Petrol Powered Post Knockers

[Bunzena]

We've got a fair few rotten fence posts to replace over the coming month.  It amounts to around 1 in 8 of the those on a long established post and rail fence.  

I'm hopping to be able to remove the old posts and replace with new ones without taken down the stock fence itself.  Obviously access will be a little tricky.  Access with a traditional post knocker will be limited by the position of the stock fence.

My question is this.  Has anyone used petrol-power post knockers and are they any good? 

There's a real range of prices out there.  So are some simply rubbish and others up to the task?

The ground is soft and pretty clear of stones/rocks.  And obviously there's an existing hole of sorts to drive into.

 

If I was 20 years younger I'd simply get at the maul and get to work - but I'm not!

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[doobin]

The Chinese ones are crap. The Honda powered ones for £1k plus I was surprised by- the keeper hired one in for knocking in Clipex posts in chalk. 
 

Any handheld knocker will struggle with proper 4” timber posts however. Best I’ve found is an atlas copco hydraulic one. It weighs 30kg, and the weight is critical if you actually want to thump things in. 
 

If you are doing half round posts on soft ground you should be fine- lots of places hire the Honda type these days. 

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by doobin

[Woodworks]

We have one like in  the link below. Brilliant with Clippex (what we got it for) but with a wooden post on firm ground its easier to use a manual post hole rammer. Might work Ok with smallish hard posts like oak. The softwood ones just seem to absorb the 'bang'

 

Easy Post Petrol Hand Held Post Driver - Fencing Tools

MCVEIGHPARKER.COM

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Designed to knock any size stake, peg or post into the ground, up to a 4

 

[Stere]

I use an alu maul stood on a beer crate.

 

I recommend the lighter alu maul over the heavier head weight ones (they come in different head weights) . Lighter one  is alot less hard work really noticed the difference....

 

Crow bar a a really good hole first then on good ground doesn take that much effort.

 

How many posts like 25 or more like 100's?

 

Farm jack is useful to as a post puller....

 

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by Stere

[Bunzena]

2 hours ago, Stere said:

I use an alu maul stood on a beer crate.

 

I recommend the lighter alu maul over the heavier head weight ones (they come in different head weights) . Lighter one  is alot less hard work really noticed the difference....

 

Crow bar a a really good hole first then on good ground doesn take that much effort.

 

How many posts like 25 or more like 100's?

 

Farm jack is useful to as a post puller....

 

 

Being a bit of a woos - it's more like 25 than hundreds.  I like the idea of an alu maul - will look into it.  Good advice - thank you.

[Bunzena]

2 hours ago, Woodworks said:

We have one like in  the link below. Brilliant with Clippex (what we got it for) but with a wooden post on firm ground its easier to use a manual post hole rammer. Might work Ok with smallish hard posts like oak. The softwood ones just seem to absorb the 'bang'

 

Easy Post Petrol Hand Held Post Driver - Fencing Tools

MCVEIGHPARKER.COM

---

Designed to knock any size stake, peg or post into the ground, up to a 4

 

That looks pretty nifty.  I'm off to McVeighs shortly - so may have a word.

 

We're also looking at Clippex for another job.  What's your views on it?  Is there a learning curve at the start?  Any tips?  Thanks.

[Woodworks]

15 minutes ago, Bunzena said:

That looks pretty nifty.  I'm off to McVeighs shortly - so may have a word.

 

We're also looking at Clippex for another job.  What's your views on it?  Is there a learning curve at the start?  Any tips?  Thanks.

We only run a small farm but its embarrassingly easy and fast in our experience. Can see why the pros hate as it will do them out of a job 😬

 

Not keen on the cost of the strainers and have built box struts instead

[doobin]

2 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

We only run a small farm but its embarrassingly easy and fast in our experience. Can see why the pros hate as it will do them out of a job 😬

 

Not keen on the cost of the strainers and have built box struts instead

Scaffolding can be used with Clipex to make box strainers. Works out a lot cheaper. 

[woody paul]

Post and rail you will find remains of post has not rotted enough to drive new post in same hole, it can be done if you can get tractor with thumper to drive new post down on top of old post or digger and just dig out old post remains and back fill, I have used large coach screw welded to a bit of steel, screw it into remains and then pull out piece and put new post in. 

[Bunzena]

28 minutes ago, woody paul said:

Post and rail you will find remains of post has not rotted enough to drive new post in same hole, it can be done if you can get tractor with thumper to drive new post down on top of old post or digger and just dig out old post remains and back fill, I have used large coach screw welded to a bit of steel, screw it into remains and then pull out piece and put new post in. 

Genius!  I have adapted a farm jack [adding a trip leg via a bolt in the top] to pull a post out - but this is so much simpler.

 

Get a patent and go into business! making these!  

Edited March 16, 2022 by Bunzena