driving T post

[Jimbrown]

Anyone found a good way or made some device to drive T post with a CUT

 

[Wannafish]

That's what they make a FEL bucket and a wife for!

Wife holds T post in upright condition; you load bucket 1/2 full of sand/dirt (for extra weight) then raise above the t post and "hammer" the post into the ground. Make sure the bucket isn't too close to the t post holder, and that the holder's hands are not near the top of the post.
If using this method, be extremely careful.

 

[JerryG]

If you will search the net for post driver, you will find several. I have a Danuser and really like it. When using a tractor mounted driver, you do have to be careful not to bend them. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Richard]

Yet another "useless" job for a backhoe /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

County dropped off some "no parking" signs for me, as I told them I'd install them ... Had nephew hold up while I cupped them with backhoe bucket (then he moved). I used the hoe to push down. Slid into the earth neater than (insert a clever Wroughtn Harv saying here).

Best of all, since there was no hole dug with loose dirt around it, it was very tight from the beginning.

Some yahoos stole the prior ones that were out. I suppose they yanked them with vehicle, or worked back/forth by hand. The ones I put in using this method are currently bent up where same (?) yahoos TRIED to yank them out, but since they are stuck about 4' into the ground, they had a much more difficult time than when they were stuck 18" into the hand dug hole the county used.

Richard

 

[rockinmywaypa]

I don't like using the loader at all. If the post hits any kind of obstruction lioke a stone or hard pan the loader bends them into a boomerang. I made a pounder out of a piece of 3 inch pipe about four feet long with a chunck of real thick plate on top. The day I made it I just happened to find the round piece about two inches thick and knew immediately what I was going to use it for.

 

[Bird]

I watched a fellow just push t-posts into the ground with a pretty good sized TLB once, so I tried it with my little Kubota in my hard clay and couldn't push the post down even 1"; just raised the front wheels of the tractor off the ground. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I tried it with my little Kubota in my hard clay and couldn't push the post down even 1"; )</font>

Bird, I've found that the ability to push T-posts into the ground is directly proportional to the moisture in the soil and the number of rocks in line with the insertion path. However, with a heavy tractor and the right conditions, it will bring tears to your eyes because it works so well it makes you realize all the wasted time you spent whacking posts with a post pounder. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I would caution anyone about using the bucket as a hammer. If you can't push the post in with smooth constant pressure, use the post driver. You do not want to take a chance on launching a post into your "holder" or smacking them with your bucket. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I've found the best technique for me using the tractor to set t posts is to first fill the bucket with ballast. If ballast isn't available dirt or sand will do just fine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I usually work by myself so I stab the post into the ground by hand first, just enough so it's plumb.

I also use the bottom of the bucket closest to me. It just seems to be more effective. I know there's a mechanical advantage. I just don't know the theory behind it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I think that's the difference between clever and smart. Isn't clever the way you come and smart is what you can become?

 

[heehaw]

i watched some fellers settin T-post with a fel once, but they put a pipe over the post first?? they said it kept the post from bending so easy??
heehaw

 

[RobertN]

I'll have to get a couple pictures of mine. It is an old Speeco unit. It mounts on the 3pt. It is a weighted box that slides on rails. The box is raised with a hydraulic cylinder. When it is raised to the appropriate level, there is a trip lever to release it. It pounds down once on the post. The weight box itself is about 4' tall. It has a narrow door on it; you put the t-post inside the door before raising the box. The narrow door/channel keeps the t-post straight while being driven.

I have used it a couple times. Seemed to work ok. I had to "borrow" the cylinder from my TnT. This thing really needs a longer cylinder, and longer hoses than my TnT allows.

I'll see if I can get a picture this weekend...