pulling 6 inch round posts, sank 4 ft deep...

[bthomas67wagon]

I was going to rent a Bobcat for the weekend, but am trying to figure a way to save $300+.

I have 100+ posts (8 ft long, driving 4 ft down, no concrete) that I need to remove.

Besides using a tractor or bobcat or digging for the next 10 weeks, what would be another option for getting them removed?
I was looking it the A-frame or Wheel method and my 3/4 burb, but IDK if that is gonna work?

Ideas?
...or just rent the skidsteer for the weekend?

Thanks
Brent

Ps. Anyone in Columbus Ohio want to make $300 pulling posts?

 

[Oliver1655]

I have pulled many a post using a Farm hand/high lift jack resting on a block of wood using a chain wrapped around the post.

On the flip side you could hire a bobcat with operator for about $150 who wuld come & pull them out for you. Half the price & they supply the labor.

John

 

[luvmexfood]

I have had good luck taking a chain and wrapping low on the post then up and over a stout bigger post leaned back toward the post you are pulling. Takes two people but you hold the chain over the leaning post and pull forward with whatever you are using to pull with. As the chain tightens it stands the leaning post up and pulls upward on the post you are trying to pull. Just make sure once you get the slack out of the chain the person holding the chain on top of the leaning post makes a retreat to a safe distance. You could possibly drill a big enough hole through the leaning post for the chain to go through, minus hook, and eliminate someone having to hold the chain on top of the post. They would just have to steady it till it got tight.

 

[joshuabardwell]

For 100+ posts, I'm not sure I would even consider doing it by hand. Just bite the bullet, hire it done, and it'll be done in a couple hours, and have the posts neatly stacked to boot. For the price of a rental, if you got lucky, you could get an experienced operator to come do it in half the time.

 

[paulharvey]

Is pulling them out with chain and truck or tractor not doable for some reason, like space, swamp, or steepness of grade?

 

[bthomas67wagon]

I have an ad on local craigslist to pay someone $300 cash money to pull them...

I have gotten people who say they will do it, but aren't commenting, will get back with me, "let me see", etc...
or
Being jerks and want to take the posts and get paid (Posts are 6 months old and were $11 each...) and even wanting to fight are argue about it?! WTF?!
or
I'm just getting spam or junk ads

I'm fine with paying the $300 (or $250 to rent a bobcat), I just need it done this weekend.

Maybe I'll try the post/lever idea, but being 4 ft down, IDK if that would cause issues or even work since the method seems to be shown only with 4x4 a couple ft down or a tree root...

 

[DT86]

Those suckers are going to be in the ground pretty good. Did you plan to wiggle them loose a little or just pull them straight out? Around here, with clay based soils, there will be a tremendous amount of suction on a 6" post.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Have you tried using your 3pt? There is no way in the world your gonna wrap a chain around them and pull them laterally. I removed a pile of 4" and 6" posts with a JD 750 (27hp) just by using the 3pt and a short length of chain. Double or triple wrap the post and hook it onto the bar, little lift and it comes right out, once you get some practice, you can re-grip without getting out of the tractor seat! Plus if need be, you and push/pull and wiggle them a little bit with the machine to get them to come out.

 

[hosspuller]

If you rent the Bobcat. Get a length of chain. Fasten it to the ends of the bucket at the top making a loop that droops from side to side. Drive to a post, curl the bucket down & loop the chain over the post. Lower the bucket to the ground, then curl the bucket up with the edge against the post. Careful. too much curl and you'll break the post. You want just enough pressure to grip the post. Lift the bucket & post out of the ground. Advantage .. no need for a helper, no need to leave the seat.

This is the same sort of technique that wrought_harv uses with his attachment.

 

[bcp]

For that amount of posts, I would make or have made a steel plate with a hole slightly larger than the post. It would work like the locking plates of a pipe clamp. Make a post+ size hole and a chain hole. Drop it over the post and lift.

Bruce