Finally bit the bullet on a proper post driver and it saved my back this week

Honestly, I've been using a sledgehammer and a block of wood for years, but this big cedar fence job had over 80 posts. I spent about $350 on a manual post driver from a local supplier. It took maybe ten posts to get the hang of the weight and drop, but after that, I was setting them plumb in half the time with zero shoulder ache. Has anyone else switched from the old sledge method and noticed a big difference on longer runs?

4 comments

4 Comments

jade_jenkins2mo ago

Damn, that's a huge difference. So which part actually saves the most time, getting the post started straight or the actual driving down?

sage3083d agoTop Commenter

Used to think getting the post started straight was the big deal, figured the rest was just muscle. But nope, tried doing a 60 post job last spring with a buddy's power driver and it saved me almost a full hour on the digging and setting. The driving part's still work, but the straight start setup is where you actually bleed time if you mess it up. Changed my whole view on that part.

hollyl252mo ago

Yeah, I learned that lesson the hard way too. My back still hasn't forgiven me for that 50-post "sledgehammer special" I did a few years back.

the_jennifer2mo ago

Used to think more posts meant better work until I threw my own back out. Now I just do a few at a time, way easier.