Driving fencing posts

mengele

Unfortunately I cannot afford a tractor mounted post driver at the moment but also a bit sick of the sledge. I always make a pilot hole with a crow bar first. What are these rammers like? A bit easier than a sledge?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-Tools-FPRA-Fence-Rammer/dp/B00CS1N1R8/ref=asc_df_B00CS1N1R8/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309904185356&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14431981539025820525&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=20474&hvtargid=pla-556369127934&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Say my name

Yea it's two steps up from a sledge hammer.

You won't damage the ends of the stake like a sledge will.

Lime Tree Farm

If you can bear to watch this fellow for the low down on them.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YrblV4BBgNc

893bet

I use the loader on the tractor with bucket and 7 or 8 blocks in it for extra weight. A lot of our ground is soft to rarely find trouble.

Cavanjack

Get your post in situ (lying along the ditch) and get a lad in with a tractor and post driver. If you’ve any number of posts to drive this is the only option.

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118928308#Comment_118928308

Or just get someone in to do the complete job.

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118928308#Comment_118928308

Maybe a cordless drill with long mason bit... If you have electric tractor you can charge drill on-site...

Albert Johnson

OP the rammer you've linked to are known as a "man killer" for a reason. I've one of them and tbh it has a very easy life, there a hoor of a thing in my opinion and on similar footing to a sledge. I bought an aluminium headed mallet and it's my go to for manually driving posts. I'm useless at linking things but perhaps someone else could oblige.

It's much better balanced than a sledge and has a bigger surface area to aid accuracy and prevent damaging the head of the posts. I think I paid circa €70 for mine but I could be wrong. I'll stop short of saying I look forward to using it but I'd have it a thousand times over compared to a sledge or a rammer.

The only benefit of the rammer over a mallet is you can direct the post back to plumb as you've driving it. Obviously trying to hold the post with one hand and swing the mallet with the other isn't ideal but if you bore a good depth of a pilot hole it shouldn't be an issue. Any time I've used the rammer for prolonged periods I've had pains in my shoulders, arms, elbows ect from the vibration and impact. The only issue I have with the mallet is fatigue, there's a big difference in holding a piece of piping and a hickory handle.

herdquitter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058241759/driving-fencing-posts

Much better than sledge IMO. The big aluminium mallet type sledge isn't bad either.

On the man killer, be careful. There comes a point while driving the post where the lip of the driver can get hung up on the top of the post, resulting in a collision with your head, it hurts, a lot.

There's a knack to using them, letting go on the way down which helps stress on the body.

Second thing, wear ear defenders of some sort, they're friggin loud.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/roughneck-fencing-maul-10lb-4-54kg/2858x

JoeCasey

Power down on the loader.

Mooooo

Use the loader bucket here as well if ground is soft, but have to use cro bar and sledge as well. Had the mallet for a bit but find the 14lb sledge better. Heavier but just focus on the swing and its fine. Lighter sledge and you end up forcing the swing.

Agree above if a big job hire in a post driver and you'd be much better off

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118928308#Comment_118928308

This is what I do. Even one step further if you have a young fella that can drive the tractor have him along as well. With three people and a tractor and posts laid out you will drive 25-30/hour.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118929094#Comment_118929094

This happend to me. Lip of drive got caught on top of pole and the driver hit me on the forehead. Was seeing stars for 5-10 minutes.

It was a Saturday Nd in the pub that night when anyone asked how I got the circular cut I said herself hit me with the frying pan. She was not impressed

Donald Trump

You can have two people work those hand held post drivers. It makes short work of driving them down.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118930013#Comment_118930013

They are definitely more efficient when two people are using them. O ly issue is if there is a substantial height difference between them.

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118930169#Comment_118930169

Sure one man can stand on a drum 😊

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118930363#Comment_118930363

Or one grab the top part of the bars and the smaller one grab the bottom

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118930013#Comment_118930013

Sure you could get Melania and Ivanka to work the post driver for you, no bother to them i’d say.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118930666#Comment_118930666

Melania would be well used to it from her days growing up in Slovenia.

Ivanka, well I'd make her do it just so I could stand behind her and watch her work up a sweat.

The only issue is that I'd then be facing Melania and she'd be giving me the evil eye as she always does whenever I'm eye'ing up Ivanka.

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118930013#Comment_118930013

Would Donald be sitting in the stands watching...

arctictree

Have had a rammer here for a long time and rarely gets used. Any decent job needs a tractor and post driver as the ground around here is quite hard. The rammer is handy for narrow posts on a small job. Forget about it for end/strainer posts.