lump hammer or the post driver thingy

NewBeefFarmer

Ok lads. Time to replace the handle on lump hammer, i have a good few posts to put down. Question. Are those post drivers any good. Or is lump hammer still the way to go?

John_F

get an aluminium maul / mallet with timber handle

reilig

Lump hammers, mauls, mallets etc are old school. If you have more than 20 posts to drive every year then you want one of these:

http://evergreen-rentals.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=130

We made our own about 15 years ago. Its a great job. You wouldn't feel knocking in 20 posts.

johngalway

I was looking at one of those yesterday Reilig, unfortunately got all my fencing done this year already, but will consider it for next years efforts.

NewBeefFarmer

reilig wrote: »

Lump hammers, mauls, mallets etc are old school. If you have more than 20 posts to drive every year then you want one of these:

http://evergreen-rentals.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=130

We made our own about 15 years ago. Its a great job. You wouldn't feel knocking in 20 posts.

Yes. This is the exact thing im talking about.
So ye agree this is the easier of the two?
Is it ok for weight? A lump hammer has some punch!

johngalway

I wondered the same regarding the weight. Could the head of a 14lbs sledge be welded to the top I wonder

In fairness, the one I handled yesterday wasn't exactly light either. There was also a smaller one, maybe for pencil stakes?

Bodacious

John_F wrote: »

get an aluminium maul / mallet with timber handle

+1 have to agree with John F on this lighter than conventional sledge and get great clout out of it and because it is wider area than sledge get better contact with stake each time of contact so no splitting

JohnBoy

Two posts in the one day on the same topic!!



I suffer from a chronic hammer disability.


Whether it's a stake or a nail I can't drive em straight.


I got one of those post drivers from the local co-op in January.

Paid €70 and ripped the top cap out of it before I'd driven the first post. Pure and utter cheese, with butter for welds.


So I welded on three strips of two inch flat bar across the top and put a dozen or so welding rods into it.

It'll never move again and the added weight can only be a good thing.


They're a mighty machine. in soft conditions you'll put in pencil posts in two or three whacks, hard and you'll maybe need twice that. and straight too.


So much easier to use than a sledge I reckon too, and the top of the stake wont get mashed up either....


but see if you can get a tidy engineering works to make one maybe, or get a cheap one somewhere and just weld it up before you use it.

reilig

NewBeefFarmer wrote: »

Yes. This is the exact thing im talking about.
So ye agree this is the easier of the two?
Is it ok for weight? A lump hammer has some punch!

Ours is about 15 to 20 kg in weight - you'll drive 3 times the depth of the post in comparison to a lump hammer and the 2 handles make it very easy to lift and work. It goes down over the post so you'll not damage the post.
You can get lighter ones in the co-ops around, but you need a good heavy one to get the drive. They aren't for the weak among us though

bbam

The brother made one of the post drivers last year... Definitely great compared to a sledge..
Only it takes two to use compared to the sledge.. no damage to the post which is a big thing for the life of the post in the long run...

johngalway

bbam wrote: »

Only it takes two to use compared to the sledge..

5live

reilig wrote: »

Lump hammers, mauls, mallets etc are old school. If you have more than 20 posts to drive every year then you want one of these:

http://evergreen-rentals.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=130

We made our own about 15 years ago. Its a great job. You wouldn't feel knocking in 20 posts.

+1 reilig. Damaged my shoulder last year driving stakes so got one of those babies. Pure pleasure now and very little strain on the back too. But you will still need a sledge to drive a stake if the wire still attached and the current on. I never said i wasnt lazy at heart:o

brownswiss

bbam wrote: »

The brother made one of the post drivers last year... Definitely great compared to a sledge..
Only it takes two to use compared to the sledge.. no damage to the post which is a big thing for the life of the post in the long run...

..

Only takes two ????

A 6' post is quite a bit taller than me and I have driven hundreds of them over the years with the pot....Love it>>> no issue with weld etc

Had a guy working for me and he used it wrong way first time ( he just picked it up and did'nt check which end ).... he did not drive any posts for a few days as it bounced off his head...

Any one know where i would get a good 8x5 trailer for sheep... mesh sides ?

brownswiss

johngalway wrote: »

... never start the day without the porridge

what happen

brownswiss wrote: »

..

Only takes two ????

A 6' post is quite a bit taller than me and I have driven hundreds of them over the years with the pot....Love it>>> no issue with weld etc

Had a guy working for me and he used it wrong way first time ( he just picked it up and did'nt check which end ).... he did not drive any posts for a few days as it bounced off his head...

Any one know where i would get a good 8x5 trailer for sheep... mesh sides ?

i have one of them post drivers as well great job. drill a 12 mm hole in the top of the pot.it was in mine when i bought it and a man said it was better it let out air

Bizzum

what happen wrote: »

a man said it was better it let out air

Damn right!
That holding in air lark gives me stomach cramps:D

I see an ad on Donedeal selling them for €40 in Carlow.

reilig

brownswiss wrote: »

..

Only takes two ????

A 6' post is quite a bit taller than me and I have driven hundreds of them over the years with the pot....Love it>>> no issue with weld etc

Had a guy working for me and he used it wrong way first time ( he just picked it up and did'nt check which end ).... he did not drive any posts for a few days as it bounced off his head...

Any one know where i would get a good 8x5 trailer for sheep... mesh sides ?

Try these guys. They are in Granard in Longford. They make a good strong trailer and the price isn't too bad either.

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/trailers/1956851

leg wax

if you have a loader on the tractor us that to push down stakes,add more weight the drier the ground.wont work now after this dry spell:eek:

pat25c

i use a 22lb sledge, if it ain't broke dont fix it

Alexander Supertramp

pat25c wrote: »

i use a 22lb sledge, if it ain't broke dont fix it

Same as that Pat. It doesn't take long falling asleep at night after swinging it all day.

pakalasa

reilig wrote: »

Lump hammers, mauls, mallets etc are old school. If you have more than 20 posts to drive every year then you want one of these:

http://evergreen-rentals.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=130

We made our own about 15 years ago. Its a great job. You wouldn't feel knocking in 20 posts.

Well, I had about 20 stakes to drive, so I made up one of these from scrap I had collected. (I work for a company that throws out everything.:D).
When I had the tube and top welded, I thought it was a bit heavy, so I cut off about 1/4 of the tube length. Added the handles and weighed it on the bathroom scales.......24Kg. Now, it can be a bit of a struggle to put it over a loose 6ft stake on your own, but man does it drive it...great job. I drove the first stake too far before I realised it.:rolleyes: