Post Drivers: Shaver HD-8 v. HD-10?

[reasley]

I will likely be purchasing a post driver in the next two months and it looks like the Shaver HD-8 and HD-10 are in the price range for my needs. I have a JD 4300 HST, and it has 8.3 GPM output for implements. The HD-8 requires well under that and the HD-10 requires more. However, a call to Shaver's technical support confirms that the HD-10 will work fine -- the only difference will be recovery times and I probably won't notice a significant difference anyway. However, the HD-10 comes with a Cat 2 mounting bracket that would either require modification for my Cat 1 hitch or vice versa.

Some of my property has what is called "fractured rock" locally, meaning that there are basically rock pieces, but not a solid slab of rock (at least at posthole depths).

My question(s):

1. Has anyone used both? If so, will the HD-8, given enough blows, drive through fractured rock? How muuch estimated time per post?

2. Is the HD-10 (~71,000 lbs) significantly faster than the HD-8 (~30,000 lbs)?

3. Any additional observations about post drivers in general and possible alternatives that I may have missed that are <$4,000?

[Note that I already have a post hole digger.]

Thanks in advance!

 

[DuaneW]

The big question is what size posts will you be driving, the HD-8 will handle a smaller post (not sure on size, maybe 8" vs 10") than the HD-10. The larger the post you are driving the more force needed. My brother recently picked up a Hd-8 at auction, has made 3pt mounts and a frame mount for the 175 allis. 90% of the time it works fine, as most inline posts are 6"-7", however, they do have to use the digger for larger corner/gate posts. You have to decide if the cycle times are quick enough on the HD-10, what doesnt seem slow after 1 or 2 posts will start to really drag after a day of setting posts. For areas where the posts are hard to set, they take a chain saw put a point on the posts, helps alot.

DuaneW.

EDIT: you won't believe what he paid...... $125 with no mounts, some people are just lucky.

 

[reasley]

You are exactly right on the post sizes; I neglected to address that in the message. The HD-8 will do 7 & 1/8" and the HD-10 will do 8 & 3/4".

With the above in mind and your brother's good luck, please order two HD-10s for me through him. At those prices, I can afford a backup!

 

[drssg]

I have an HD-12, and it takes me 5-6 minutes to drive a 6" diameter post. This is AFTER I've done all the prep work of running a string, marking where the posts will go, and placing a post at each marker. I may be slow, but I stop and check the straightness of the post with a level every few hits. It's a lot easier to put them in straight than to straighten them after they're in the ground. I also don't try to hit the post with maximum force on each stroke. I'd rather take it slower and reduce damage to the post.

Our soil is clay-based with no rocks, but I wouldn't even try to drive them right now. I would wait until we get more rain. I like the ground to be soft enough to help the posts go in, but not so soft that the tractor tears things up. It's not so much the power of the driver, but the durability of the posts. If the ground is hard the driver will practically destroy the post. I've never tried sharpening the end of the post.

I haven't had good luck driving in rocky soil. I helped a friend put up a fence, and it worked fine on the far end of the field. As we got closer to the house, it was a sandy soil mixture with some small rocks, and I was getting nowhere. As a point of reference, we tried using my auger a couple of months later, and that also wouldn't dig the holes. She ended up renting a bobcat with a front-end auger, which has hydraulic down pressure.

I think it would be ideal if you can find someone locally who has used a driver in your soil type.

 

[art]

I've taken the 8's back in trade from satisfied customers for the 10 and they enjoyed that additional weight. We have varied soil condions, did I say soil, I meant rock conditions from a few to all!