Going to be setting some posts.

[daTeacha]

I'm building a second floor on my deck. I will be setting 5, 16' 4x6 treated posts into holes 3' deep that are either in or immediately next to my existing deck. I have a DX 29 with the LA14 loader and a grapple on the bucket. There is a 900 lb. counterweight on the rear end. I am working alone.

I am planning to use the bucket/grapple to carry the posts around the house to the job site, then to lift, place, and set them. What I have in mind is to use a timber hitch or similar knot to tie the post to the grapple at a point about 10 feet from the bottom with the post perpendicular to the tractor. Then I'll lift the bucket, allowing the post to come to a more or less vertical position, hanging from the open grapple with the bucket curled back enough to keep the end off the ground -- the bucket will be pretty much all the way up at this juncture. The next step will be to drive gingerly to a point where the post bottom is more or less over the hole and through a combination of tilting the bucket, lowering the bucket, and moving the tractor -- plus a lot of off again and on again to see how things are lining up -- to lower the post into the hole where there is already some of the concrete waiting.

4 of the posts will have existing deck on one side of them and the 5th one will have existing boards on 3 sides when properly positioned.

Aside from the need to be very careful, does anyone see any obvious flaws with my plan? Does anyone have a better idea? A treated 16 foot 4 x 6 is going to weigh enough and be long enough that I can't just grab it and stand it on end by hand -- despite being 6'2'', I can't quite reach the tipping point of the things when trying to stand them up -- the bottom keeps going away. Besides, that wouldn't be nearly as much fun as using the tractor.

[shane]

Go to the project forum and read post #8:

"Finally started on my Texas pole barn! ( 1 2 3 ... Last Page)
Megado"

[john_bud]

Friend of mine did a pole barn with 12' sides and set all the poles by hand (dug the holes by hand too - not jobber!). He made a plywood sheet (in 2 pieces for removal) with a hole in it to slip over the dirt hole. Pinned the sheet with a stake and then slid the poles in and walked them up. After the 1st hole, he put a piece of wood in the hole for the pole to slide down. Less damage to the hole.

He was able to dig, set and fill about 1 hole an hour. But those were deeper holes and bigger poles.

He also set the rafters on the poles by hand and alone. Told you - he's a nut jobber. But one that could build a house by himself just given a rusty fork...

jb

[Tororider]

I agree with Shane, I was going to suggest the method that Megado used as well, but he explains it great and has a ton of pictures. That is how I would go about it. Good luck.

[jimmysisson]

Sure, you can set posts that way, even easier if you get some help from a second set of eyes. That would save lots of getting on and off the seat.
One thing I'd think about is that even with pressure treatment, placing timbers side by side promotes rot. If there's a way to do so, I'd try to get the posts separated by 1-2 inches to allow some air in there to dry things after a rain.
The plywood post funnel sounds like it would save time as well from not having to scrape the dirt you knock in off the footing.
Jim

[buckeyefarmer]

put one end over the hole, then pick up the other end and walk it up, let the other end fall in the hole. I put up a bunch of 16' 6x6's by hand and it was easy.