Homemade Post Driver/Pounder

[HCb]

Looks good so far. I'm going to be building a similar post driver (but for 3pt) in the near future, so it's good to see someone with similar ideas. One of the simplest designs of this style post driver I have seen is the Vector Power Drive Models I and II. They have a pretty simple rope/pulley system and a good sturdy post cap/holder. I'll be roughly modeling mine after the Vector model II+ but in a slightly smaller scale to fit my small tractors.

You may have seen this site already, but here are the post drivers I am referring to: Fence Post Drivers

You can download a PDF brochure that has a lot of good pictures including some fairly close up of the mechanisms.

Thank you for the reply. I had not seen that site and have it opened up now on my other monitor to look at.

--HC

 

[HCb]

Great driver. Wish I had the ability and equipment to build one of those babies.

I hope I'm not hijacking your thread, but I have heard someone say that they drove T-posts by simply pushing it into the ground with their fel bucket. Is that possible? I have several T-posts to put down and hate using the manual drivers.

I have a Kubota L3400. I haven't tried pushing T-posts in, but I sure have pushed over some pretty good sized trees with it.

Thanks,
Don

Hey, Don, thanks for the reply. I don't think it's hijacking too much, really, as it related. I've never tried doing a T post with the FEL but have read, too, where people have discussed/talked about it. I would very much think the success would depend on the soil. But, I would think that if you can do it with a manual driver you can do it by simply pushing it in the ground (T posts have a very small footprint). If your loader has the oomph, it should be doable.

If you look at my photobucket album for the driver, on the last row of pictures, there are pictures of the beginning of my post driver. That same bare support tube could be used to drive a T post. Here's a direct link to one photo http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad226/nunyabusiness11/Post Driver/DSCN0133Medium.jpg

That will hold the T post and allow the downward force to be applied to it while holding the T post captive...whether or not your FEL will have the oomph I don't know...but the device could be built in about 30 minutes (using other, less-beefy metal) for about 50 to 150 dollars depending on what kind of equipment/tools you have and how stout you want to make it.

--HC

 

[HCb]

i have no idea how to praise it. it's awesome fantastic and what not.

Thank you for the kind words. Leavin' 'em speechless is praise enough.

--HC

 

[HCb]

Looks good so far. I'm going to be building a similar post driver (but for 3pt) in the near future, so it's good to see someone with similar ideas. One of the simplest designs of this style post driver I have seen is the Vector Power Drive Models I and II. They have a pretty simple rope/pulley system and a good sturdy post cap/holder. I'll be roughly modeling mine after the Vector model II+ but in a slightly smaller scale to fit my small tractors.

You may have seen this site already, but here are the post drivers I am referring to: Fence Post Drivers

You can download a PDF brochure that has a lot of good pictures including some fairly close up of the mechanisms.

Hmm, just when I was feeling awesome...man, I looked at their Model 4 contractor thingy. WOW. Now that's impressive! Bet it costs a pretty penny. Ah, the Irish...first Guiness now this! Is there no stopping them?

I'm going to be re-licking my calf...again...

--HC

 

[HCb]

looks like you need rear ballest. box blade for weight example extra weight on the box blade. and put box blade on ground. to help stabilize the tractor some. granted front end will bounce some. but perhaps not as much. and give you some better stabilty when on a hill. and working the driver.

i am with others moving controls back away.

from watching video. it looks like you could make generic hinges. out of say 6" or 8" pipe. that you can open close with a hand pull pin to lock them.

or perhaps welding a chain to one side and a hook on other. so you can just swing the chain around the post and hook it. with some slack in it.

car rim cut in half and each half welded to create a grove / hole pipe fits into.

flat bars with groves idea (see diagram/picture)

at moment i could see end of pipe jumping out and do some serious damage to ya. or pipe bending and knuckling ya as it jumps out and away. seen it happen a few times. i tend to use the backhoe myself. i will put a larger size end that slips over top of post. then push the ground rod, t post or like down into the ground, by using the backhoe bucket. and i know them posts can do some pretty good jumping and flying around.

but i have never seen a post driver up front and personal so the ideas for locking post in spot may be pretty far out there. or at least keeping the post were it should be and not some place else completely.

Hey, Boggen, I was looking over the Vector stuff and then linked to a supplier and saw some of the Shaver drivers. I see, on one of them, what appears to be a "curtain" of metal around the driver head that hangs below the impact area of the head. I can do that on my driver as the footprint is 10" x 16", much larger than I will ever drive. I have plenty of 6" x 1/4" flat I can cut to length and weld around the foot of the anvil. That will give me almost 6" of curtain (with it welded on the sides, not the bottom) to catch the top of the post if it tries to warp/bend and jump out.

Thanks for the ideas and the safety consideration.

--HC

 

[boggen]

ya got top portion figured out. sounds like.

though i would still want something at the very bottom.perhaps 2 little pallet forks. that keep the post from jumping sideways on you / hold the pipe for you as you initially drive post into ground

sorry, but when i saw you grab hold of the post with one hand in the video as you operated controls with the other hand. and had no easy view of what was going on. i just *cringed*

other words ya got a nice setup. it is, just that loosing a hand part that has me. from the video, it looks like good manufacturing and should hold up good for a long time. but a little bit more fine tuning for the safety factor.

an idea possibly. DIY a large pliers. and weld to the bottom. with a chain that you can hook on something. will see about diagram later on for ya.

 

[boggen]

large C shape vice grips. weld one of the handles to the bottom of your beam.

vice grips have a abilty to half way lock in place. via the screw and mini hand release lever. small. functional. and doesn't take up alot of space. and only a few bucks spent.