Posts

Showing posts with the label earthworks

Digga Tips - Which Auger to Choose for What Ground Conditions

Image
When drilling in different ground conditions you need the right speed and the right cutting system on the auger to suit the different ground conditions. So which auger should you choose for your application?For efficient drilling on any machine requires power (torque) and down pressure. Digga augers perform better at an optimal RPM against the ground conditions they are against. Similarly the auger diameter will perform better at certain speeds. For example: the larger the hole and harder the ground conditions, the slower you will need to drill. The smaller the hole and softer the ground conditions, then more speed is required.  As a general rule we recommend the following RPM/speeds: 55-65 RPM for general earth conditions. 45-55 RPM when drilling in heavy earth, clay or shale.  20-45 RPM when drilling in rock. Results will depend on rock hardness, type of auger being used and machine down force.  Digga recommends the following for attachments for the different ground c...

Digga tips - when to rotate picks and change the teeth in your rock auger.

Image
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 tips - servicing and changing the oil of your Digga drive unit.

Image
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

Understanding Digga excavator hitches

Image
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...

Digga gear oil - now available!

Image
Do you need to service your Digga drive but not located near one of our service centres? You can now purchase Digga gear oil in 1l, 2/5l and 5l bottles so you can service your Digga attachments from the convenience of your yard or shed. The oil in your drive unit is independent of your machines hydraulic system. As a result, your auger drive requires regular oil changes to remain in its optimal working condition - just like your car or motorbike. Failure to change the oil will reduce the life of your attachments. Digga gear oil is specially designed for Digga gearboxes; tried and tested with Digga attachments working in earthmoving applications, in the diverse Australian climate. Our 320 extreme pressure gear oil is now available to purchase in 1l, 2.5l and 5l bottles. Changing the oil is simple. Just follow our step by step video guide:  While there are no provisions to check the level of your gearbox oil on your Digga drive; if you are working in moder...

The Digga team get ready for Diesel Dirt & Turf 2018

Image
With less than 1 week to go until the show starts, the Digga team are almost ready to depart down to Penrith, New South Wales for Diesel, Dirt and Turf 2018 . Now in its third event, Diesel Dirt and Turf has quickly become the country's largest and most anticipated earthmoving event of the season and this year will be no letdown. Find Digga on stand 46 to be one of the first to see our 4 new product concepts plus we have exclusive show specials and prizes to be won. We'll also have our technical experts on site to help you with any of your Digga product and application queries.  Event details: Diesel, Dirt & Turf 13th -15th April 2018 Friday & Saturday 9.30am - 5.00pm / Sunday 10.00am - 3.00pm 123 Mulgoa Road, Penrith, NSW 2750 The event is FREE entry and there is free parking on site. View the map below to find the Digga stand (number 46).

Drilling expert uses Digga 2-speed auger drives.

Adrian Eagan, aka Baldy has been drilling in one form or another all his working life. Working for one of Queensland largest earthmovers L&D Earthmoving , we wanted to hear what he makes of the Digga drives he puts to work every day.   L&D Earthmoving were established in 1954 and Baldy has been with them for the last 25 years explaining that the company service a mix of commercial and domestic customers “from backyard bobs to major infrastructures – there is virtually no where we can’t service!” Covering all of South East Queensland working in light dusty sands and clay to solid blue metal Baldy really puts his drives through their paces. “I run a few 4.5 or 6 tonne combos for all our everyday work and light duty drilling with the Digga PD3. Then I operate an 18 tonne excavator with a 2 speed Digga PD30.” The Digga PD30 is an upgrade from the PD18 Baldy used to operate but he admits “after 8 years of heavy work, I finally managed to break the PD18…”  Of ...

Summit Landscapes of NSW tell us why they choose Digga Machinery Attachments.

Image
Offering practical solutions for our customers is imperative for Digga and our range of machinery attachments. Proving just that is Mitch Wetton from Summit Landscapes. The local family owned and operated business working in the Smeaton Grange and Narellan areas of NSW specialise in construction landscaping, concreting and all excavation/ bulk earthworks. In the last 15 years Mitch has grown to love Digga Machinery Attachments . He had been using a range of Digga attachments through rental companies for several years but felt it was important to invest in his own attachments following successes servicing both small and large builders on a residential and commercial scale. Mitch purchased his first Digga attachment almost 10 years ago and hasn’t looked back since, with his range of Digga attachments growing annually! He regularly uses his Digga Auger Drive units with rock combo and dedicated rock augers to drill holes for structural piers in concrete and post holes for ret...

‘Unbreakable’ screw anchor drives the foundation of successful screw pier contractor.

Image
A man who spent years trying to break Digga screw anchor drive units now says he can’t run his business without them. Geoff Taunton runs Gold Coast Screw Piers , a Queensland-based deep foundation system provider servicing more than 200 clients from Coffs Harbour to Cairns. Explaining the history of his business, Geoff told us: "Back when Digga was still in the R&D phase they would give me a new test auger drive unit and tell me to go and break it. Installing screw piers and bored piers involves putting extreme vertical force on the piece of machinery attachment. It’s extremely harsh on the equipment, so it was really an ideal testing ground for the drive units. I would break the drive and tell Digga exactly what I was doing and what pressure it was under when it broke. They would use that information to improve the design, then give me a new one to break and the process would start again. These days it’s pretty hard to break a Digga screw anchor drive. For such a sev...

Digga tips - best practice to increase the life of your wearparts.

Image
The cutting teeth & pilot on any auger are wear parts and you can increase the life of them with the help of Digga's best practice tips. The wear life of a tooth or pilot is undefinable. They will be affected by how often they are used, how they are looked after and the ground conditions they are being used in. For example, in non-fracturable ground where the rock is reduced to a powder; the powder is likely to get caught in and around the cutting head and, acting like a sand paper, will wear away both the pocket and the tooth. In hard ground conditions such as rock over heating within the hole can cause the ground to glaze over. The heat will polish the rock making it harder and have a greater influence on the wear of your cutting heads. To assist with peak performance and longevity of the wear parts there are a few procedures that can be carried out that will help prolong the life of wear parts and increase drilling efficiency. To help increase the life of your wear...

Specialising in excavations and earthworks, DNA Contract Services say Digga Machinery Attachments "give the best bang for buck!"

Image
Sydney wide DNA Contract Services are a well-established company specialising in excavations, earthworks, haulage and sediment control and trusted by some of Australia’s biggest builders. They were contracted as part of a project with Channel 7’s Better Homes and Gardens to drill piers for a granny flat behind a house in Blacktown, NSW and decided the Digga PD6 Auger Drive unit was the tool for the job. Attached to their 5.5 tonne Hitachi excavator they were never going to have any problems and DNA told us the PD6 drilled through with ease. Alex Vella of DNA Contract Services commented: “I have been using Digga now for 2 years and will continue to do so. DNA have used many other products on the market but find Digga to produce plenty of power at an affordable cost. In my opinion, Digga products give the best bang for buck!”