# Setting T-posts in rocky ground?



## Marsh Monkey (Jul 16, 2004)

Guys,

I've got to build some feeder pens in a very rocky area. What is the best way to bore holes to set T-posts. I know professional fence builders use compressors and air drills but I'm hoping there is other options in a tool I can rent. Hammer drill maybe?

Anyone have any experience they can share?


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## shallowminded (May 21, 2004)

Use the 16 or 20 foot hog panels and build them round. Over lap one square on the ends and tie them well. They stand up better and require less posts. We use a heavy T post driver and a lot of beer. Wish I could be more help, but that's how we do it.

Shallow


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

We had to buy portable cow pens for a few of our feeders. They were around $35/panel when we bought them. We used 8 panels but you could probably get by with 6 for a deer feeder. This one is around a 3,000 lb bulk feeder.


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## Levelwind (Apr 15, 2005)

Tpost driver. If the ground is horribly rocky, sharpen the tposts on a grinder.


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## PalmsUp (Aug 1, 2005)

get a Lupe Diego Jose and yourself some beer!


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## DeltaDucks_Ag (Jul 2, 2008)

Since you say rocky soil, from your location I'm assuming you can go into town and find this guy. His name is Emanuel Labor. 

Seriously, I would go with the sharpening the ends idea if you are dead set on using t-posts. The only real problem will also be that the sharpened end will find the path of least resistance and the posts will take a path other than that perpindicular to the ground.

Here's how it usually goes. The first few t-posts look great, then you get to the point of idgaf anymore and I just want to be done. My experience with t-posts in rocky soil is: as long as it gets the job done, aesthetics need not apply.


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## Marsh Monkey (Jul 16, 2004)

Thanks for the feedback guys. Driving posts in this area is not an option. You have to drive through solid rock in 95% of the places you put a post.

The rancher uses a portable diesel powered air compressor and an air drill. 

I'm hoping to come up with a method like a hammer drill or electric jack-hammer that I can run off a portable generator.

Please keep the ideas, suggestions, and experience coming!


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

DeltaDucks_Ag said:


> Since you say rocky soil, from your location I'm assuming you can go into town and find this guy. His name is Emanuel Labor.
> 
> Seriously, I would go with the sharpening the ends idea if you are dead set on using t-posts. The only real problem will also be that the sharpened end will find the path of least resistance and the posts will take a path other than that perpindicular to the ground.
> 
> Here's how it usually goes. The first few t-posts look great, then you get to the point of idgaf anymore and I just want to be done. My experience with t-posts in rocky soil is: as long as it gets the job done, aesthetics need not apply.


It always seems to be the last post that finds 18"s of solid rock :cheers:


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## surfspeck (Jun 7, 2006)

We Have A Winner :clover:



shallowminded said:


> Use the 16 or 20 foot hog panels and build them round. Over lap one square on the ends and tie them well. They stand up better and require less posts. We use a heavy T post driver and a lot of beer. Wish I could be more help, but that's how we do it.
> 
> Shallow


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## activescrape (Jan 8, 2006)

I'm here to tell you to proceed with great caution, should you pick up a t-post driver, aka *widowmaker and use it in rocky areas. I suffered a concussion and skull fracture Sept 1 last year doing that. It's risky business*.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

My hands and arms are still vibrating from all that rock... 
I agree just find ole Manual labor he is a big help

Charlie


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## PBS (Aug 3, 2006)

I had the same problem, on top of a hill. I took a portable generator, hammer drill, and masonry bit. I also used a pick axe to try to dig down some before I started drilling. I drilled a hole about 18" down, set/drove 1 piece of rebar in each hole, set a cinder block over the two pieces of rebar that stuck up about 6" out of the ground. I put the t-post in the square hole, then mixed and poured quick-krete in the block, and set up a mound of rocks around it and poured the mix in and over them as well. After the poles set, I strung up barbed wire. I was also able to make a gate to allow good access. Took a day, by myself, and I did enjoy some Motrin afterwards. I built basically a hexagon shaped pen about 25 ft in diameter. I did basically the same with the 10 ft stand, posts coming down and a center anchor, and my stand doen't move a bit even in high wind.
I sure am going to hate it once I move from the lease.
Brian


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Rock Drill*

We have installed T-posts in Rocksprings with a leased air compressor and a rock drill (star drill?). I've even used an electric Bosch pavement breaker. Both my BIL and a friend recently bought electric hammer drills (I think one was a Dewalt and the other was a no-name from Northern Tool or a freight place). I think one accepts a 1" + diameter rock drill bit. This allows for a tight fit for the T-post. I will get the exact model, etc. for the drill and bit if you want it. I'm lucky since I have soil on my place in my low pastures and can use a driver to set T-posts. I say I'm lucky, but with the prolonged drought the cows have lean against and loosened almost every T-post I've set!


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## br549 (Jan 17, 2006)

Beltec makes an auger that goes on 3 point or the front of a bobcat. expensive but quick if you can find a place to rent one. Other than that we use an 80 pound post driver and yes ive hit myself in the head once. Right on the top of my skull and broke a tooth but no other noticable drain bammage ur nuffin.


