West Fork Fence

Goaty, I like to buy high, sell low, and make it up on volume.

I'm sure that it's tough to justify a tracked knocker for some. It is a big expense, and I suppose they can be a bit of a one trick pony, but so am I. We don't build anything but farm fence, so my driver gets a workout. Friday, I drove 1,300 meters of posts.....5-6"x8' intermediates and about 30 8'x10' strainers, and still had time to build braces and stretch some net. I can load nearly 60 5-6" posts on my machine, and that's pretty handy. Yesterday, for example, I loaded the posts I needed for a 150 meter post and rail job. I drove all the posts so the guys can hang boards first thing Monday, and then moved the driver on up the road to the next job. (Next to a church, so I can't start until noon today) Tepappa has a pretty good system for working alone and keeping all the equipment (loader tractor, knocker, trailer) he needs on the job. I'm not a post knocker salesman, so it makes me no difference, but I've never heard anyone with a tracked knocker wish to go back to using a tractor mounted knocker. Ever. It'd be like wishing for Tornado to stop making 500 meter rolls, and only make 50 meter rolls. lol ​And Matt, in a few years, climbing in and out of a tractor 200 times a day won't be as much fun!

I've always wanted to try a Solotrack......

That's exactly why I have a Vector.

I couldn't agree more with you both!

I'll elaborate on my answer a little. My first three rigs were center mast, H beam, three point mounted drivers. (Side slide, slew, and any other practical ideas are pretty well unavailable here) My fourth rig was a center mast H beam on a skid steer on tires. Ohhh man.....I thought I was in heaven. My next rig was the same driver on a rubber track skid steer. I still have it, and even use it once in a while, although it's hard to go back to that way of life. It is just nearly impossible to keep any help, and I was fairly well sick of climbing in and out of the skid steer 400 times a day, so I started exploring the internet every night until I hatched my plan to mate a Vector Model 4 to a Yanmar C50R. It's big and heavy, but it has served me well and has never been arrested the night before a big job, or been too hungover to show up on time. I'm taking a look at a Protech Evo in a couple weeks, and hopefully it will fit in my luggage for the trip home! It wouldn't be practical for us to drive a tractor on the road to every job site, so I'd just assume haul a tracked driver that I can operate alone as to any other type of rig. Being able to work alone faster than I ever could with two of us has been the best benefit for me. 80 posts/hour is not uncommon in good conditions, so the speed makes up for the expense in no time. If you're going to be a bear, be a Grizzly bear. Edit: The only downside are sharp rocks and small stumps left by land owners without track machines.......Derailed tracks can be a headache, but it's usually not an issue until the tracks are worn out.

IMHO, there are no cons. I'm sure they aren't for everyone, but my productivity easily doubled when I switched to a tracked driver.