[AT] Post Hole Digger

[charliehill]

Good advice Mike,  that was partially what I had in mind with dragging it 
out of the hedge row and hoisting it up a tree.  That way you don't have to 
handle it much and gravity will tell you were the pinch points are without 
your fingers being in the way.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Sloane" <mikesloane at verizon.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 8:13 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Post Hole Digger


>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.
>>
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