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whstein
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 10 Vancouver Island
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2008-05-09          153567


I have just bought my first tractor - a Kubota B26 to go with 6 acres of partly unfenced land. One of my first projects will be to build a fence approximately 1200' long. I am thinking of a 4' high fence with 6' metal posts - the "I" beam type. I am wondering if I will need to drill post holes (and buy an auger) or if it is realistic to think I can set the posts by forcing them down with the backhoe. I have seen this done with bigger post and bigger machines but wonder if the B26 will do the job. The soil is mostly former river bottom and not full of rocks. Thanks for your comments. Wally Stein



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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2008-05-09          153573


If there's a hoe, I trust there's a FEL too, and presumably your rig is at least as big as my 22HP one.

I use a helper to hold the post, and the loader bucket to gingerly push it down. If I have to do it on my own I set the post with a sledge and then push it.

I use posts with a "T" cross-section. Before buying the posts, check on what they sell to attach the fencing. You could buy a sample of different posts and try them.

For when it hits a rock and bends from the push, I keep a fairly thin but strong chain on hand (slip-hook one end, grab-hook on other), pull it up with the bucket and retry a few inches away.

It will take a few to get the hang of it. Depending on what works, you can weight the bucket for a stronger push, or use the bucket like a pile driver. You usually have to move the tractor a few inches as the post goes down.

Sometimes you can't get the tractor to the site, so I also have a sledge and a post-hole driver. If you have a helper, outfit with hard hat, safety goggles, gloves, and maybe a long pair of grips so his hand is not in harm's way. ....


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2008-05-09          153580


Easiest way to drive steel is a pipe with a heavy drive cap and 2 handles and hammer them down. You could rent a larger impact hammer like they use to drive ground rods in hard soil. Just need generator to run. ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-05-09          153581


Wally, I don't know what part of the island you're on, but every part of it I've seen has as much rock as soil under the grass.

If your place is like that then forget about pushing them in with the tractor, they will just fold when you hit a rock.

Harvey has the right idea. Get a slide hammer type of pipe setup and a strong young kid to swing it.

I've made scads of them over the years, just take 2' of heavy wall pipe a little larger than the size of posts you plan on using and weld a piece of heavy plate over one end as a cap and a long 'U' shaped handle down each side. Slide it over the end of the post and by hoisting it up and slamming it down the posts go in real easy.

Best of luck. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2008-05-09          153587


Murf; You are correct on how to drive a "T" post with the heavy pipe with the cap and the handles on the side. I even have a store bought one, not homemade for Heaven's sake we go first class around here. The loader push in deal with a bucket full of dirt for more push just never worked real good even without rocks. You sound like you even enjoy pounding in posts, has someonme been sneaking something into your coffee lately? ....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2008-05-10          153607


Even spaced at 10 feet apart that's still 120 posts plus braces.

I'd be tempted to use a portable gas-driven drill or 1/2" electric drill (and generator) with a small dirt auger (the type sprinkler and fence guys use) or even a masonry bit to make a pilot hole then hit once or twice with a slide hammer/pounder. Of course, I never have dependable help around so I laways have to look for ways to do it myself and quickly, and cheaply.

As far as using the bucket--loaded or not--to push the posts in, even with my big skid steer with about 3000lb. of wet clay and the weight of the bucket, plus the machine's available downpressure--I could only force them about 6" in mildly moist clay. ....


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candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
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2008-05-11          153617


Whstein,

I'd look into renting a hydraulic fence post driver. You won't believe how easy it is until you try it. It takes about a minute to drive a post with one of these things, and with almost no effort. Even rocks are no problem, as the rocks simply vibrate out of the way.

Joel ....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2008-05-11          153627


I was going to mention Joel's suggestion, but unless the pounder is the type that clamps to the side of the post, lifting the pounder can get real annoying not to mention tiring. You'd have to either ride in the bucket and operate the pounder, or stand on a ladder to reach the controls.

I have a 67lb.-class hydraulic pavement breaker that takes a 1-1/8" shank/tool/bit. I wonder if it would slide over the post? Or would it even have enough punch to drive a T-post? ....


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candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
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2008-05-12          153639


Earthwrks,

The hydraulic fence post drivers are pretty heavy. They weigh about 60 pounds. It works best to suspend the driver from the loader bucket using a heavy rubber strap. No lifting is required.

The best way to do this is to start each post with a hand operated post driver. Once they are all in place, and started straight, they can then be driven completely in using the hydraulic driver.

I believe your pavement breaker would work just fine.

Here's what I'm referring to. See the link below.

Joel

....


Link:   Hydraulic Post Driver

 

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-05-12          153646


Frank, "You sound like you even enjoy pounding in posts"? No chance, not any more, these days 'Manual Labor' is the Mexican guy I hire to do it for me. ;)

EW, it will work, BUT, you will never it get it back off. The hammering will mushroom the T-bar into the head of the breaker. Don't ask how I know!!! You need a "driver cup" to go on it in place of the bit, it's a (as the name suggests) hardened steel cup with the proper shank to lock into your breaker, but the key is it has a bell-mouthed cup so as the steel bar mushrooms it forces itself out instead of trapping itself in there.

Best of luck. ....


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bvance
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 280 The Great Pacific NorthWet, Olympia, WA
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2008-05-12          153659


WH,

Use a sleeve post driver that has been suggested. With the type of dirt you have, 3 or 4 slams with it and it's in. Lay out the posts where you want them and you can put one down in about every 2 minutes and in in about 5 or 6 hours and you're done.

I speak from experience. As a kid I lived on a cattle ranch in SW Idaho and built miles and miles of 4 strand barb wire fences with steel posts pounded into very rocky soil. With a post driver, you can even put a steel post in some very rocky, difficult conditions. Get the heavy duty posts, as your fence will stay tighter and last longer.

Don't do it with an auger, because you will never get the dirt packed back in tight enough to hold the post steady. Only use the auger for your cedar corner posts or for the stretching points. Using a FEL would require 2 people and you can do it faster with a post driver.

This thread brought back a lot of memories!!

Brian ....


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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2008-05-13          153664


We also used a sleeve post driver in my younger years, that's how everyone did it. Also drove lots of wellpoints that way.

That's how I got a 54" chest and 18 1/2" neck. It is good arobic excercise and you will live longer and heathier. ....


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