[AT] Post Hole Digger

Mike Sloane mikesloane at verizon.net
Tue Jun 30 05:13:36 PDT 2009


I sent the following to Ray off-line, but, after reading Steve's note, I 
decided to send it out to all:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good luck with that monster!

I used to sell post hole diggers when I worked for the tractor dealer, 
and handling them was always a real pain (literally and figuratively). 
They flop around and never go where you want them to, unless they are 
mounted on the tractor. A lot of farmers rig up ropes/chains to hang 
them from a tree or barn rafter - once you lay them down, they don't 
want to get up. We used to sell a stand made from welded steel bars, but 
most customers declined because they were too cheap to pay any extra. 
You might want to bring some tools and partially disassemble the unit to 
make handling easier - at the very least, remove the auger and handle it 
separately.

One thing that you need to consider, aside from the issue of handling 
the unit. One of the most critical pieces on the digger is the teeth on 
the auger tip - if they are worn or damaged, the auger won't dig worth a 
damn. They are usually replaceable, but each manufacturer's teeth were 
unique to their auger, so finding replacements might not be easy. If you 
are lucky, you can find a blacksmith or welder who can work on the 
existing teeth to restore the shape and heat treat them properly.

Old post hole diggers are cheap for a reason - they usually need parts 
that cannot be found.

Finally: next to sickle bar mowers and corn pickers, post hole diggers 
are about the most frequent sources of injury to operators. DO NOT GET 
OFF THE TRACTOR WHILE IT IS RUNNING or let anyone else near it. Don't 
try to hang on the assembly to provide more down force - if it isn't 
digging, more force won't help, and you might get yourself killed when 
it spins out of control. If you are doing holes and stop for any reason 
(lunch, pee break, etc.) drop the auger tip down on the ground - if it 
drops on someone's foot, they will be maimed for life.

Mike


Stephen Offiler wrote:
> Roy - several comments, see below...
> 
> On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 8:40 PM, Roy Morgan<k1lky at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
>> - How much of this thing can I expect to get apart?  It's reported to
>> be a two-man job to move it.  (We'll have me, my wife and a 7-year
>> old.)  It looks like the auger fastens to the gearbox shaft by a big
>> flange with bolts through them.  With luck and some PB Blaster, I may
>> get them loose.
> 
> I sometimes borrow my neighbor's old Ford PHD.  The thing is about 50
> years old, and looks quite a bit (not identical) to yours.  2.5 people
> is about right to mount it, and at least 2 to remove it again.
> WARNING:  my neighbor, who's a lifelong rural type guy, lives and
> breathes tractors and horses, recently lost a hunk of his finger to
> this PHD.  Now, he's about 6'4" and strong as an ox, and he says this
> is the first implement he ever had, has mounted it literally hundreds
> of times.  But despite his familiarity and experience, it bit him.
> The problem is that they'll fold up in unexpected ways, and he
> happened to be grabbing it at a place where two separate parts of the
> machine come together when it folds.
> 
>> -Does the PTO shaft come off in a normal way?  Through bolt/shear pin?
>>
>> - It looks like the rear ends of the frame fasten to the gearbox
>> horizontal tubes with bolts.  Is it fixed at that point or is there a
>> pivot action there?
> 
> Pivot action, for sure.
> 
>> -Can anyone identify this thing so I can get some information online
>> perhaps?
>>
>> I'll be bringing:
>> - tools
>> - come-along
>> - rope with multiple pulley for hoisting/pulling
>> - furniture dolly - hand truck
>> - portable ramps
>> - Ford F-250
> 
> You mentioned PB'laster above, so I assume that's on the list.  A
> couple big pipe wrenches might come in handy if/when you try to
> convince the auger off the gearbox.  (In fact, if you have rocky soil,
> you also want to keep a pipe wrench nearby to unscrew the auger from
> the hole if it hangs up on a rock... BTDT).  A torch might be a handy
> addition, MAPP "Bernzomatic" if you don't have a portable
> oxy-acetylene rig.
> 
> Good luck, and be careful.
> 
> Steve O.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
> Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.0/2209 - Release Date: 06/29/09 14:43:00
> 



More information about the AT mailing list