Gate posts

[Kram]

A customer would like me to remove some unessasary fencing inside his property, thats the easy bit. The next part is to move the gate, which looks relatively new and fit for reuse.

I didnt measure but the posts are 6" or bigger and look to have been knocked in. They have a plastic wrap post saver thing around the bottom.

I dont have a high lift jack but that would appear the sensible way to pull them up and out?
Or screw a bracket on and use bottle jack.

For knocking them back in, I imagine I'd use the engine auger to get a 6" round hole and make them easier to knock back in. I can 3d print a thing to save the top from damage. I have a decent sledge..
However auger is often difficult to get a perfectly positioned hole - for concreted posts it doesnt matter, the hole can be oversized and the postmix will fill it up.
He doesnt want to use postmix for this.

Any ideas?

 

[TEO]

Have you got an engine crane? I've removed similar with a klemheist round the base of the post to an engine crane.
Bit of a faff but the most cost effective method we could find

 

[Agroshield]

For the hole, could you make something like a drill bushing? A sheet of ply with a hexagonal hole in it, with 6" x 2" upstand. Stake it down to the ground at the corners and use it to guide the auger.

With the way the gate is hung now (behind both posts), there should be quite a lot of adjustment on both the hinge and latch side.

For removal, a pair of jacks could provide a more even force. The challenge will be preventing them sinking in - perhaps some fencepost offcuts to spread the load.

Maybe pour a load of water around the base of the post or even jetwash around the base.

 

[Smallfry]

Yes engine crane or a couple of jacks

You see how the gate closes onto the faces of the posts, rather than between them ?

This makes positioning them a bit easier, unless maximum width is required.

I wouldn't be hammering them in. Rowlocks to that, use an auger nearly the right size, and square off the corners with a spade for the first foot. Then hammer, with a post cap or a band round the top to prevent splitting.

 

[addjunkie]

Why no post mix?

In the old days they would have been dug in with the two handled posthole digger and a fencing spade. Then back filled with what ever and rammer.

Knocking a big post into the ground with a big fencing mel even if a square post into a round hole aint going to be easy, and a very good chance you will mashup the top of the post.

In the picture it looks like the stock net and barbed are also onto the back of the gate post, so youll need to keep that right too if removing the post. Looking at the run of fencing away from the gate, it looks pants, not tight and posts un even.

Personally Id not re use the posts, especially the left one in the picture, time is money, just use a new post in the new location.

Post knocker on a digger is what you want.

Fencing is easy with the right kit, without its a nightmare.

 

[Gareth J]

As above, just ram the earth back in in thin layers with a rammer of some description. On a gate that length, it should be no issue to hold it up, unless the ground is very wet.

Can you just cut the post off and fit new? If it's post knocked in they can be exceptionally tight. Generally too tight to lift out with our loader (~1.5T lift) but achievable with rear hydraulic arms.

 

[steveo3002]

As above, just ram the earth back in in thin layers with a rammer of some description. On a gate that length, it should be no issue to hold it up, unless the ground is very wet.

Can you just cut the post off and fit new? If it's post knocked in they can be exceptionally tight. Generally too tight to lift out with our loader (~1.5T lift) but achievable with rear hydraulic arms.

i was thinking cut it off and fit a fresh one , bet thats sunk in with a tractor

 

[addjunkie]

As above, just ram the earth back in in thin layers with a rammer of some description. On a gate that length, it should be no issue to hold it up, unless the ground is very wet.

Can you just cut the post off and fit new? If it's post knocked in they can be exceptionally tight. Generally too tight to lift out with our loader (~1.5T lift) but achievable with rear hydraulic arms.

I use the rear rams too and a few wraps with a 3 ton lifting strop to get a grip on the post.

 

[addjunkie]

You could buy one of these, and take up proper fencing. They are impressive my son in law did 200 meters and two gates for our new neighbour in a wet winter, with little mess, in a day.

 

[Smallfry]

You could buy one of these, and take up proper fencing. They are impressive my son in law did 200 meters and two gates for our new neighbour in a wet winter, with little mess, in a day.

Going to have to do a fair bit of fencing here at some point. Have got a tractor mounter auger, but most of ours in on a slope, and can only access one side sideways.

As the tractor mounted one is NOT on a gimbal which makes it difficult to get the posts something like vertical. So it almost worth hiring one of these, or a mini digger with a hydraulic driven auger, as these always seem to be on a gimbal.

What I would really like is one of those hydraulic hammers similar to what they use for installing sheet piling.

 

[Blobber]

Going to have to do a fair bit of fencing here at some point. Have got a tractor mounter auger, but most of ours in on a slope, and can only access one side sideways.

As the tractor mounted one is NOT on a gimbal which makes it difficult to get the posts something like vertical. So it almost worth hiring one of these, or a mini digger with a hydraulic driven auger, as these always seem to be on a gimbal.

What I would really like is one of those hydraulic hammers similar to what they use for installing sheet piling.

