Can you drive in a post with a FEL?

[inveresk]

I tried using the fel on my Kubota 3130. I gave up for the reasons others stated - not enough weight and power, difficulty in keeping the posts straight, wear and tear on the machine, and for safety reasons.

Now I hire in a local contractor with a post pounder. Cost usually works out around $2 - $2.50 per post. I do the prep. work so the post holes are all started and the posts set in place but there's no backfilling or consolidating to do as would be the case with the use of an auger, nor is there a need to use post haste concrete or the like.

 

[Ken45101]

I suspect it would only work in ground too swampy for the tractor to operate on. I think the tractor would get in deeper than the post

Ken

 

[beenthere]

Two different meanings in the OP that can lead to two different answers.
No, can't likely "drive" in wood posts. Good reasons given, and hitting one square with the bucket would be most difficult.

Yes, to the possibility of "shoving" one in the ground. Putting a load of dirt or gravel in the bucket, and applying even pressure to the top of the post may shove it into the ground. But that will depend a lot on the ground conditions, and like Ken mentioned, may also be conditions for getting the tractor stuck.

But also, I see no harm in trying it and letting us know how well it works.
The post squirting out from under the bucket would be my main concern, and what it can strike (helper or tractor) another.

 

[Mousefield]

No way would I even try to push a 6 inch wood post into the ground. We had about 250 round 4-6 inch posts pushed in by an excavator, Hitachi 120. Even then he broke a couple trying to get them in deep enough. For the most part our land is dirt from a few inches to a few feet and then clay. I just could not see me doing it with my Kioti CK35. We are going to be doing more fencing and I have purchased a used 3pt post hole auger set. After I have finished with it the plan is to resell it. It does not sound like you are doing hundreds of them so talk to your rental store, they may have a 2 man auger that would work for you.

 

[rd_macgregor]

A couple of years ago I put in a bunch of posts with a manual post pounder that a neighbour made. His was very heavy square steel and must have weighed over 50 pounds.
I just picked up my new post pounder from the local steel shop last week. It is a 5 in diameter steel pipe 24 in long with a heavy welded cap and a couple of U-shaped handles and weighs about 35 lbs. Slip it over the post and bang it up and down. Better than a gym membership for building upper body strength, and will put a post down 18 inches in a couple of minutes.
If you can do your own welding and can find a piece of well casing, you could make one of these up on the cheap. I paid over $70 for mine all made up.
BOB

 

[beenthere]

Bob

Get that setup and just use the FEL to raise the weight, and a trip rope to let it drop. Then back down with the FEL to pick up the weight again. I like that kind of exercise better. Just moving it from post to post sounds like exercise to me.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I've never tried to drive in a new post, but on many occasions I've pounded down existing cedar fence posts (with rails still attached) that have heaved from frost and/or were starting to lean over. Usually do it in the spring when the ground is soft, however I'm typically only driving the post about 6 to 8 inches.

When I'm perpendicular to the fence line, I'll straighten the post by slowly un-curling the bucket against the back of the post using a spotter to let me know when it is back to vertical, then I'll level the bucket and press down on the post until it won't go down anymore.

Then stuff the cavity left behind the post with dirt or stonedust. I've prolonged the lifespan of many fence lines doing this.

 

[Dave5264]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/157448-fall-project-post-pounding-more.html

see this link, if you can rent one of these, its the way to go.

fast, cheap, and minimal prep

 

[NSBound]

Yes, Dave that would be the way to go, but it's a bit of overkill for the number of posts I'm talking about. I'm going to try something and will report back. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions!

 

[Dave5264]

OK, not sure how many you have to put in, or even if you have one of these in your area, however at $75/day (or $40 half day) its pretty economical.

but...it does depend on how close by you can locate one and how much they rent for in your area.

Good luck either way.