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When you’re drilling in clay it can be difficult to remove the spoil off of the auger. It’s tempting to alternate the drive from forward to reverse to flick the clay off, but this can cause serious torque related stress on the drive gearbox which will lead to premature failure and subsequently expensive repairs. Hitting the auger against the ground can also create side load on the shaft which could in turn damage the shaft seal and gear box. In our previous blog post we explain the best way to remove spoil from your auger; using a forward, stop, forward, stop control pattern. This can often take a long time when working in clay and time costs money… Here are a number of tips to help remove the spoil from your auger when drilling in clay: Drilling another hole with the clogged auger and then reversing out of the hole will remove soil from the flights Using a single carry flight auger to avoid the clay becoming compacted between the flights Choose a steep pitched auger flig...

Screw piles or helical piles are installed to an engineered torque specification. By the time installation torque is reached and the operator stops the machine, the screw pile has built up rotational energy - similar to a rubber band on a wind up model aeroplane. This energy that is stored in the anchor needs to be released before the drive unit is disconnected. The ECV bypasses the stored energy allowing the anchor to “unwind” in a controlled manner. Without this valve, the pressure contained when holding the pile in place would be forced up the pile and into the drive unit resulting in potential damage & costly repairs for the motor and gearbox. See the diagram below, the red arrow demonstrates the force of the energy up the screw pile. Digga's flow reversal bypass valve (Energy Control Valve - ECV) is fitted as standard to Digga Screw Anchor Drives and can be retro fitted to drilling drives as required. The Digga ECV effectively protects the motor in your dr...

Machinery and earthworks-enthusiast Ron Bates from Ron’s Landscaping tells us he’s been involved in the industry over 30 years. Being a very brand-loyal Aussie bloke, Ron swears by two brands he has stuck with over the years - Bobcat for Skid Steer Loaders and Digga for machinery attachments. “The reason I chose Digga was because I couldn’t justify the price of the other attachments on the market compared to the quality. And seen my Digga attachments are still running today, it was well worth it! I started off with a PD3 and an auger to fit my machine 30 years ago. Not long after purchasing another few augers, I bought a trencher and a slasher – which are now over 20 years old too.” Being involved in the industry for so long, he sure has some great experience and likes to get the most out of his attachments. “I do all types of machine-work now, from digging dams to clearing, rural fencing, trenching for farmers, plumbers, electricians – basically anyone who needs some help diggi...

Even though a key feature of the 4in1 bucket is low maintenance, there are a couple of checks you can do before each use to make sure you work efficiently and safely. We recommend you carry out the following steps on a regular basis to ensure the best performance of your 4in1 bucket: Check if all your safety stickers are in place, understood and followed correctly. If you are unsure about the signage, all the correct information is provided in your operator’s manual of the 4in1 bucket. Make sure that all nuts and bolts are tightened on your linkages and pins. Check the bucket’s hydraulic fittings and hoses for any leaks and make sure that no leaks are present. Check for any wear and tear on your pins, linkages and cutting edges of your 4 in 1 bucket. If you find excessive play in your pins and linkages or you have a worn-down cutting edge you can refer to your operator’s manual or get in contact with us to replace or repair any damage or excessively worn parts. Simply...

Diggas range of trenchers are ideal for digging trenches for pipes, road repairs and general construction. The range includes the mini trencher, Bigfoot trenchers and Hydrive trenchers and every model ins manufactured in-house to the highest industry quality at our facility in Queensland, Australia. They feature an Eaton motor and Digga made gearbox enquiring reliability and performance, but how do you know which trencher is suitable for you? Here we go over the key differences between the Bigfoot and the Hydrive and machine suitability.                                                                        KEY DIFFERENCES Bigfoot Trencher Ideal for inexperienced or experienced operators. The Bigfoot trencher has a skid foot which makes getting the correct consistent depth easier. The foo...