I kept looking at the petrol driven hand post knockers that Bob raved about, still haven't got one yet

 

[Bravheart]

That fence is pants tell him to get a proper fencer in with the right gear and do it properly. By the time he pays you to faff around with Jack's or cranes and augers and possibly a breakdown or two he'd be cheaper with the professional.

 

[Bravheart]

Going to have to do a fair bit of fencing here at some point. Have got a tractor mounter auger, but most of ours in on a slope, and can only access one side sideways.

As the tractor mounted one is NOT on a gimbal which makes it difficult to get the posts something like vertical. So it almost worth hiring one of these, or a mini digger with a hydraulic driven auger, as these always seem to be on a gimbal.

What I would really like is one of those hydraulic hammers similar to what they use for installing sheet piling.

Why would you want an auger? A proper post knocker, even those fitted to a mini digger can be fitted with a rock spike to punch a pilot hole through anything even reinforced concrete. Auger will just jam or stall on any stones or roots.

 

[Agroshield]

As the tractor mounted one is NOT on a gimbal which makes it difficult to get the posts something like vertical.

Let the tyre down on one side.

More seriously, is there any way to install an outrigger leg to level things up.

Some mobile cranes, when they need to rig on a slope, drive the low side onto some mats first to get the body somewhere near level before setting up.

 

[Migmac]

Dig and wiggle, that’s all I do to get gate posts out unless they are rotten. Putting them back in is simple, dig a hole and a what comes out the hole goes back in. They’ll be rock solid.

 

[sako243]

I kept looking at the petrol driven hand post knockers that Bob raved about, still haven't got one yet

Dad's got a similar one and I'd take mine any day over it. Has to have quite specific post diameters and ideally still needs a pilot hole.

Tractor is only 4ft wide with phenomenonal steering lock and independent rear brakes, 4WD and diff lock. It'll get into most places, there are very few you can't with a bit of wiggling.

It's definitely not as quick as a full size knocker but for it's size it does pretty damn well. The limit tends to be the posts these days, we're on shale mostly and if it doesn't drive it in it tends to split the post.

 

[Dapph2]

In days gone by back in the early 1950's Ii used to sit on dads overcoat and watch him dig out old wide farm gate , gate posts , then clean up the hole to put in a railway sleeper for the posts set on guy ropes . Every bit of back fill was rammed in with a punner on each layer of back fill . the holes were deeper tan th spade he used and aboput 1 & 1/2 times as the diameter was wide .

My thoughts are you'd be quicker digging the post out , using the length as lever once you are down 3 foot or so and then digging a new hole because by the time you assmbeld the mechanical gear to do it you'd be finished.
I found that was similar when I weas removing 23 broken , rotted panel fence posts , often doing five or more a day using a long pitch fork handled ladies border spade , power washer and a wet & dry vacuum to clear the hole down to a metre deep.

 

[gaz1]

A customer would like me to remove some unessasary fencing inside his property, thats the easy bit. The next part is to move the gate, which looks relatively new and fit for reuse.

I dont have a high lift jack but that would appear the sensible way to pull them up and out?
Or screw a bracket on and use bottle jack.

For knocking them back in, I imagine I'd use the engine auger to get a 6" round hole and make them easier to knock back in. I can 3d print a thing to save the top from damage. I have a decent sledge..
However auger is often difficult to get a perfectly positioned hole - for concreted posts it doesnt matter, the hole can be oversized and the postmix will fill it up.
He doesnt want to use postmix for this.

Any ideas?

if you try to pull out those you will damage them by crushing the post

you need to drill or auger around the post first as that will loosen the soil around the post you can feel how loose the post is by moving the post

fitting the gate position the hinge side first the other side dosnt matter as much as its only a catch post even if it goes off slightly it dosnt matter

hinge side can be adjusted with through bolts if you need them

 

[addjunkie]

Going to have to do a fair bit of fencing here at some point. Have got a tractor mounter auger, but most of ours in on a slope, and can only access one side sideways.

As the tractor mounted one is NOT on a gimbal which makes it difficult to get the posts something like vertical. So it almost worth hiring one of these, or a mini digger with a hydraulic driven auger, as these always seem to be on a gimbal.

What I would really like is one of those hydraulic hammers similar to what they use for installing sheet piling.

I kept looking at the petrol driven hand post knockers that Bob raved about, still haven't got one yet

Buy a used post knocker, for tractor, do job and sell on. You can do fairly steep ground with a tractor.

A friend of ours, who buys nothing second hand bought a Malone Post driver, hydraulic tilt too, in terms of tractors fairly cheap about 4k I think, works a treat, so a few years old would be some what less, sell on after a year doubt you'll loose much.

I do odd posts, by hand more and Id nip out and borrow a knocker.

 

[Parm]

You could buy one of these, and take up proper fencing. They are impressive my son in law did 200 meters and two gates for our new neighbour in a wet winter, with little mess, in a day.

My mate's got one of these, its impressive how much they can do in a day