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Tell us about yourself:“I’m a hobby farmer, but enjoy designing and building tools and machines.”
If you’re going to build a fence, you want it to last a long time. You can dig a posthole manually or with an auger, or build a post pounder like J did. Once that post is driven in, it’s not going anywhere! This reduces a lot of maintenance because the ground doesn’t get disturbed during installation; the post remains straight and solid even when the ground goes through its yearly freezing and thawing.
Nice project, J! Thanks for sharing it with us!
See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1KQn-2oxNU&feature=youtu.be
What is it? It’s a hydraulic-powered, chain-driven post pounder. I got tired of breaking multiple sheer pins on my post auger every time I dug a posthole in rocky soil. With the pounder, I don’t have any issues driving a nine-foot post down four feet of rocky ground.
What is the main power source for your project? (e.g. electric motor, gas engine etc.) Power comes from rear hydraulic remotes on a tractor. My tractors have a low hydraulic flow rate, so I needed a solution that would work for them. Traditional piston style, lever and pulley, or vibration doesn’t work with low hydraulic flow rates.
How do you control your project? (e.g. hydraulic control valve(s), electric switches etc.) A 3-valve control unit controls 6-way directions and the three-point hitch on the tractor controls the height.
What components are used to perform the work for your project? (e.g. hydraulic cylinder(s), hydraulic motor(s), sprockets, pulleys etc.)
Three 3/4 in. 4-Bolt Standard Duty Flange Mount Bearing Assemblies One 19.4 cu. in. 4-Bolt Hydraulic Spool Valve Geroler Motor Two #60 Single Strand Roller Chains Two 15 tooth #60 Chain Weld-On Sprockets One 2-1/2 in. Bore x 10 in. Stroke Top Link Cylinder One 2 in. Bore x 10 in. Stroke Tie Rod Implement Cylinder One BM40 3-Spool Directional Control Valve
Misc. steel used: 20 ft of 4 x 2 x 1/4 in. C-channel 16 ft of 2 x 2 x 1/4 in. tube Six 15 x 20 x 3/4 in. pieces Some scrap steel laying around.
What design/build challenges did you overcome? Maximizing the speed of the chain travel without sacrificing the power needed to lift the 840 lb weight.
If you had to build it again, what would you do differently? Make the mast a foot higher. In order to pound an 8-foot post you need to lift the 3-point hitch up in the beginning. A higher mast would save this adjustment. If someone is thinking of building their own but has questions, they can leave a comment on the video. I’ll do my best to help answer any inquiries!
Which Princess Auto location do you visit most? The Whitby, ON store near Oshawa. There's none near me, unfortunately.