Update: Tried that 'no-dig' post driver on a rocky lot in Boulder and bent the shaft on the third post.

The ground there is basically river rock, so the tool just bounced and twisted. Anyone have a better method for setting posts in pure gravel?

4 comments

4 Comments

keith9002mo ago

Should've just used a shovel.

lily1672mo ago

Depends on the soil type. Clay will stick to a shovel like glue and you'll be there all day. A mini excavator with a thumb attachment can grab and place rocks in one motion. Sometimes the right tool is about saving your back, not just moving dirt.

wyatt_mitchell262mo ago

My grandpa built a stone wall by hand in Vermont that's still standing after 60 years. He used a shovel, a pry bar, and a strong back. Renting a mini ex for a weekend project adds hundreds of dollars and you still need a trailer and truck. Most of us just need to dig a few holes, not run a construction site. The old ways work fine if you're not in a hurry.

charles_mitchell3d agoProlific Poster

Rented one for a weekend to dig out a big stump. Shovel would have taken me a week. Paid for itself in saved time and ibuprofen.