Reciprocating saw - odd application.

[The Medway Handyman]

Had to replace 2 x 40 x 40cm fence posts today. First one came out OK after the usual application of brute force & ignorance.

Second one was a pig. Tried everything, dug down 2' and it still wouldn't come out. The only option left was to cut the bugger down as low as possible. I could still bury the new post 22" below ground level, so out came the Titan el cheapo reciprocating saw.

Drilled a hole centrally in the post stub & started to cut. Got through from one side & low & behold, the stub started to move about in the hole. The vibration from the recip saw had loosened it sufficiently for me to simply pull the stub out vertically.

Now thinking of making up an adaptor to utilise just the back & forth action.

[Matty F]

The fence posts were 16 inches square? That's big! I've always managed to get posts out by nailing and clamping a piece of timber vertically on the post with a small gap underneath. Then lever up using a crowbar resting on a block of wood on the ground.

[dom]

For some really tough concrete posts, I resorted to a rope hitch low around the post and a loop up to the lifting tongue of a farm jack (jackall type) - worked elegantly - but of course I only resorted to a "brains" solution, after pushing what my back could take a bit too far.

[mark]

A soil sieve?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

An SDS used on hammer only with a blunt chisel etc would be easier?

[Jules]

Got me scratching my head, too. OP mentions depth of hole in ft, but post measurements in cm, so I'm not sure!

I was thinking along similar lines, albeit assuming that the post was toast anyway, so drilling a big hole in it and using a bit of scaffold for leverage.

Alternately, explosives would be fun ;)

cheers

Jules

[The Medway Handyman]

That would only push though, not push then pull.

[The Medway Handyman]

Whoops! Meant 4" x 4". Must take more water with it.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Do it from one side then t'other?

[The Medway Handyman]

Not really possible with fence post stubs.