Hydraulic post driver

[houser52]

My 120 acre farm is in need of a major fence overhaul and I'm thinking of investing in a 3 point hydraulic post driver for my M7060. I already use a post hole auger and it works great but the holes still need to be filled and tamped. That takes a lot of time and to be honest tamping takes it's toll on my 66 year old body.

I've looked at drivers in the price range of a Shaver HD10 or the comparable driver from Kencove. I also considered the Protec P200 but it's above what I want to spend. I contacted a local fence company to see what they would charge just to drive wooden posts and they wanted $37.50 per post just to drive them if I supplied the posts. I'm NOT doing that!

At this point I'm sure what to do. The reasons being is that I'll be 67 this year and I'm not sure if a $4000-$5000 post driver is a smart investment for someone my age. I work alone and even though I'm still very active I'm not sure if those drivers can be operated by just one person.

I'd like to see what you guys think.

 

[Birdhunter1]

At $37.50 a post I would almost consider driving to do the job myself if you have at least 100 posts to put in.

If I was buying a new one I would go with the 10" model on any of them just to get the extra thumping force, but the Kencove PD80 Kencove PD8 Post Driver Tractor-Mounted is a very good price and from what I can tell is about the same machine as my old and ancient Shaver HD8. Just remember that is has to have 1 remote with a detent to feed it and HAS TO return directly back to the sump of your tractor to work.

 

[houser52]

Thanks for the reply.

I took the $37.50 per post as that they didn't want to mess with it or I was some yahoo with more money than sense.

 

[Birdhunter1]

It's up there for pricing, but if they have a 2-3 man crew it isn't a horrible bid price if you are paying your guys well, the contractor is insured, equipment is kept up well. I could see this price more for commercial bid work than a residential or farm job.

 

[Avenger]

Does anyone around you rent this type of equipment? Maybe consider renting a skid steer mounted one? I donno. I have only driven t-posts with the FEL or augured out holes like you were sayin for the wood posts (RR ties). Just thinking 'out loud'

 

[houser52]

Does anyone around you rent this type of equipment? Maybe consider renting a skid steer mounted one? I donno. I have only driven t-posts with the FEL or augured out holes like you were sayin for the wood posts (RR ties). Just thinking 'out loud'

That was my first thought too. I've searched the web for places near me that rents but nothing pops up. I wouldn't mind renting one at all

 

[radios1]

this looks like a good one, Postmaster 9 with Tilt | Post Driver | Danuser you can rent it out for extra income, too!..

 

[jacew]

If I had to put in my ~300 fence posts again I would lay them out and rent a large excavator for a day or 2

 

[EddieWalker]

I've gone back and forth on buying a driver for my posts or drilling the holes and pouring concrete in the hole, and for the amount of time I have available to work on this, and I've decided to drill the holes and do as much as I can, as I have the time available to work on it. 3 point post hold auger with a 12 inch auger will get the job done, it's just time consuming, but very low on what each hole will cost.

 

[AllenKY]

You might consider using metal posts and drive them. I don't know the cost difference.

 

[radios1]

That was my first thought too. I've searched the web for places near me that rents but nothing pops up. I wouldn't mind renting one at all

I found some. equipment rental Cherryville, NC - Google Search

 

[searcyfarms]

i used a T post driver - hollow tube with handles on 3/8 by 1/4 x 1/4 mile fence - 5 strand barbed wire, I was 17 then tho did it for 5 bucks/hour - made a barbed wire spool reel out of piece of pipe and a 21inch disk blade with t post thru the pipe to hold it in place - made a bracket for the back axle of my dirt bike and drug each wire after i mowed the fence lines. I would have given my left arm for something to drive those posts with lol - now days i push them down with my loader bucket - I dont envy you with your fence project I would definitely recommend something to put the posts in with

 

[searcyfarms]

we dont do well with regular posts around here unless they are hedge and hard to find 100 of those that are straight LOL that you could pound in