I need a new T-Post pounder.

[sodamo]

texasjohn
Thanks, that sounds simpler than I expected. Might have to start convincing the wife, but she's already asking why she can't do the tractor part? LOL


Wonder if maybe a way to attach it to bucket, assuming pressing, not pounding with bucket would work?

David

 

[weldingisfun]

Yep, it sure does. Course, I only did short sections with the previous one I did. Guess what I had in mind was more a way to carry, unroll, and stretch with minimal wear on my body. Thinking there may be a way I can build a carrier either on my bucket or forks where I can drive (or reverse) the tractor and the wire unrolls, stays vertical, and I can tension when appropriate.

David

David, I saw just what you are looking for at TSC a short while back. Tractor Supply Company - FarmForce Wire Unroller 3 pt Take a look at this, it may be just what you are looking for.
Here it is being used by a TBNer http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/115349-fence-unroller-stretcher.html

Saw another one built by a TBNer that mounted to the FEL.

 

[texasjohn]

Sodomo, down pressure with FEL bucket works for 95% of the t-posts.... pounding is ONLY for those situations where it hits a rock and you want to get a little more depth. sometimes, this breaks a small rock or moves it out of the way and you can go on down further....

So, down pressure is the primary method of driving... call it pressing... t posts into the ground...and driving/pounding is only a last resort.

I considered some sort of attachment... could never figure out how to make it work.. try a few and you'll be surprised how well it works with somebody holding the post while you just GENTLY lower bucket onto its top... then YOU get out of the way and let the wife press it on in. It'll give her a sense of power..... strong suggestion... develop the habit of resting the elbow on arm rest somehow while operating the FEL lever... makes operation much more smooth, much less prone to sudden slips... and this is a place where you don't want slips

 

[orezok]

If you have too much money, how about one of these?

Propane Hammer by Tippmann

 

[QRTRHRS]

If you have too much money, how about one of these?

Propane Hammer by Tippmann

Heck, if money was no problem, I would be paying someone else to do my fence, ha!

texasjohn, I appreciate your input but I am doing all of this solo. Having just moved here, I don't know a lot of people yet and pretty much have no neighbors. Those I do have are out working. My wife is a pretty good sport about helping me with some things but she is not mechanically minded and she happens to be hearing impaired. Not a good combination for either end of the deal.

I did extend the spring post pounder with an 18" long piece of 2" PVC conduit just to see how it would work before I had it modified by welding. Using both PVC cleaner and glue, I hammered the bell end on and it has held up for about 30 posts so far. Now at least I don't pull it off of the post top while hammering and the long extention does not damage my galvanized T-posts.

I also tried wrapping the handles with "horse tape" but that did not dampen the vibration so today, I picked up some anti vibration work gloves at Tractor Supply. Have not used those yet though.

 

[texasjohn]

OK..I do understand the problem of being short handed... and agree that this is an activity best supported by your wife from afar.

Final idea... just START a post, then get in tractor and proceed as indicated... this gets it placed by you, minimizes the sweat of pounding and gives you a chance to use the tractor.... I've done it this way.... biggest problem is that post may go in a little crooked... but you can always bend it back in line after moving tractor out of the way...

Best wishes with your fence building!

 

[sodamo]

Thanks for all the info guys.

I'd like that TS unroller, just don't know how to get one here in HI. To me $400 for 3000+' of fence sounds like a reasonable tool. Haven't found another on the internet yet. May have to consider a homemade version. I've noticed each roll of wire seems to be heavier than the last.

As for the wife - she's really pretty good. In building our house, we used the tractor for placement of 10', 4in pipe supports, a lot of beams 4X10, 4X12 etc and she was the finesse person. I'd get the piece in general vicinity then turn the tractor portion over to her so I could due the manual guiding. She also helped unload the roofing panels using boompole from 40" containers. She just says I yell a lot. Of course, we all know I just had to speak loudly to be heard over the tractor.

I will use the "press" method as described, but will be pondering some way to mount the pipe.

David

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have been pounding in a sharpened steel rod to about six inches with a sledge in order to get a good straight start on the T-posts. That is just enough along with a couple of whacks to get the stabilizing plate started then the posts generally run pretty true.

The thought just came to me that I can pound them down with the loader bucket after that working alone. Have to try that in a day or two when I finish up some other things.

 

[QRTRHRS]

texasjohn,

I tried finally gave the bucket method that you recommended a shot and I gotta' hand it to you, it worked pretty well. Like I mentioned, I used a metal rod and made about a six inch starter hole then pounded the post in until the guide plate was started.

The posts were seven footers too! I put my grapple bucket on since it is pretty heavy duty. I found it best to center the bucket else a little twist could cause a post to slide sideways. A few of the small percent that needed hammering bent from hitting rocks.

Having a set of forks for my loader, I was thinking one could weld up a rectangular box to slip over the forks with a piece of pipe on the bottom to stablize the post and have at it.

 

[texasjohn]

GOOD JOB... and now you know why I put a metal pipe just slightly larger than the T post itself over the post before I start driving the post.. since using this technique, I have not had a bent post.

Glad you tried it... beats manpower muscle