Digga Australia have been announced winners of the 2019 September Manufacturing Award by the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards! We’re passionate about manufacturing and this award is a result of an ongoing commitment to keeping manufacturing in Australia. Digga is a global leader within the earthmoving industry, with over 70 different types of machinery attachments and their distribution to over 50 countries worldwide. As an Australian manufacturer, we strive for the highest quality, world-class standards for our products. We believe this can only be achieved by investing in both our people and the best quality manufacturing equipment available. Digga currently employs 229 people globally, 165 of which are based at our main manufacturing facility on the Gold Coast. The 12,500sqm purpose-built factory in Yatala, features one of the largest and most advanced machine shops in Queensland, which supplies over 85% of the componentry used by our other facilities across Australia, t...

“What a day we had at DDT” – Fiona from Albury, Wodonga told us the funny story about the day she won the 10K Digga Voucher at the Diesel Dirt and Turf Expo. “My partner Dan, who owns an earthmoving and tree-logging business spontaneously decided to head up towards Sydney to take a look at a second-hand truck, so I said, why don’t we make a few-days trip out of it? That’s how we ended up at the DDT, since Dan then also wanted to check out some equipment for his business. As soon as we entered the show a guy approached us with two hats, which we should wear for a chance to win a $50 petrol voucher. I told Dan, let’s do it – we put on the hats and started walking around – it was a horrible rainy day – but there was plenty of stuff to look at. Somebody then told us about the large Machines4U & Digga prize draw. Seeing as I wanted to keep myself busy throughout the day, while Dan was looking at all the machinery, I decided to go ahead with it and collect all necessary stamps on our ...

Only $792 to reach our goal of $100,000 in donations for the Ovarian Cancer Research foundation in 2019. Through combined efforts with the very generous earthmoving industry, Digga Australia together with Kanga Loaders, so far, we’ve been able to raise over 99K.  The fundraising started in March when we sponsored and helped organise the Diesel Dirt and Turf Expo Golf Day. Over 30K was raised through charity auctions and the generosity of everyone involved. This was followed by the donation of a Kanga Loader which was auctioned off at the DDT Expo in May. In June we donated a second machine which was auctioned at the Hire 19 tradeshow in Melbourne in June. Finally, a few dedicated Digga employees participated at the Bridge to Brisbane Charity run last month, where another $3,740 was raised in donations. The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation was chosen as a partner charity of Digga, a foundation dedicated to developing and implementing an early detection program and impro...

You will at some point need to replace your auger teeth , when is dependent on how often they are used, how they are looked after and the ground conditions they are being used. However, the teeth on your auger should be changed as soon as reasonable wear is noticed and before any pocket wear occurs. The productivity of the auger will decrease as the efficiency of the teeth wears. The outside teeth are travelling the greatest distance as they follow the rotation of the circumference of the augers diameter so they will wear out much quicker than those towards the centre. This is because they have not been travelling as greater distance. The most common sign of wear is to the outer tips of the tooth and this wear will follow the radius of the diameter. If you continue to wear through your outer teeth, you will begin to wear into the pockets and the flights of the auger. It is important to check your teeth regularly to work productively and efficiently. If you find yourself in a r...

Digga’s range of screw anchor and auger drives are the ultimate in performance, quality and cost effectiveness. With over 30 years of design and development, working in the field and listening to the needs of our customers to exceed their expectations. All Digga drive units are manufactured in Australia, by Digga - from the hood on the drive to the gear box and Eaton motor. Our drives feature key design modifications to stand them apart from the competition: Integrated motor and output housing unit Our custom designed hydraulic motors were developed in conjunction with Eaton, using Eaton Geroler technology. Not satisfied with an off-the-shelf motor we developed the design specifically for the earth moving industry; significantly reducing the weight and overall length of the drive unit by integrating the hydraulic motor into the actual housing. Merging the motor with the input housing creates a direct connection to the gearset and eliminates the need for several gearbo...

