Stake Driver

JimR · Feb 3, 2007

Does anyone know of a hydraulically operated stake driver for a tractor? My farmer friends puts in 3 to 5 thousand stakes each year for his tomatoes. They are wooden, about 1 in.x 1.75 in. and are 4 ft. long. He drives them intot he ground one foot using a 3lb sledge. Like most old timers, his arm is not like it used to be and needs a better way to do the job. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

nosliw · Feb 3, 2007

don't know if this is doable or not in this situation...

before a friend of mine got a PHD we welded a plate on the bottom of his bucket to 'whack' fence posts into the ground.

JimR · Feb 3, 2007

nosliw said:
don't know if this is doable or not in this situation...

before a friend of mine got a PHD we welded a plate on the bottom of his bucket to 'whack' fence posts into the ground.

I think that would be way too slow for him. I found some gas operated tent post installers just a few minutes ago. I think that might work for him if he built an attachment to install the unit on his 3PT hitch. The unit itself weighs 50 pounds and that would be very tiresome to lift up all day long to pound in stakes.

BTDT · Feb 3, 2007

FEL would push stakes in the ground if he has one. Might be overkill. I think someone makes a fencepost driver that is air operated, but that might tear up a wood stake.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/93458-t-post-driver.html?highlight=post+driver

Try this link.

JimR · Feb 3, 2007

BTDT said:
FEL would push stakes in the ground if he has one. Might be overkill. I think someone makes a fencepost driver that is air operated, but that might tear up a wood stake.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/93458-t-post-driver.html?highlight=post+driver

Try this link.

Thanks for the link. I sent the air driven driver to my friend. The FEL would be way to slow to do thousands of stakes.

silverdollar6 · Feb 7, 2007

Maybe a 2 lb sledge?

JimR · Feb 7, 2007

silverdollar6 said:
Maybe a 2 lb sledge?

I think any hammering at the four foot high level is going to keep bothering his arm.

HomeBrew2 · Feb 7, 2007

I would just have to try 2 things ... just because:
1, a palm nailer. 2, a pneumatic [mechanics] hammer (ya know the pistol grip handheld kind) - with a custom cup bit instead of a chisel.

JimR · Feb 7, 2007

HomeBrew2 said:
I would just have to try 2 things ... just because:
1, a palm nailer. 2, a pneumatic [mechanics] hammer (ya know the pistol grip handheld kind) - with a custom cup bit instead of a chisel.

Thanks for the tip. Both of those tools would probably do the trick. Although he is trying to get away from using his arm as the sole installer of these posts. Speaking from experience of someone who has had elbow problems in the past and still has them on occasion. I can attest to the fact that the hammering effect from either of those tools will do a number on my friends elbow. I will however suggest them to him.