trentwood Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 We are about half way through knocking in 500m of post and rail with our new Protech tracked post knocker. Although the majority of posts are going in ok, a fair few have twisted on the way in, meaning that when we come to put the rails on they are not going to go on flush. How are people stopping this happening? and how ar people rectifying it after the post has gone in? Really keen to sort it our as going to leave a poor finish....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryG Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 You will have to twist them as you are driving them in, impossible to straighten the post once it's down to the correct height, easiest way is a fork twister, bit like a Y shape........ I think Charlie Hubbard shared a picture of his twister on a previous post..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 We have a Bryce HD180 with a hydraulic cap rotator and a 6/3 Rock spike, we don't have the problem you explain they go in straight as an arrow with the Bryce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haydn Gleave Fencing Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 Try and fabricate yourself a post fork as I call it. Slots either side of the post and you can wiggle it as the post driver knocks it in. I have attached some photo's of mine, made out of pretty thick box section. Try and make it sturdy to withstand the strain. If you're a dab hand at welding you'll have it made in no time. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premnayloon Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 The problem with them is its a bloody awkward nd man operation better having a second person to either work the twister or chapper, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premnayloon Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 What I do is work thick rounds, eliminating that issue, also looks good there is a picture in my gallery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeW Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 A fork twister is the best and get the post early before too many hits and keep it low down (that way if you mark the post it gets buried). the fork bit needs to be strong but my handle is made from exhaust pipe which is strong and light and haven't managed to bend it yet. If its too heavy it will keep dropping and is harder work. Its no problem to knock and twist on your own, I hold the twister with one hand and knock with the other or wedge the handle against my waist. I have made a few fork twisters up to 8" for gate posts. The problem with holding them with a special post cap is the post can go all the way in twisted and when you take the cap off it will spring round by which time its too late. Another thing you can do is twist a bit when railing up and good nails will bring it all a bit squarer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 MikeW never had the problems you describe with the Bryce, might happen with other machines though or perhaps down to the operator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haydn Gleave Fencing Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 The problem with them is its a bloody awkward nd man operation better having a second person to either work the twister or chapper, Yes it can be a bit. I shortened mine a bit so that it rests on my knee or control the post driver with my lefty and hold the fork with my righty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goaty Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 A fork twister is the best and get the post early before too many hits and keep it low down (that way if you mark the post it gets buried). the fork bit needs to be strong but my handle is made from exhaust pipe which is strong and light and haven't managed to bend it yet. If its too heavy it will keep dropping and is harder work. Its no problem to knock and twist on your own, I hold the twister with one hand and knock with the other or wedge the handle against my waist. I have made a few fork twisters up to 8" for gate posts. The problem with holding them with a special post cap is the post can go all the way in twisted and when you take the cap off it will spring round by which time its too late. Another thing you can do is twist a bit when railing up and good nails will bring it all a bit squarer I do the low down twist, from r the same reason and it gets things back inline quicker as well. As someone else mentioned in another thread a tree felling lever is a great post twister. One size fits most if not all. I have the Bahco 1.2m one. Sometimes I let a twisted post have its own way,it can spoil the line but only a fellow fencer would ever notice. We are only conscience of it because we aim for perfection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charliehub Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 I use the hand twister to start off at the very beginning of driving using a tight low string line to get them as straight as possible if we get to the point of having to fight with them all the way as its too dry or stony we give up with that and then use our rectangular rock spike to make a perfect hole takes a bit longer but much better result .. Oh and we always use flat ended posts in 5x3's points tend to send them a lover the place Take a look at this video https://www.facebook.com/201676763210091/videos/1014100995300993/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post Driver Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 We have a Bryce HD180 with a hydraulic cap rotator and a 6/3 Rock spike, we don't have the problem you explain they go in straight as an arrow with the Bryce How do you twist the rock spike Steve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 We run two HD180s in tandem one with the rock spike the second with the hydraulic rotating post cap never have a problem. Pictures on Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post Driver Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 Sorry I didn't word that very well. I was wondering how you keep the rock spike and it's subsequent pilot hole square with the line. The Bryce rock spikes I have seen have a round shaft and round top. Wondered how the 6x3 twister was able to rotate this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 No as I said previously the rock spike is a Bryce 6/3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post Driver Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 OK no worries. I was trying to understand how you twist the 6x3 rock spike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringfencing Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 I'm with you post driver I can't se how the bryce rock spike can be controlled we have a spike for 5x3" but use the same syst as Charlie hub,it dose fit in the hydralic cap though so we can twist it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 You would have to see the two machines working in tandem. But it works ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HullFencing Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 we have a home made fork twister, i tend to use it pretty much at ground level and use my foot to push it, its often surprising how little pressure is actually needed to correct it as long as its caught early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goaty Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Well when I get a spare day from other activities, we are doing a 270m post and rail around an ancient paddock with an ancient hedgerow, some which are now mature trees. The Bryce has been fantastic with its hydraulics and mast getting in to awkward positions. However I have had to dig three in so far due to trees being in the way. We are using the hydraulic cap and felling lever to twist. But roots have won a few. The client wants it as near the boundary as possible. I'm resigning to a poor finish, he's ok with that. One will also have to have a foot cut off the top which we never do. In this case I really think it's going to cost in broken posts and lots of time if I get too fussy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDRContracting Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 It's always a compromise, we do mostly post and rail and different clients want different finishes/rates. All comes down to how much time you take to get each finish and charge accordingly. Farmers generally less fussy & cheap, equine middle and domestic & ménages want it spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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