Fencing, to dig or to drive post?

[Dewbie]

I have a Shaver HD10. I am in Western KY & have heavy clay. It will drive a RR tie or cedar post up to about 10" in the summer in about 3 minutes without sharpening the end.

I have sharpened the ends and it helps as long as you can keep the angle fairly even. If you get the point off center or one side longer the post moves to one side while you're driving it.

I also have a hydraulic digger & each one has it's place. The driver is a lot faster & no tamping.

Once the post is drove there's almost no pulling it back out. Roots don't seem to be a problem but rocks will make the post go off to one side or lean.

I think you're kind of close to where I live so your soil conditions are about the same. Glad to hear the hd10 works for you. That's the one in looking at. I think I'm going to call Shaver and tell them my concern and see what they have to say before I make my final decision.

 

[AGRIMAN]

I have a Shaver HD10. I am in Western KY & have heavy clay. It will drive a RR tie or cedar post up to about 10" in the summer in about 3 minutes without sharpening the end.

I have sharpened the ends and it helps as long as you can keep the angle fairly even. If you get the point off center or one side longer the post moves to one side while you're driving it.

I also have a hydraulic digger & each one has it's place. The driver is a lot faster & no tamping.

Once the post is drove there's almost no pulling it back out. Roots don't seem to be a problem but rocks will make the post go off to one side or lean.

I agree. We are currently working on putting up over 10k feet of new fence. No way I would want to dig that many holes. We use large corner post ( 15 to 23 inch range), so we have to dig and pack them, but we drive all our line post.

 

[Dewbie]

I agree. We are currently working on putting up over 10k feet of new fence. No way I would want to dig that many holes. We use large corner post ( 15 to 23 inch range), so we have to dig and pack them, but we drive all our line post.

Do you have a shaver post driver too? Where abouts are you located so I can get an idea of ur soil conditions and if they're like mine?

 

[DJ54]

I drove 5" posts down 3', & 6" posts down 4' with an HD-8, in glacial till, which is basically yellow clay, fire clay, and shaly clay. Granted is was done in late Fall, and we had an open winter, that winter, and ground was just moist. It sure beat tamping augered posts back in.

But the HD-10 sounds like the ticket for you if you decide to go with a driver. Most definitely spend the extra money for the hydraulic tilt, you'll need it.

Too bad you don't have a dealer close that sells them, and willing to put on a demonstration at your place. One did that for my uncle about 40 years ago, and drove enough posts for a few acres pasture for his horses. Dealer lived right across the road from him, and he was looking for a place close to put on a demonstration, so it worked out for both of them.

 

[Dewbie]

I drove 5" posts down 3', & 6" posts down 4' with an HD-8, in glacial till, which is basically yellow clay, fire clay, and shaly clay. Granted is was done in late Fall, and we had an open winter, that winter, and ground was just moist. It sure beat tamping augered posts back in.

But the HD-10 sounds like the ticket for you if you decide to go with a driver. Most definitely spend the extra money for the hydraulic tilt, you'll need it.

Too bad you don't have a dealer close that sells them, and willing to put on a demonstration at your place. One did that for my uncle about 40 years ago, and drove enough posts for a few acres pasture for his horses. Dealer lived right across the road from him, and he was looking for a place close to put on a demonstration, so it worked out for both of them.

I was trying to get away from having to spend the extra money on the hydraulic tilt although I'm sure your right. But if I could demo one on my property and it worked as well or better as they claim I'd be willing to spend the money on it...I think. My wife might divorce me before I get this fence done lol

 

[SandburRanch]

A t post won't hold near the strain a wood post will. We use a combination method. First we punch a hole with a 4" auger full flight depth without cleaning the hole very well and drive a 4"post in to the depth we want. For the corners we run the same auger in up to the motor after thoroughly cleaning the hole out, then drive a square bottom 7-9" post in. Never had an issue with the posts moving at all.

A 4" wood is set every fifth post. There is millions of miles of 5 strand barbed wire fence successfully built that way.

 

[DJ54]

I actually bought mine, hardly used used off ebay. The fellow drove approx 300 posts with it, then it sat in the barn for 5-6 years, and just got tired of moving it I guess. Bought it for 1/3 the cost of a new one.

Pays to check there, or here for ads on CL: SearchTempest: Search all of Craigslist nationwide & more. You can do a search in a radius as far as you'd be willing to travel to get one.

 

[jcummins]

I have a Shaver HD10. I am in Western KY & have heavy clay. It will drive a RR tie or cedar post up to about 10" in the summer in about 3 minutes without sharpening the end.

I have sharpened the ends and it helps as long as you can keep the angle fairly even. If you get the point off center or one side longer the post moves to one side while you're driving it.

I also have a hydraulic digger & each one has it's place. The driver is a lot faster & no tamping.

Once the post is drove there's almost no pulling it back out. Roots don't seem to be a problem but rocks will make the post go off to one side or lean.

I'll echo Timm250. I had a borrowed large post driver, I forget the brand, larger than an HD10....I know at the time I looked up the cost of it, and it was in the teens of thousands....expensive. Anyway, it WORKED. I did put a level on the post...and made slight adjustment to keep things straight as I pounded, but it WORKED. I put several RR ties into the ground, no problem. Only way to fly.

 

[EddieWalker]

All my information is second hand and comes from guys in the exotic deer industry who build fences. One day I plan on raising exotics and plan on fencing in 60 acres of 8 foot tall deer fence. Every one of the ones I've spoken to have told me that a post driven into the ground is stronger and harder to get out then one set in concrete. I've been told that they have done both, side by side, then come back a week later and pulled them out to show their clients the difference. The post in concrete always comes out easier. They also prefer metal over wood. I'm a wood guy and this has been a real issue for me to overcome, but I've finally reached that point where I'm going to use metal for my corner and H brackets. They say to go 5 T posts, then put in a 2 3/8 pipe for the runs, H brackets for any changes in elevation and for corners, to pound the anchoring post into the ground at least six feet and weld the diagonal support pipe to it.

The other big lesson that I've learned from my neighbor, who fenced in about 120 acres of his land five years ago is to make sure all the trees are removed that are close to the fence. His fence is in terrible shape from all the branches that have fallen on it, and I've only seen a small amount of it. I'm in the process of removing every tree within 30 feet of where my fence will go. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!!

Sadly, I've learned that saving a tree never pays off, and sooner or later, it will have to come out anyway, usually after it's started dropping branches, or dies on you. Every single tree that I wanted to keep, but ended up taking out, I've found that I don't miss it. Better to get it out when it's easy then try to keep it and deal with it when it's harder and more expensive.

Eddie

 

[Timm250]

I bought my Shaver driver from Electric Fence, High Tensile Fencing Supplies about 6 years ago.

It was about $1500 cheaper including shipping than buying it from any of the local dealers. None of them had one anyway & would have to order it.