Post Rammer - follow-up

[alang]

I took my Dexta for a demo/trial today and I'm pleased to report she worked the rammer very well. The hydraulics positioned it easily and the lift and drop were a doddle using the divertion valve and the quadrant lever.

[alang]

Free fencing work undertaken for all forum members*

*Within a 5 mile radius
Photo taken today.

[Johnmcm]

Well done alang that looks good. Did it need a return into the top cover filling cap or not?
Are they pricey?
Thanks for posting, your Dexta looks nice
John

[alang]

Thank's John.
Just runs off the trailer pipe and no return needed.The ram has a small bore and stroke, so it rises quickly and more importantly falls quickly when the quadrant is lowered. I chose this one because it has a lateral turnbuckle as well as the tilt adjustment from the top-link. It was made in the UK and is £1.2K list incl. VAT.
I had a couple of awkward post that I had to put in by hand and they convinced me it was money well spent.
Alan

[Johnmcm]

That' s not too bad if you've got a lot to do. Looks a good bit of kit. Thanks for posting.
John

[russelm]

Is that Desborough water column in the back ground?

[russelm]

Scratch that, its Dingley!

[alang]

It is indeed Dingley water tower.
What's a fellow from Nottingham doing knowing that? Are you by chance a pilot?

[russelm]

No, born bred and grew up in Great Bowden then went to University in Nottingham and stayed there.

Family all still live in the 'shire'

Remember the area well, as children we used to cycle up to the woods at Dingley to go on the rope swing then continuing on and over the A6 before hurtling at break neck speed down towards Braybrooke.

[Bensdexta]

...I chose this one because it has a lateral turnbuckle as well as the tilt adjustment from the top-link.

So you can drive posts at an angle, eg to keep them vertical on a slope?

What size posts will it cope with, 5' 6" 'line' posts? How about 7ft 'strainer' corner posts?

[alang]

Russell, if you're ever back in the area please don't be a stranger!
--------------
Ben, 100mm is the max. quoted. I am using rails so haven't needed angled strainer posts. You can certainly keep the post upright on a slope. I'm using half-round stakes as I like fitting the rails to them. But do use 2" x 5' 6" rounds at junctions (not sure what a "line" post is). Setting the tool vertical on a slope is not a problem as the weight then drops straight down, deliberately setting an angle for a strainer would perhaps cause the rig to jump and it's not something I would try. I used to dig a sloping hole and put the top of the post in against a rock or brick and place the point into a hole drilled in the upright. I guess each area has it's own practice. http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jdaP3 ... G_2260.JPG - not my photo.

[Bensdexta]

.... 100mm is the max. quoted. I am using rails so haven't needed angled strainer posts. You can certainly keep the post upright on a slope. I'm using half-round stakes as I like fitting the rails to them. But do use 2" x 5' 6" rounds at junctions (not sure what a "line" post is). Setting the tool vertical on a slope is not a problem as the weight then drops straight down, deliberately setting an angle for a strainer would perhaps cause the rig to jump and it's not something I would try. I used to dig a sloping hole and put the top of the post in against a rock or brick and place the point into a hole drilled in the upright. I guess each area has it's own practice.

By line post, I just mean an ordinary post in the main run of the fence; round here in Wales, normally 3-4" x 5' 6" rounds. Strainers are the bigger corner posts, typically 6-7" x 7ft rounds and the diagonals are struts or braces.

Looks like that fence needs a monkey strainer to tighten up the wire! Also good to keep the line of the fence straight between strainers.

The technique you describe for the struts sounds fine. Do you have horses?

[alang]

Ben, it wasn't the best photo to use - but I understand what you mean now. I love looking at the different way people do things.
If you look at the picture above you'll see I'm replacing 20 year old stock fencing that's really embedded in the ground.
The 710 has a couple of horses and that's my excuse for needing my old tractors This fencing is far more horse friendly, not that horses are friendly to any fence they can rub on

[Bensdexta]

This fencing is far more horse friendly, not that horses are friendly to any fence they can rub on

Yes post and rail is ideal for horses, just need an electric wire along the top and they're sorted!

[Brian]

Just bought a new KTM Machinary log splitter for mine and am very impressed. Should possibly have bought the 14 ton one but so far Dotty has managed the 10 ton one easily.

Far better than the axe! (Ann put her back out last year swinging the axe when I was sitting in the chair with my feet up ).

[tom lad]

.

(Ann put her back out last year swinging the axe when I was sitting in the chair with my feet up ).

good plan brian , i'll have to suggest this to our lass

[tom lad]

as an aside
the contractor that put about 600 m of otter fencing around my fishery uses Bryce equipment / knockers

there tracked self-propelled knocker was a very impressive machine , only second job it had been on mega tool .
driving in BIG strainer like it was a tent peg .

[redgiant]

Thank's John.
Just runs off the trailer pipe and no return needed.The ram has a small bore and stroke, so it rises quickly and more importantly falls quickly when the quadrant is lowered. I chose this one because it has a lateral turnbuckle as well as the tilt adjustment from the top-link. It was made in the UK and is £1.2K list incl. VAT.
I had a couple of awkward post that I had to put in by hand and they convinced me it was money well spent.
Alan

What brand is it if you don't mind me asking? Putting down a few posts myself and going through sledgehammer handles like nobody's business Would love to see some more pics too

[alang]

What brand is it if you don't mind me asking? Putting down a few posts myself and going through sledgehammer handles like nobody's business Would love to see some more pics too

Oxdale, made in the UK - I got it from their local agent near Lutterworth.
Plenty of pictures on their web site - http://www.oxdaleproducts.co.uk/fencing ... st-knocker and If you live anywhere near me (Market Harborough) I'd be glad to demonstrate it.
At my age manually banging-in 200+ posts would have been unrealistic and probably looked a mess. The cost to pay someone was about the same as buying the rammer and I don't have a problem putting up rails and barbed wire. So at the end I've had a great time doing the job and have gained a handy tool for the future.
It certainly would be better than using a sledge hammer but don't expect this to work well with hard/dry ground or with posts larger than (∅)100mm. What I do when the ground's dry is spike a hole down at least 18" (old muck fork tine/tyne), fill it with water and let it soak. It's always best to spike a hole even when the ground is wet as it gives the post a good start.