Pushing in 200 T Posts

[Westonium]

I've got 200 T posts to push in, and I am planning to use a pounder to start them, and the FEL to push them in - anyone have a better idea, better way?

6' HD Tposts to be fenced with 4' no-climb.

 

[JerryG]

You must have different dirt than we do. You wouldn't be pushing no posts in with a loader around here.

 

[MikeIA]

I've done it with a Bobcat in soft ground.
Temporarily weld a short (~2") piece of pipe to the bottom of your bucket to "catch" the top of the post, so it doesn't slide slideways as you push and bend the post. (or fly back and hit you or the tractor)
If you have a helper, they can hold the post until you lower the bucket, then you won't have to start them with the pounder.

 

[Highbeam]

Fill the loader wit material, rocks, etc. to use as weight to help drive the post. Worth a try as beating the t-bars with a driver is a shoulder workout.

 

[Marine1]

I just finished putting up my fence on one side of my property. I put in 256 T-Posts with a spring loaded driver from TSC. The job wasn't bad at all (except for the heat) if the dirt is all that's there and no rocks. I had about 12 that had to be drilled in because of rock, a pleasent surprise I must say.
I probably moved faster than pushing them in with a loader too,but I can't swear to it. It seemed very fast to me though. The one thing I do know is. It was cheaper and easier than hauling the tractor to site and using diesel fuel. I figure if you can push them in, you can probably drive them in with relative ease.
Just thought I would chime in with this.
Good luck.
Oh yes, I almost forgot. The rain getting the ground wet helped a lot too.

 

[CCWKen]

Check with a local rental. One down here has an air powered hammer for t-posts. The only problem is that you have to have a gas powered compressor or rent that too.

 

[Alaskanjdeere]

Have you seen one of these? I too have @200 t-post to do next summer and I'm thinking this might be less back breaking. I'll let the tractor carry the air compressor and generator. http://www.rohrermfg.com/postdriver.cfm Good luck

 

[mathey]

i usually do it the other way, start them with the bucket, then finish with the hand held post pounder...all this is moot if the ground is dry and hard

 

[MikePA]

I've used the FEL and a 3ph post driver to set T posts. My experience is;

1. If there are no rocks, you can set the T post with the FEL without any weight in the bucket.
2. If there are rocks, adding weight in the bucket doesn't help, you just increase the odds that the T Post will spring out from under the bucket. Very dangerous.
3. If there are rocks, the 3ph post driver either bends the T Post (dangerous) or it goes in at an angle.
4. To use the FEL, it was best for me to have 2 people. One on the tractor (me) and one to position the bucket above the T post (wife). /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Once the bucket was positioned, she got out of the way.

 

[gary_brady]

I have one of those air cylinder t-post drivers. It works really well and I haven't had any problems with it. I live on the Gulf Coast and most of our soil is heavy clay. When dry it is like concrete. I have a small trailer I pull behind the atv. We load it up with a small gas air compressor and load of t-post. I have areas that are difficult to get a tractor in and use safely. I feel it was money well spent.

 

[HammerFour]

We have just used the T-post drivers around our place to put them in...my wife and mother-in-law did some, my wife and I did some...my favorite was the wife and I putting some in with the clanks from the drivers hitting the t-posts on opposite beats while singing "I've been working on the railroad, all the live long day..."

Well, maybe it was a you had to be there kind of thing, but we sure laughed.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[HomeBrew2]

Gary, which model did you get for that bullet-proof clay ... just the plain T post driver or one of the bigger ones?
Cheers!

 

[Westonium]

Thanks for the link. I think that the key is soaking the soil a bit. Part of my pasture has been irrigated a bit, and the posts in that area went in quite easily. The moles have made it easier too, but I don't know what that says about the stability of the posts. I'm only keeping in Alpacas, sheep, and a Great Pyrennes that won't jump on the fencing, so it probably won't matter much.

I tried pushing some in with the bucket and with the hill adding to the mix, it just wasn't going to work so it got done the hard way. There watered areas were so easy that it wouldn't really be worth using the tractor except to haul the T posts, plumb bob, and assorted equip around.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Bates]

If you have access to a garden hose and water nearby, you're in luck. Turn the water on. Use the plain end of the hose to jab and wash out a hole in the dirt the diameter of the hose about 8" deep.

A few taps with the sledge hammer or a light downward push from the loader is all it takes to fit the post in the hole. The post firms up as the ground dries. Takes about a minute per post.