Fencing, to dig or to drive post?

[Dewbie]

We've been fencing since the beginning of the year off and on. So far we've ran about 3,000 feet of high tensile electric fence using only wood post. We have a pto post hole digger and to put it nicely, it sucks lol. It's always getting stuck or won't dig down or something.

I'm interested in buying a post driver like a shaver or worksaver. I've seen the videos of how easy the post go in the ground but I question how hard their ground is. I live in the southwest corner of tennessee about an hour and half away from memphis. We have heavy clay that's like concrete in the dry season.

Will a post driver drive 8" post in the hard clay soil or will I be wasting my money on a post driver? I'd have to buy online because nobody sales drivers they only sale post diggers and none of the rental places carry drivers only diggers so I wonder if nobody has them around here because they don't work around here or nobody's willing to fork out the money for a driver.

I've thought about buying a hydraulic post hole digger if the post driver won't work. I've heard they work better than the pto kind.

We have 50 acres we want to get fence and cross fenced asap. We have about 200 acres to fence and cross fence total plus 50 acres 8 miles down the road we might fence last or just use for hay fields.

 

[leonz]

A couple of suggestions.

if you can buy a small tree auger for your post hole digger the
digging will be faster as there will be less friction as the tapered
auger removes the material quickly from the center of the hole.

I would also have water to pour into the hole to help soften the clay
as you run the tree auger or the regular auger.

 

[Dewbie]

A couple of suggestions.

if you can buy a small tree auger for your post hole digger the
digging will be faster as there will be less friction as the tapered
auger removes the material quickly from the center of the hole.

I would also have water to pour into the hole to help soften the clay
as you run the tree auger or the regular auger.

That's the reason I was looking at a post driver so I didn't have to worry about trying to dig out holes then back fill holes while trying to keep post level when I can just drive them in the ground. I'm just wondering how well the drivers work in hard clay.

Here's what I'd like to get http://youtu.be/tvpuvaLUqaM

 

[Walkin Horse]

I helped a guy one time drive posts. We had to chainsaw a point on each post. Then you have to be very careful to keep the post straight. Then there's a chance to hit a rock which will either stop it kick it off at an angle or break the post. Once things quit going your way they are tough to get back out.
I had a guy drill 93 holes with a skid steer in 2 1/2 hours for $2 a hole. That is definitely better than a pto.
When I use my pto one I keep a digging bar to use down force. Also agri supply is the best place to buy cutters. $3 each but sometime you have to clean them up with a grinder to make them fit.

 

[Dewbie]

I helped a guy one time drive posts. We had to chainsaw a point on each post. Then you have to be very careful to keep the post straight. Then there's a chance to hit a rock which will either stop it kick it off at an angle or break the post. Once things quit going your way they are tough to get back out.
I had a guy drill 93 holes with a skid steer in 2 1/2 hours for $2 a hole. That is definitely better than a pto.
When I use my pto one I keep a digging bar to use down force. Also agri supply is the best place to buy cutters. $3 each but sometime you have to clean them up with a grinder to make them fit.

I doubt I'd hit any rock. I'd have more of a chance of hitting tree roots if anything. I've found a few pieces of iron ore while clearing woods and turning into fields. Something to keep in mind though.

Seems like if the grounds just right the post driver is awesome otherwise I'd be better of with a hydraulic post hole digger.

I'll check out agri supply. Thanks

 

[Walkin Horse]

If the ground is compacted it's tough. If it doesn't go down easy it mushrooms the post. It would work good at the beach. The guy I helped ended up taking it back and we drilled the rest. It would be nice if the ones you couldn't drive then drill it but that would be pita.

 

[Dewbie]

If the ground is compacted it's tough. If it doesn't go down easy it mushrooms the post. It would work good at the beach. The guy I helped ended up taking it back and we drilled the rest. It would be nice if the ones you couldn't drive then drill it but that would be pita.

That's what I believe will happen to me otherwise you would think someone in my area would sale or rent them. Unless I can find someone in my area that's used the drivers and can tell me if they can work or not I'll be looking into a hydraulic auger. Thanks for the help.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I think I would spend my money on a digger with down force. There is one that fits on the FEL and powered by hydraulics so you would never have to worry about a stuck auger, just reverse it out of the hole.

You can also put a hydraulic cylinder on your PTO auger to apply down force for hard ground.

 

[hosspuller]

Time of the year or season makes a world of difference. Spring after the thaw and rains, it was easy to drill holes with the 3 point PHD.
During the Summer when the ground was baked hard like 2 week old biscuit, the drilling was frustration to the nth power... Add the heat... and it was better to wait.

 

[Dewbie]

I think I would spend my money on a digger with down force. There is one that fits on the FEL and powered by hydraulics so you would never have to worry about a stuck auger, just reverse it out of the hole.

You can also put a hydraulic cylinder on your PTO auger to apply down force for hard ground.

Kind of what I'm thinking. I just wanted to see what others have done before I spend several grand on either one. I'd rather drive them in the ground but hydraulic auger sounds like it might be there better choice for me