It is said that the first recorded use of a screw pile was by Alexander Mitchell, a brick maker and engineer from Ireland who coined the term ‘screw-pile’ in 1833. Initially the concept of screw piling was used to provide solid foundations for lighthouses in soft soil and provided enough holding power to safely moor ships in the harbour. The original screw pile concept cannot be officially confirmed but in the April 1848 issue of the Civil Engineer and Architects Journal the article highlights the mechanics of the bearing power of screw moorings and screw piles which Alexander Mitchell is argued to have introduced:  "The origin of the screw-pile was the screw mooring, which was designed for the purpose of obtaining, for an especial purpose, a greater holding power than was possessed by either the ordinary pile or any of the usual mooring -anchor blocks, of however large dimensions.... whether this broad spiral flange, [or ’ground screw,’ as it may be termed] were fixed...

Having trouble drilling? The correct vertical alignment of your auger into the ground is essential to ensure efficient & effective drilling with your excavator. The natural arc movement of the boom causes the dipper arm to move out of alignment as it is raised or lowered, which is why constant operator adjustments are required to maintain vertical alignment. Please consider, that failure to do so will create significant side load on the auger drive and auger! As Digga auger drives are pendulum drills designed to hang freely from the excavator mount - excessive side load may result in bent auger flights, pipe and hubs as well as potential damage to the auger drive shaft, seals and gearbox. When you are drilling especially into hard ground this may also  cause socket and pilot breakage. So make sure to align your auger and drive correctly, to avoid damager and drill which much better performance. You can find more info and tips for drilling in harder grounds such as rock or...

Digga is as Aussie as the phonetically spelt name suggests. Solidified as our country’s leading machinery attachment manufacturer and exporter, the company still remains proudly Australian owned and operated. Let’s dig a little deeper into this national treasure as we salute a true blue Industry Leader. The company experienced extreme progression and growth in their first decade as their range of products steadily increased, including the manufacture of their own world-class gearboxes. While Stewart continued to build a strong team of expert professionals around him, he also improved Digga’s internal manufacturing processes with the introduction of computerised machining, robotic welding and more advanced steel cutting equipment to their assembly line. After establishing themselves in Australia, Digga began exporting their quality products and gaining a reputation overseas, firstly in New Zealand and Europe in 1997 and then in the US in ’99. In 2006 the company moved into their ow...

It is important to service your Digga drive unit and change the oil regularly as per the owners manual. This will ensure longevity and performance of your drive. The oil in your drive unit is independent to your hydraulic system. Oil from your machine does not lubricate your drive unit. As a result your auger drive requires regular oil changes to remain in perfect working condition. The images below illustrate the importance of regular servicing of your auger drive in accordance with the owners manual. The 3 drive units were tested in our Hydraulic Cyclic Testing Unit where 10 years of wear and tear was simulated. Oil was changed in the drives at different intervals illustrating the wear caused by neglect. Changing the oil and a regular service of your Digga drive unit is crucial to its longevity and performance. For more information on the Digga Service offering visit  www.digga.com/service-spares

The Digga excavator cradle hitch was designed and manufactured to improve operator and workers safety when manoeuvring around sites whilst also providing a simpler connection to augers and piles. The double pin hitch with drive unit cradle allows the operator to angle the drive up to 90 degrees with greater support given by the cradle so it is easier and more stable when connecting to augers or anchors. The cradle also acts as a support mechanism when manoeuvring around the work site allowing the drive unit to rest on the cradle, stopping it from swinging around over uneven terrain. Designed and manufactured to suit the size of the different drive units available, the hitch can be ordered with loose or fixed pin options and suitable for use with PD3 – PD50 Digga drive models . When drilling you should lift the cradle up and away from the drive unit. Do not drill with the cradle resting against the drive unit. This will damage the cradle hitch and your auger drive. See the co...

Bruno from BGL Solutions has worked with Digga Attachments for a long time, take a look at which attachments he uses for his Landscaping business and find out why the Digga Power Rake is his favourite tool: “I’ve been involved in Landscaping at an early age back in Portugal, where I grew up, and always used to work with Digga attachments there too. When I moved to Australia in 2008, I started my business BGL Solutions in Katanning WA as a garden maintenance business. As we grew over the years, we started buying more and more machinery and equipment for landscaping. Today the business has grown to a reasonable size with a mini loader, an excavator, a skid steer loader and big industrial mowers. The Digga Attachments that we own are the Digga Power Rake for our skid steer as well as 250mm, 600mm, and 900mm augers, a bucket broom, a stump grinder and a trencher for our mini loader. The first attachment I purchased for BGL Solutions was a Digga Stump Grinder. I’ve been ...

