Postdriver / post banger post smackingthing... etc.. pick whatever you call it

[FarmerD89]

Has anyone successfully built their own drop hammer for behind the tractor, im toying with the idea of building my own as what ive seen isnt overly complicated. the only part i'm questioning is where i would get a solid 150kg piece of billet. and the securing of a tag or two tags to use to lift it.

Any pictures of your home devices would be ideal as the idea of these three point linkage operated devices look about as vague as anything could possibly be designed. im not looking for anything ground breaking im thinking a solid frame with a pivot from a toplink to adjust the angle.


Regards David.

 

[Morph]

Quantock machinery made post bangers, whose weight was made up of slabs of metal. More slabs in the heavier contractor versions.

 

[Kevtherev]

Large round pipe with thick steel plates on ends filled with sand is one I’ve seen.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

You can't get a simpler design than the fixed Parmiter unit. For the weight use a box filled with concrete or tractor weights. Or simply buy one in poor condition & fix it up?
SS

 

[Bob c]

yes
built this one few years ago for a local contractor

 

[FarmerD89]

bob C that is an impressive machine you have built, can i enquire what thickness is the I beam you have used as your central slider? im toying with the idea of copying the parmiter design, however theyre hard to come across for sensible money id only ever use it to knock about 20 posts in a year, however long term health problems dictate i cant use a manual post rammer sadly.

 

[gav0994]

Yes. Just finished our one off last week

It's got a 400kg hammer weight out of solid steel - 350mm dia x 530mm.

 

[FarmerD89]

where did you get that weight of hammer gav? and what thickness is the I beam you have used for the rail? looks a very nice job id be proud if i made something like that.

 

[Bob c]

bob C that is an impressive machine you have built, can i enquire what thickness is the I beam you have used as your central slider? im toying with the idea of copying the parmiter design, however they are hard to come across for sensible money id only ever use it to knock about 20 posts in a year, however long term health problems dictate i cant use a manual post rammer sadly.

me saying few years ago,........9 years ,.....dont time fly
cant remember exact size something like 178 x 102mm ,.......had a bit of 12mm plate of the web in the middle

manual control outside and electric control in the cab

 

[tinman]

i built one the same as a vector model 3 about 20 yrs ago it must be now.
i dont drive many posts but i do like to have a way of doing it when i do.
tbh id drive the normal posts with the digger but the post driver is invaluable when it comes to strainers.

if i was doing it again, and i know its way above what you want, id make it like gav's one, where the driver tele's out to the side, if you didn't have a digger to hand, the fact you can drive down the lth of the fence is miles ahead of having to back in and out each time like id have to do, hence the digger for the posts.
if the ground is dodgy you are more prone to tearing it where as just one run covers the side version.

there are simpler ways of making a mast than the likes of what i have, i cant rem the sizes now but i can check if you want.
i looked for a pic there but i cant find one.
this is the closest i seen.
i heard (iirc) way back then of the box type filled with a movable filler like sand or even lead would eventually tend to bulge or split it at the bottom but people here will confirm if there is anything to that story.
i wangled a weight out of vector at the time, a reluctant task on their side i remember.

iirc the weight on mine is about the 500kg mark and times there could be more but it has put down anything i asked it to so far, if there wasn't rock that is.
strainers up to 12-14" on the top kinda thing.
there is a cap that sits on the post and then the hammer strikes it, it saves the top of the post, it tilts from side to side, in and out and slides over and back, i wouldnt like to operate a fixed driver as there is never a time im right first time, you always need to adjust, Always.
that is if you like doing tidy work, if your not the fussy kind and dont mind looking at crooked posts then a lot less will do.

if i was doing a lot of fencing, i think id mount a driver on a 4-5 tonne digger, have it so as it could be tracked and driver used from outside the cab with some way of transporting the posts as id go but im going way off track now..

 

[gav0994]

where did you get that weight of hammer gav? and what thickness is the I beam you have used for the rail? looks a very nice job id be proud if i made something like that.

The solid billet of steel was ordered through Franklin Steel - £1200 worth including with the 360kg counterbalance Vector wanted £900 just for a 400kg weight. The beam is 100x100 x 20kg - hard to source as it's a European size but is what Vector and Bryce use. Franklin Steel sourced it for me. I based the mast on a Vector machine and "borrowed" the Bryce Suma side shift design. Not as refined as the Bryce Suma but it works well and came in at least 12grand cheaper than a Bryce would cost!

