T post driver

[mikim]

It came from Rohrer Manufacturing Inc. :: Fence Post Drivers and Supplies They had a delay in sending it - I don't remember why - but they contacted me right away via email telling me about the delay and asking if I wanted to wait or get a refund. I waited - there wasn't any hurry - The instructions tell you to get a firm grasp on it when you flip the valve up -- they aren't kidding -- The 2 problems I had with it were 1. holding it well enough that it didn't go nutz (small learning curve there) and 2. stopping it quick enough so the post is at the right height. It wanted to drive 'em clear to the bottom in nothing flat. This pneumatic hammer doesn't so much as pound ........pound.........pound.........as it does poundpoupoupoupoupoupound.... and you better be ready for it. .... The "blue beast" is my manual driver with a weight welded on top. Worked really well 30 years ago -- don't werk so well nowadays... .... The pnuematic one is yellow & orange and has a t-post sticking out of it.

 

[vmarc]

I have a similar project coming up.Not as many posts though.Lots of great ideas here.I'm going to use those ideas,plus I'm gonna set the posts a few inches into the ground with a lite weight driver and finish with the fel.I'll do six or eight at a time to eliminate getting on and off the tractor so many times.Thanks fellas.

 

[John D]

$400?? the other ones ive seen are in the 15-2000 range. sure is sweet though. maybe Christmas will come early this year seein how its for her horses. jb

 

[mikim]

I went to the site to check my link and I see it's $450 now ..... inflation...

 

[dirtworksequip]

I did a T-post driving test today. Ground was froze to 2 inches. Layed post at desired spacing. By hand I was able to drive 10 post in 6.37 minutes. Now that is not tweeking them for plumb,but they where fairly plumb anyway. Lets just call it 10 minutes or 1 min per post. I doubt that you can stand one in place get on your tractor, shove it in, back up the tractor, move to the next post, get off the tractor. set the next post in less than 1 min. Hey, I'm all for using my tractors to reduce work, but then what happens when you are trying to push in post over the hill on a 25 percent grade?

 

[John D]

Im still going to give this a shot. because???? I can! plus Im not in a hurry. jb

 

[jk96]

I doubt that you can stand one in place get on your tractor, shove it in, back up the tractor, move to the next post, get off the tractor. set the next post in less than 1 min.

Anytime I use the FEL to push in T-posts I use a helper. I think it would be a real pain to try and do alone.

 

[HomeBrew2]

I almost bought the air driver but wanted the model that would drive 2" pipe, which was getting into too much $ for a single use tool. Instead I got a Hitachi 40# electric demo hammer off eBay for $300 and made a driving sleeve like the air model. Works good

 

[3RRL]

Hi neighbor,
That's a great deal on tha Hitachi hammer.
LOL ... Don't let the tailgate cops catch you though.

 

[JC-jetro]

I almost bought the air driver but wanted the model that would drive 2" pipe, which was getting into too much $ for a single use tool. Instead I got a Hitachi 40# electric demo hammer off eBay for $300 and made a driving sleeve like the air model. Works good

My hat's off to you. Good thinking. I do like to have multiple use tool rather than single.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Yeh, it's a handy little dude. 2" (pointed) pipe is working it pretty good in cobblestone and willow roots. This pic is of my little creek crossing. Sure glad I shot that line with my total station cuz the old fence was off 4' and I'd sure hate to do that job again if I wound up with a nasty neighbor.

(Howdy neighbor Rob, no poelice on a private road around here

 

[dkocian]

...I got a Hitachi 40# electric demo hammer off eBay for $300 and made a driving sleeve like the air model. Works good

How well did the jack hammer work on putting in the T-Posts? I have been thinking about doing the same thing. Ground is so hard I put bucket from front end loader on post, and it lifted the tractor front end off the ground. Did not move the post an inch. Then I lifted the bucket and "dropped" it on the posts. No movement. Using the hand pounder, I could get a post in the ground with about 200 hits. Got an 18" long masonary bit and drilled into the clay and filled it full of water. Then could drive a little easier. The propane, hydraulic, and air compressor drivers are just too expensive and all have mixed reviews. I have been thinking about making a jig for a jack hammer. Cup on top to go over the post, with a cup on the bottom of about a 5' piece of pipe or post to hold the jack hammer chisel. Wouldn't have to stand up on top of the pickup bed but could drive them from the ground. First, just need to know that the jackhammer will put them in the ground.
Thanks!

 

[John D]

Well seein this come back up. Mine did work well with FEL.

 

[Kfbeal]

I recall the rig, and comes in handy in more ways than one.

We have always set our corners, then string one run of barb wire (if barbed wired fence) and stetch it. We then set the posts next to it with the FEL. We have some hard soil (heavy black land) and do tend to bend some posts but they can be staightened and moved further down. On those we can't get, we use the driver or sledgehammer.

One thing about setting 10 posts in 6 minutes with the hand driver is my tractor never gets tired. We've run a 1/2 mile to mile of fence a fence in a day settings posts once and if we had to do that by hand we wouldn't have been worth a plugged nickel the next day.

I've seen an attachement on the bucket similar to John D's with a pipe with a large flange on bottom. You slide the t-post in the pipe, set it down with bucket and push it in. The flange keeps it from going deeper than needed. The pipe also keeps the t-post from bending.

 

[canoetrpr]

Interesting thread. I drove some T posts earlier last month to put up some snow fence (tired of blowing my driveway over and over with no snowfall in between!).

I prefer using machinery and saving my body. I put these in the FEL route with my wife as the helper. Some went in no problem but I did have problems with several - I imagine they are just hitting rocks and such. I bent two T posts.

I think if I had to put a whole fence line in, I'd be picking up the air powered one for $450.