Dropped $400 on a hydraulic post driver attachment and I'm split on it.

It saved my back on a big commercial job with 80 posts, but for a typical six-panel residential job, the setup time kills the benefit. Anyone else find these tools only pay off above a certain scale?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliviahenderson3d ago

Honestly, that bit about setup time killing the benefit for a small job is too real. I rented one for a weekend to do my own fence and felt like a total clown. Spent half a Saturday just getting it hooked up and leveled on my uneven ground. By the time I drove the sixth post, I was just sitting on the tailgate questioning all my life choices. The machine worked great, but I could've been done with a hand driver and a six-pack by then.

wade_perez2d ago

My neighbor's fence project last fall changed my mind on this. He had 15 posts on a slope and the rental place showed him a trick with plywood sheets for quick leveling. @oliviahenderson, once that machine was humming he finished in under two hours. For me, it's about knowing the setup steps beforehand, otherwise yeah, you're just renting frustration.