 

[exmoor dave]

You can't get a simpler design than the fixed Parmiter unit. For the weight use a box filled with concrete or tractor weights. Or simply buy one in poor condition & fix it up?
SS

Used to have one of them, mod'd it up with various extra hydraulic rams.

It had a chain rather than a rope........ fudge me! In hindsight it was dangerous!

The pin joining the chain to the weight would snap occasionally, then the chain would fly right back over!

 

[james ds]

i built one the same as a vector model 3 about 20 yrs ago it must be now.
i dont drive many posts but i do like to have a way of doing it when i do.
tbh id drive the normal posts with the digger but the post driver is invaluable when it comes to strainers.

if i was doing it again, and i know its way above what you want, id make it like gav's one, where the driver tele's out to the side, if you didn't have a digger to hand, the fact you can drive down the lth of the fence is miles ahead of having to back in and out each time like id have to do, hence the digger for the posts.
if the ground is dodgy you are more prone to tearing it where as just one run covers the side version.

there are simpler ways of making a mast than the likes of what i have, i cant rem the sizes now but i can check if you want.
i looked for a pic there but i cant find one.
this is the closest i seen.
i heard (iirc) way back then of the box type filled with a movable filler like sand or even lead would eventually tend to bulge or split it at the bottom but people here will confirm if there is anything to that story.
i wangled a weight out of vector at the time, a reluctant task on their side i remember.

iirc the weight on mine is about the 500kg mark and times there could be more but it has put down anything i asked it to so far, if there wasn't rock that is.
strainers up to 12-14" on the top kinda thing.
there is a cap that sits on the post and then the hammer strikes it, it saves the top of the post, it tilts from side to side, in and out and slides over and back, i wouldnt like to operate a fixed driver as there is never a time im right first time, you always need to adjust, Always.
that is if you like doing tidy work, if your not the fussy kind and dont mind looking at crooked posts then a lot less will do.

if i was doing a lot of fencing, i think id mount a driver on a 4-5 tonne digger, have it so as it could be tracked and driver used from outside the cab with some way of transporting the posts as id go but im going way off track now..

Did you make the vector sticker on the mast as well .

 

[tinman]

I got it off vector when I got the weight..., along with the rest of the stickers on it too.

Shurley someone as "smart" as you could add something constructive to this thread rather than trying to pick holes in posts.
After all, you know everything don't you.

 

[FarmerD89]

thankyou for the feedback so far guys, im hoping to chalk up a drawing maybe towards mid this week and will ask for your opinions on the design. its not going to be used for a fencing contractor it'd be lucky if it does 1000 posts in its life time (forever). I was thinking that eventually no matter how good you were with a welder a box which isnt solid will eventually split. Shame i dont live near india where they are cutting up ships on a daily basis for a propshaft section. just my fear is ive a 250amp welder and welding two eyes to the top of the weight.

 

[FarmerD89]

think i may opt for the clamp style slider dont know anyone with a profile cutter which can cut 12" thick steel

 

[Hairy Bob]

We've got one where I work! I don't think we've got any 12" stock though...
Biggest we've done with it was 200mm, but we've got the nozzles to gas cut up to 300, if needed.

 

[Bury the Trash]

my old tanco loader based one doesn't have a the usual type of 'lump' on it and would be a bit more 'build 'friendly.

clay type or deep loam soils and not use in summer is best conditions for it.

but it will knock them in as well as a simple ,early,blue parmiter with its modest by modern standards 80 kg weight ...

 

[tinman]

think i may opt for the clamp style slider dont know anyone with a profile cutter which can cut 12" thick steel

you could make up a box out of 12mm plate say and fill it with something, id say there would be no loss on it, metal shot and sand to take up the space thats left, id say it id weigh plenty.

 

[joe soapy]

you could make up a box out of 12mm plate say and fill it with something, id say there would be no loss on it, metal shot and sand to take up the space thats left, id say it id weigh plenty.

Our banger has a 12mm bash plate, soon got destroyed and replaced with thicker metal