pneumatic tpost driver

[mikim]

My wife & I are beginning to fence in our 20 acres. The ground is hard black clay after 6" of sandy loam and driving tposts by hand is real work. She doesn't like the idea of standing under my bucket holding a post while I try to push it in - go figger. She found a pneumatic online from Rohr? I think - but reading it I noticed they don't exactly give any warranty with it. Anybody have any experience with a driver like this? She computed that we'd be paying less than a dollar per post ... but if the darn thing breaks after a dozen ... then it becomes a mighty expensive learning experience.

 

[Bird]

Mike, I've not used one, but I've seen a partial exploded view of at least one, and having worked on a number of other air tools, I'll give you an "unbiased opinion" /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

1) Look at what the specs call for in air consumption - do you have enough compressor?
2) Does it come with a manual with an exploded view and parts list? Most air tools are pretty reliable if you don't get dirt in them and do keep them lubricated.
3) Is it a company that's been around long enough to have parts readily available?
4) Most air tools are relatively easy to repair if they have a decent manual and parts availability.
5) Does the company have a "customer service" phone number? Sometimes the "instructions" in the manuals are not quite adequate. Example: To rebuild an IR231 impact wrench, the manuals show to pull the air motor out of the housing. What it doesn't tell you, or even mention, is that you must not pull the cylinder out separately; you must pull it out as one unit and in at least two-thirds of them you must heat the housing with a torch or you'll never get it out.

Now I've a bit of experience with those manual post hole drivers and if I had very many posts to drive, I'd definitely be looking for a pnuematic post driver. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[HomeBrew2]

Those drivers have been discussed before. Hopefully the search function works for it cuz I didn't bookmark them. Those that had them seemed to think they were good as I remember.
I got close to buying one but didn't like the lack or warranty either. I have the same bulletproof clay but no loam cover and I do have rocks. I also didn't like buying a one trick pony.
I bought a 40# Hitachi jack hammer off eBay for $350 instead. It won't be as convenient but is cheaper, more versitile and should be easier to resell if needed. I have made a tamping shoe (for gate post holes) and a shoe to drive pipe. So far it works great as a breaker and for tamping. I haven't had a chance to try driving any pipe yet.
Cheers!

 

[JerryG]

I know someone that has one of that same brand. They like it and use it quite a bit. They also have a tractor mounted driver for the big jobs. Rohrer

 

[Bird]

A quarter inch hose and only 2.2 CFM required. That's surprising, to me at least.

 

[mikim]

Jerry - that's the one .... $450 is a bit of change ....and it's not like I'm going to be doing these all in a week or even a month ... but using the wife's rational - at less than a dollar per post --- might just happen
Bird - I've got a little experience myself with the manual. The one I have wasn't quite heavy enuff when I got it so I had a piece of heavy round steel welded to the top - it provided more punch for each drop ... but I'm a bit older now than when I bought it .... and darned if that piece of steel hasn't gotten heavier over the years! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif hate it when that happens /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( that's the one .... $450 is a bit of change ....and it's not like I'm going to be doing these all in a week or even a month ... but using the wife's rational - at less than a dollar per post --- might just happen
)</font>

I think Bird mentioned it, but you'll either have to have an extremely long extension cord or you'll be laying out another $650 for the gasoline air compressor you can haul around with the post driver. Are you sure you couldn't fab up a t-post holder for your bucket that would allow you or Bernice to insert a post and then stand clear? In a few months when we get some rain, I bet your ground gets a lot softer. It sure is easy pushing posts into the ground when the it's wet and there are no rocks in the way. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I suppose if you already have the air compressor, you'd not be out that much more. Just be sure to tell me when you are going to be doing it so I can stay far, far away. Drivin' posts is one of my least favorite things to do. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[mikim]

got it covered.... gen & compressor on my carryall .... and wife in the seat ....I'm good to go. oh yeah --- we'll be doing the property on Rocky Hill with it also .... NOTE: Rocky Hill ... it didn't get that name by accident. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Rip]

Bought the basic Rehrer unit to speed up about a mile of new T-post fence on ranch in western Colorado and after using it for a few hours the caretaker told me to send it back. He used a small gas powered air compressor but said it would hardly go through anything and was much more trouble than it was worth.

The company did take it back with a full refund less the shipping. They do have several more powerful models that may have worked better. We chose this one because it was specifically for T-posts while the others were said to handle larger type posts but could do T-posts with an adaptor.

Just our experience with the smallest model in perhaps tougher soil than it was made for.

Rip

 

[tillerkiller]

I saw a hand held hydraulic ground-rod driver in action and it was a mighty impressive piece of equipment. I cannot tell you the name of it or even if one is made for T-posts but if one was I am sure that it would do the job for you.