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## great white fisherman (Jun 24, 2008)

Light the fuse and get out of the way! Boom


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## Marsh Monkey (Jul 16, 2004)

steverino said:


> We have installed T-posts in Rocksprings with a leased air compressor and a rock drill (star drill?). I've even used an electric Bosch pavement breaker. Both my BIL and a friend recently bought electric hammer drills (I think one was a Dewalt and the other was a no-name from Northern Tool or a freight place). I think one accepts a 1" + diameter rock drill bit. This allows for a tight fit for the T-post. I will get the exact model, etc. for the drill and bit if you want it. I'm lucky since I have soil on my place in my low pastures and can use a driver to set T-posts. I say I'm lucky, but with the prolonged drought the cows have lean against and loosened almost every T-post I've set!


I'm in the Rocksprings area as well. The hammer drill information is the type of stuff I'm looking for. Any additional information would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks to everyone for all the ideas!


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## yep (Jul 25, 2006)

what/how did it happen, in order that we may avoid the same fate?



activescrape said:


> I'm here to tell you to proceed with great caution, should you pick up a t-post driver, aka *widowmaker and use it in rocky areas. I suffered a concussion and skull fracture Sept 1 last year doing that. It's risky business*.


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## Fishnut (May 21, 2004)

I've used a hammer drill that worked pretty good just make sure you have some extra bits with you.

Also you have to knock the plate off the t-post before driving it in the ground.

M


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## TXDRAKE (Jun 24, 2004)

Fishnut said:


> I've used a hammer drill that worked pretty good just make sure you have some extra bits with you.
> 
> Also you have to knock the plate off the t-post before driving it in the ground.
> 
> M


Fishnut,

I have a 22" long Carbide or Diamond tip 1 1/2" Hammer Drill Bit and it cost me $120.00 and at that amount I couldn't afford to have a few extras !! I haven't gotten to use it yet to set my t-post but I am hoping I can at least set up four pens before needing another. I bought it just for drilling the rocky areas I hunt near Rocksprings.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Haute Pursuit said:


> We had to buy portable cow pens for a few of our feeders. They were around $35/panel when we bought them. We used 8 panels but you could probably get by with 6 for a deer feeder. This one is around a 3,000 lb bulk feeder.












Man! Your feed pen pic is impressive! Considering my age, the amount of work I went through driving t-posts north of Fredericksburg and probably the damage to my shoulders and body from the repeated shock of the very heavy driver, your way is definitely smarter too.


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## Aces Full (Aug 10, 2005)

1.5" or 2" spline shaft hammer drill with a generator should work fine. It mostly depends on the type of rock. If it's just limestone one bit should get you plenty of holes. If you have any granite or hard rock like that it will take longer. If mostly limestone it would be perfect. Hammer drill will get you deep enough to not need any concrete. Hammer drills are easy to rent.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Thanks whitebassfisher. They are easy to relocate also. I drag 4 of them at a time with a chain on my Suburban if I don't have a trailer handy.


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## activescrape (Jan 8, 2006)

yep said:


> what/how did it happen, in order that we may avoid the same fate?


 Well, the driver is just a pipe about5" diametyer with an end welded onto it and then handles welded to the sides. You set the post where you want it and put the driver over the end of the post. Then just raise it up and slam it down on the top of the post as hard as you can. My problem is I was trying to drive it through and around rocks, there was tons of resistance. I wouold slam it down and maybe gain nothing and it was a lot of energy with nowhere to go. Anyway, my brother was with me. We had done maybe 20 posts. I was tired by this time anyway but I raised the driver up and let her rip. The problem was that I traised the driver higher than the top of the post and on the downward thrust the bottom of the driver hit the top of the post. It slammed backward and hit he in the top of the head. I just remember my hands and feet tingling and going numb on my way down and everything was going black. I fought unconsciousness because I was afraid if I went out I might not wake back up. It took a while but with my brothers help I got up and we went to the trailer. I had a massive knot on my head but I naively thought that I was hurt but ok. I mean I thought wow, that was close, but just because I was awake and stuff that that's all it was, a close call. Plus, it was dove opener, people were on their way out to the ranch, we had already paid to hunt, you know.
Long story short, I had some dizzy spells, never went to the doc and when all the swelling finally went down I have a 5" long dent in my skull, that's the fracture. 
I was stupid. I should have gone straight to the hospital and I will never risk that again, never ever.
So, if you are using one in sand or soft dirt don't worry too much, but if it is in rocks, get another way to get the posts set. my .02


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## yellowmouth2 (Aug 16, 2005)

I think the only way to go is with the cattle panels. You can buy the cattle panels that are 16 ft long, cut them in half and get some sucker rod or whatever you can find, weld you a frame and tack weld the panel to the frame. I've got (10) - 8' panels and when you tie them all together you'd be amazed at how strong it makes the pen. Then if you want to move your feeder or move to another lease it makes it so much easier. The heck with driving t-posts. We learned this the hard way.