Are you having trouble drilling in hard rock? We can help you out with some tips to make your job easier.. and more efficient! Without damaging your drillhead or wearparts. Let us explain why rock drilling may cause difficulties and issues when not carried our correctly: When drilling rock or frost for extended periods of time, air is trapped in the hole creating an oven effect. The trapped temperature and friction causes the wearparts and pilot to heat up to an extreme temperature, causing them to melt. It will damage the drilling head and can result in the face of the rock to 'glaze over' and become an even harder surface. This is why we recommend that you periodically remove the auger from the hole to allow fresh air back in the hole every 5 minutes. This means - stop drilling and bring the auger head to the surface to allow air into the hole. Below is an example of an auger, which was left down the hole for too long. While it may seem excessive to have to bring ...

A Digga 4 in 1 bucket is arguably one of the most versatile earth moving attachments available for both construction and agricultural users alike. As the name suggests, a 4 in 1 bucket enables you to perform 4 different functions which Digga reference as standard bucket operation, grappling, levelling and dozing. A 4 in 1 bucket adds great value to the operators business and machinery over a standard bucket: Standard bucket operation When the bucket is fully closed the Digga 4 in 1 bucket can be used as a general purpose bucket for moving dirt and material etc. Digga tip: If you are dumping into a truck you can dump at a greater height than a standard bucket by opening the floor to release the material.  Grapple operation  With the bucket above an object, open the floor sufficiently and lower the bucket down so that the object is between the jaws. When you close the floor, the object will become clamped between jaws so you can lift and move. Digga tip: Always u...

Digga manufacture a range of excavator hitches for machines up to 90 tonne. They were designed and manufactured to improve operator and workers safety when manoeuvring around sites whilst also providing a simpler connection to augers and piles. All our hitches are custom made to your machines requirements and vary in suitability depending on your use. Here are some key advantages of each of our excavator hitches and an explanation on how to submit an order. Digga excavator hitches Choosing from Digga’s range of excavator hitches will vary based on the application and attachment, and your machine. Below are 4 of Digga’s excavator hitches which are fully engineered and manufactured at our Yatala facility in Queensland.  Digga single pin hitch The single-pin hitch is suitable for excavators using smaller drives. It is a light weight, non-bulky option for smaller machines. This hitch can be used to fit Digga PDD to PD3 drive units on micro or mini excavators up to 3 to...

If you’re working with multiple sized augers or often in different ground conditions you’ll understand the expense and time wasted that comes with needing multiple drive units for the different applications. When the ground is soft you want a higher speed to get the hole drilled quickly and then move onto the next one. When the ground is hard or you’re using a large auger you need torque to get the job done efficiently. Speed and torque are always a trade-off; when you increase your speed you lose power and when you increase your power, you lose speed. Similar to a manual car, fourth gear allows speed but struggles with the power required to get the vehicle up the hill Standard, single speed drives are typically manufactured as a cost effective solution to provide a speed and torque to suit most applications but will give you one or the other. 2 speed auger drives have grown in popularity over the last few years and, as leading manufacturers, we can understand why. We unde...

In combined efforts with the very generous earthmoving industry, Digga Australia together with Kanga Loaders, so far were able to raise $87,900 in donations this year to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, with another charity loader up for auction this month. The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation was chosen as a partner charity of Digga, a foundation dedicated to developing and implementing an early detection program and improving the mortality rate, management and long-term survival of women with ovarian cancer. As the company suffered a big loss in June 2018, when Suzie Wright, CEO and Managing Director of Digga Australia and Kanga Loaders, passed away after a long struggle with a rare form of ovarian cancer, this is a very close cause to our hearts. As the major sponsor of the Diesel Dirt and Turf Annual Charity Golf Day, which was held on the 15th of March this year, Digga, together with many sponsors and supporters of the industry, was able to raise donation...