence posts and with a heavy wrecking bar, start a tapered post hole that I jamb the post into. I then back up my eazy starting 8N with pounder and whack away. I found when using an augar, there was never enuff dirt to refill the hole with the post in itt. (frown) Driven posts are much more solid. Which reminds me, I gott some rotten fence posts to replace when it quits raining........fencing Dell at the foot of 14K Mt Rainier

DELL would love to see that post driver !!!! :D[/quote]eah, send me info on a driver for 25 foot pole into shale.
 
(quoted from post at 13:23:19 04/14/17)
(quoted from post at 02:04:59 04/14/17) Tall T.......rented a 2-cyl yamabotadeer with post hole augar. Caught a BIG tree root and the next think I knew, the front wheels were off'n the ground. Hadda jack-up the front end so I could block it up. Then use a BIG pipe wrench to unscrew the auger from the tree root. I now have a spring loaded fence post pounder. I buy pointed pressure treated fence posts and with a heavy wrecking bar, start a tapered post hole that I jamb the post into. I then back up my eazy starting 8N with pounder and whack away. I found when using an augar, there was never enuff dirt to refill the hole with the post in itt. (frown) Driven posts are much more solid. Which reminds me, I gott some rotten fence posts to replace when it quits raining........fencing Dell at the foot of 14K Mt Rainier

Dell,

Never heard of a spring loaded post pounder for an 8N. Could you maybe post a photo of this thing or maybe explain a bit more how it works please?

I built a live hydraulic system with remotes for a local guy who put a Shaver HD-8 on an old 9N. He drove hundreds of posts with it before he burned everything up in a barn fire....

Shaver HD-8

TOH
 

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