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## houfinchaser (Oct 10, 2008)

My first Deer Lease was in the hill country and I had the same problem. We were busting t post into pieces with the driver. It took all **** day. No doubt the devil is making people do that in hell right now. I would not recommend a manual driver..


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## Marsh Monkey (Jul 16, 2004)

yellowmouth2 said:


> I think the only way to go is with the cattle panels. You can buy the cattle panels that are 16 ft long, cut them in half and get some sucker rod or whatever you can find, weld you a frame and tack weld the panel to the frame. I've got (10) - 8' panels and when you tie them all together you'd be amazed at how strong it makes the pen. Then if you want to move your feeder or move to another lease it makes it so much easier. The heck with driving t-posts. We learned this the hard way.


We have some of the cattle panels and for some reason on our place the deer just do not like jumping into them. A few deer will but the vast majority will not. We did not have this problem on other leases but after a couple of years of using the cattle panels on this place it is very obvious the deer do not like them. They will feed all around the outside but very few jump inside.

Looks like the hammer drill is the way to go. It is all limestone so that is the direction I'm heading. Driving them is not an option.

Thanks to all!


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## STEADLY CHASING BLUES (Jun 27, 2006)

WHAT WE DID WHEN WE HUNTED IN ROCKSPRINGS IS TAKE A 48" CATTLE PANEL AND BEND 10" TO 12" OF THE BOTTOM @90. WE USED 16 16' PANELS IN A CRICLE THEN PUT THE LIP TO THE INSIDE AND TIE WRAPED TOGETHER THEY WILL BE SELF STANDING.


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## fishnvet (Mar 6, 2005)

I like the idea of some kind of portable panels as well. Probably the reason the rancher uses a compressor and a drill on a jackhammer is he's tried the other options. In Wimberley that's how I had to do it, and how the local fencers do it. For that amount of work on a lease, I know I'd be more apt to buy bull wire panels in the height I wanted, frame them up with angle iron and pins, and use them in portable style like the cattle panels were used. That way, they are always yours to take wherever you want. Probably a lot of work at first, but I did this with a bunch of pig panels, and we used them for many years in different configurations for pigs, and with only an occasional stake/rebar/tpost they stayed in place. I know the cows can pound on the panels, but those big pigs can work them over as well and they always seemed to hold up. I framed them with 1X1 angle, I think, but you could use bigger. Just another idea.


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## yellowmouth2 (Aug 16, 2005)

Marsh Monkey said:


> We have some of the cattle panels and for some reason on our place the deer just do not like jumping into them. A few deer will but the vast majority will not. We did not have this problem on other leases but after a couple of years of using the cattle panels on this place it is very obvious the deer do not like them. They will feed all around the outside but very few jump inside.
> 
> Looks like the hammer drill is the way to go. It is all limestone so that is the direction I'm heading. Driving them is not an option.
> 
> Thanks to all!


Well, I stated to cut them in half, but we also had to cut the height down. I think they come about 54", but I cut them down about 36"-40" or something like that. I know they're about crotch high and I've never had problems with deer not jumping into the feed pen. Let me clarify that these cattle panels I'm talking about are the heavy wire hog wire type panels. They are not the small diameter pipe panels that are shown earlier in this thread. Haven't bought them lately, but they were about $14 dollars a panel. They're probably $20 by now. Even if you put in t-posts, what are you going to use for the wire? Hog wire? I don't understand what the difference of hog wire versus the cattle panels would be? You must have had the panels too high. And if they are too high then the small does and yearlings probably wouldn't jump in the feed pens.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

The ones in the pics I posted are 42"s. Smaller yearlings may not get in, but most of the deer that want in, get there.


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## Cable Slinger (Jul 8, 2008)

*.*

be sure and knock the clips off before you try and bang em in. It makes it much easier to put in that rock


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## hotfoot (Mar 22, 2008)

Dewalt hammer drill and a 1/2 inch bit works fine, but I use 1/2 inch re-bar and hog panels.


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## JWS.HOOKEM (Jun 24, 2008)

dynamite!


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## DRICE (Feb 19, 2008)

I've driven plenty of t-posts in Bandera without too much trouble. I don't know what kind of brush is in the area you are building the pen, but the trick is to put the t-post right up against a bush, even a small one, and drive it in. There seems to always be a crack in the rock at that point. It has worked every time for me. like the others said, it doesn't have to be pretty, just functional.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

surfspeck said:


> We Have A Winner :clover:


I do this too. Another thing I have found helpful, if your not worred about hogs getting into the pens, you should lift the panels up about 6-12" off the ground. The reason for this is cows learn after a while that they can come up and step on the bottom of the panels and cause them to bend over, and then they just walk right over them. If they are up off the ground they can't do that. I like them a foot off the ground so the fawns can get under the fence.

We build a lot of fence, and have made a pipe (with a top) that fits over the t-post. The Pipe is 8" shorter than the t-post. Then we use a front end loader to tamp the post. If you do this with the pipe over the post, the post will not bend. If you don't have a tractor, then a good old fashioned post driver will work, just be patient.


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