Gas powered pounder

[Fence]

12 hours ago, West Fork Fence said:

I was thinking about the GPD 45 so it'd work on pipe, too.  You drive anything bigger than a T post with yours yet?

No . The 30is really designed for tpost or ground rods. The light weight was more appealing than the power of the 45

Might be good for line post on residential chain link. 

For pipe you need to go to the 45. 

[tepapa]

On 4/9/2018 at 01:17, West Fork Fence said:

Parts are not hard to get.  There isn't anything that can't be bought or built to fix one right here in the states.  Even if parts need ordered from afar, the world is much smaller than it once was.  I have a new machine on order right now, and the only big change I made to the design is JIC hydraulic fittings instead of British Standard.  My old machine has BS, and it hasn't been too hard to find fittings when we need them......Just figured JIC would be that much handier. 

What machine are you getting @West Fork Fence? Protech evo 2.

 

[West Fork Fence]

8 hours ago, tepapa said:

What machine are you getting @West Fork Fence? Protech evo 2.

 

EVO 1.  I did talk a friend into a Solotrac, since his number one requirement was having someone easy to deal with.  I figured Simon was the man for the job.   How are you getting along with your new and improved Solonet?  I've been thinking I might have to get Simon to build one for me.  

[tepapa]

Solonet is working well, it incorporates some pallet folks so you can drop the netter off and carry posts around. It now also incorporates a brace to stop it twisting/bending .

Simon has designed a DIN plate so you can mount the solonet onto other track machines. It wont have all the movement of the Solotrak version as it isn't mounted to the blade, but will still, load, unroll, clamp and tension. Don't think hes mounted one to an evo 1 yet  but you would probably be better mounting one on the skid steer.

[West Fork Fence]

9 minutes ago, tepapa said:

Solonet is working well, it incorporates some pallet folks so you can drop the netter off and carry posts around. It now also incorporates a brace to stop it twisting/bending .

Simon has designed a DIN plate so you can mount the solonet onto other track machines. It wont have all the movement of the Solotrak version as it isn't mounted to the blade, but will still, load, unroll, clamp and tension. Don't think hes mounted one to an evo 1 yet  but you would probably be better mounting one on the skid steer.

That sounds better.  I did see one bend and twist a little once. 

[tepapa]

On 09/04/2018 at 01:09, West Fork Fence said:

You are spot on with most of your observations.  We are working on the availability part, and should have that sorted by this fall.  Going to England is cheap and easy.  Plane tickets are cheap, and once you're there, the train goes everywhere.   Food and hotels are cheaper than the states, and contrary to urban legend, the beer is plenty cold.   Not many friendlies in London, but the further north the train goes, the nicer they get.  There happens to be a fencing competition this summer in Worcestershire, and I think they may still be taking applications.   You should consider attending, even if it's only to watch.  A tour of the Tornado factory is quite educational, as well.  I would bet that all of the post driver manufacturers will be in attendance at the fencing comp. 

Tornado's fencing comp at the NSA is on Wednesday 18th July, at the Three counties showground, Malvern, Worcestershire. All of the UK manufacturers will be there and most of the top UK fencers that run the machines day in day out if you wanted to speak to the guys that use them.

[tepapa]

5 minutes ago, West Fork Fence said:

That sounds better.  I did see one bend and twist a little once. 

 A prototype, you would have seen a proper one but he sent it to Australia

[tepapa]

As far as buying a new knocker. Track machines are light years ahead in terms of efficiency.  It is hard starting off when you don't have an established customer base, you think buying a tractor is versatile and can go do other jobs. I started with a tractor knocker and after 3 years upgraded to a track machine and the difference was amazing. I learnt I had worked harder putting up less m/day with the tractor whilst not using it for any other type of work whilst i was quiet.

What i would say is that you only need to worry about keeping to the finance payments every month, not the total cost of the machine. If it doesn't work out you will have a unique fencing machine to sell with no other competition and plenty of other fencers that are interested but want to see one working or don't want the hassle to import themselves. The market is hardly saturated with second hand tracked knockers.  As long as you have the skills to build a quality fence you should get plenty of work. 

[West Fork Fence]

8 hours ago, tepapa said:

As far as buying a new knocker. Track machines are light years ahead in terms of efficiency.  It is hard starting off when you don't have an established customer base, you think buying a tractor is versatile and can go do other jobs. I started with a tractor knocker and after 3 years upgraded to a track machine and the difference was amazing. I learnt I had worked harder putting up less m/day with the tractor whilst not using it for any other type of work whilst i was quiet.

What i would say is that you only need to worry about keeping to the finance payments every month, not the total cost of the machine. If it doesn't work out you will have a unique fencing machine to sell with no other competition and plenty of other fencers that are interested but want to see one working or don't want the hassle to import themselves. The market is hardly saturated with second hand tracked knockers.  As long as you have the skills to build a quality fence you should get plenty of work. 

I tried to click the little heart button multiple times, but the limit must be set at one.   Maybe Paul or Nick would have a look at fixing this flaw in the programing? 

[Fence]

On 4/11/2018 at 12:15, tepapa said:

As far as buying a new knocker. Track machines are light years ahead in terms of efficiency.  It is hard starting off when you don't have an established customer base, you think buying a tractor is versatile and can go do other jobs. I started with a tractor knocker and after 3 years upgraded to a track machine and the difference was amazing. I learnt I had worked harder putting up less m/day with the tractor whilst not using it for any other type of work whilst i was quiet.

What i would say is that you only need to worry about keeping to the finance payments every month, not the total cost of the machine. If it doesn't work out you will have a unique fencing machine to sell with no other competition and plenty of other fencers that are interested but want to see one working or don't want the hassle to import themselves. The market is hardly saturated with second hand tracked knockers.  As long as you have the skills to build a quality fence you should get plenty of work. 

I definitely would agree with that first paragraph. It's a job specific machine and at knocking a big wood post in the ground. It's light years ahead. Yes Sir. Spot on.

It's kinda like a gripple. Light years ahead of the knot and the crimp in efficiency and consistency.

[tepapa]

2 minutes ago, Fence said:

It's kinda like a gripple. Light years ahead of the knot and the crimp in efficiency and consistency.

 cant agree with that, wait till they start failing and fences start falling down. Quick on the day you use them but consistently poor.

[Fence]

1 minute ago, tepapa said:

 cant agree with that, wait till they start failing and fences start falling down. Quick on the day you use them but consistently poor.

Maybe your putting em in upside down... you know you gotta turn em round for a east/west run verses a north /south run......spend a little time.. you'll get it figured out.

 

 

[tepapa]

1 hour ago, Fence said:

Maybe your putting em in upside down... you know you gotta turn em round for a east/west run verses a north /south run......spend a little time.. you'll get it figured out.

 

 

Maybe that's where I been going wrong. .

Have hardly ever used them, and refuse to now so won't get a chance to figure it out.

[Fence]

Well... anyway

What you gotta do is on east to west run. Stand on the south side and you should be able to read the word gripple right side up and left to right. On North to south run. Read from the West....I've had zero failures using this method.......you may have to reverse it in the UK...idk

 

 

[West Fork Fence]

........And I'd like to introduce you all to the two most stubborn people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.  LOL