$150.00 post driver.

[imabass]

I'm confused on how the cylinder pics up the weight and then releases it. Any chance of a video of it in operation?

The hydraulic ram will move the lever arm away from the mast. As this happens it will pull the cable and lift the weight. This is built almost exactly like mine but I would say better.

 

[Shield Arc]

Incase anybody is wondering how I built the swivel so the mask will be plumb to the earth when the tractor is setting on uneven ground. The loader will take care of everything in line with the tractor. The gimbal will rotate left or right with the use of the top link.

 

[bcp]

A similar swing arm weight dropper is the Mini-Ram

and there is a log splitter conversion.

Mini-ram log splitter

Bruce

 

[stuckmotor]

Looks great Shield Arc. I'm with Eddie on the video and like you, every time I've thought about building one I wondered whether the cylinder would empty fast enough for a good drop.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

A similar swing arm weight dropper is the Mini-Ram


Bruce

I can't believe he puts his hand under the weight to hold the post. Seems like a lot of ways that could end badly. I'd have a pair of tongs or something to hold the post up while the pounding starts. Or a piece of coat-hanger wire or something.

 

[Shield Arc]

I can't believe he puts his hand under the weight to hold the post. Seems like a lot of ways that could end badly. I'd have a pair of tongs or something to hold the post up while the pounding starts. Or a piece of coat-hanger wire or something.

Try standing under this when the pile hits a void, and free falls 30 to 40-feet. 30-tons of pile, and 10-tons of hammer.
Concrete Technology Corporation - Piling Properties

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Never seen one of these before. Thanks for posting SA. Now I have another item to add to the build list.

 

[kevin37b]

Try standing under this when the pile hits a void, and free falls 30 to 40-feet. 30-tons of pile, and 10-tons of hammer.
Concrete Technology Corporation - Piling Properties

Does it separate the boom from the crane ?

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Looking at your design a little closer and comparing it to the video Bruce linked, It would appear that you don't have a "follower plate" that rests on the top of the post and slides on the mast and instead the foot is welded solid to the mast? While yours is a more simple build, is there any worry about beating the foot off the bottom of the mast? Do you just set the whole thing on top of the post, put FEL in float and drop the weight while compensating for the arc of the FEL as it lowers?

While yours would have a consistent stroke length which would result in equal force hits, you would be limited in how long of a post you could drive by how high your FEL lifts.

 

[Shield Arc]

Does it separate the boom from the crane ?

The crane operator just releases the brakes on the hammer, and pile line. But when the pile stops, or slows down he hits the brakes.

Looking at your design a little closer and comparing it to the video Bruce linked, It would appear that you don't have a "follower plate" that rests on the top of the post and slides on the mast and instead the foot is welded solid to the mast?

The follower slides up and down the C-channel. There is a bolt with a double nut at the bottom of the C-channel so the follower doesn't fall off.