Hammer or post driver for rebar

[spoka]

Is it easier to use a hammer (which kind?) or a post driver to pound in 5/8" x 24" rebar into the ground?

I suspect the post driver is safer, would last longer, but would take longer to pound in the rebar. A hammer would give you more momentum, but is easier damaged because if you missed, the rebar would chip away at the neck of the hammer.

I did find this post from 2009 which suggests both options, but doesn't say which one is better. viewtopic.php?t=28483

[Thecatman]

You're talking about putting 24" rebar in the ground. Every post pounder I've seen are more than 24" long. And heavy. At least the ones we use where I work.
I would think a 3lb single jack should suffice. Just practice your aim.

[trilobyte]

I'm giving this a nudge over to Shelter & Camping, since that's a better fit for a discussion about staking.

Personally, I would never use or advocate the use of rebar - it's a fucking pain in the ass to work with. You should be able to find dozens of threads on securing structures and working with rebar on the board. If you do go that route, I'd recommend using candy cane rebar instead of straight pieces, then use a sledge and make sure you've got some kind of rebar puller.

[The Rod]

After pounding in rebar and removing it from the playa for four fucking years I am done with it. Done.

I highly recommend that you avoid the pain and the hassle by avoiding rebar all-together.

This year our camp will be investing in 14 inch lag screws and bringing an 18v impact driver: viewtopic.php?f=277&t=68556

[unjonharley]

I just set up a monkey hut green house.. Used Lag screws.. I have a large lead acid battery for camping.. Wheeled it out to the garden hooked up the inverter to extention cord and impact drill.. Banged those lag screws in no time..

The real plus of lag screws is, They go flat to the ground and nothing to trip over..

[danibel]

Lag screws sound interesting. I can't use them though.

I take 24 inch rebar, a 3lb sledge (also a 5 lb'er), and a pair of good vice grips for removal. I put in about 10. Six go into the legs of my shade structure, and then 4 out on a slant for tiedowns covered, and lit of course.

[Elorrum]

I hammer rebar once a year, about 12 pieces, tops. I know there are easier ways, but the investment in a new tool, generator, and lag screws, just doesn't make sense for me. and yes I know some say you can use a ratchet. Let's race with hammer vs. ratchet, and if ratchet wins for time, maybe I'll consider it for next year.
I have a three pound sledge, and I bought a 4 inch black pipe nipple and cap as a pounder aid.(photo is of galvanized, but I like the black pipe) It gives me a little larger surface area to hit. Last year I couldn't find it, and still was able to put those 12 stakes in the ground, I pull them out with a pair of long handle slip joint pliers, twist them around both ways and then pull up.

[spoka]

You're talking about putting 24" rebar in the ground. Every post pounder I've seen are more than 24" long. And heavy. At least the ones we use where I work.
I would think a 3lb single jack should suffice. Just practice your aim.

Thanks @Thecatman. Looks like a 3lb single jack is my only choice. I didn't realize post drivers were so long.

[spoka]

I hammer rebar once a year, about 12 pieces, tops. I know there are easier ways, but the investment in a new tool, generator, and lag screws, just doesn't make sense for me. and yes I know some say you can use a ratchet. Let's race with hammer vs. ratchet, and if ratchet wins for time, maybe I'll consider it for next year.
I have a three pound sledge, and I bought a 4 inch black pipe nipple and cap as a pounder aid.(photo is of galvanized, but I like the black pipe) It gives me a little larger surface area to hit. Last year I couldn't find it, and still was able to put those 12 stakes in the ground, I pull them out with a pair of long handle slip joint pliers, twist them around both ways and then pull up.

@Ellorrum, I like your idea of a pounding aid. Is a "Black pipe" the same as a "Black iron pipe" and why is that preferred over other types of pipes? I went to McMasters looking for these parts, but couldn't find an exact match for black pipe.

[Elorrum]

Black iron, yes. It may not be actually true. But I imagined that the galvanized pipe as you whack it might shed some material.

[some seeing eye]

But I have to say, if I need more holding power than a gutter nail, I'm trying Mr Figjam's lag bolts. Rebar is good for Monkey hut ribs as the video shows.

[^Rhino!]

I'm just curious, has anyone tried a vibrating hammer or similar arrangement (even home built)? It's a common construction practice in difficult conditions to use a vibratory hammer to drive H-piles, but I'm talking about something smaller (do they make anything like that?) We've even used a vibratory hammer for the installation of sheet piling for a cofferdam. Worked like a charm.

[media]

Something for personal use on playa would be smaller, and would probably have to be home built.

Rebar? Pffft. 12" landscape nails with a washer hammered flush always did the trick for me, and I pull them with a normal hammer. No muss, fuss, or bother.

[unjonharley]

Like a hammer drill.. Or chisel "air/electric" hammer, that just hammers.
One year I saw a slide hammer on the playa..Pipe went over the rebar.. A rod that fit inside the pipe.. A three lb, hammer head attached to the rod.. The a wooden handle on the rod.

[^Rhino!]

Like a hammer drill.. Or chisel "air/electric" hammer, that just hammers.
One year I saw a slide hammer on the playa..Pipe went over the rebar.. A rod that fit inside the pipe.. A three lb, hammer head attached to the rod.. The a wooden handle on the rod.

You know, unjonharley, that there are a number of manufacturers that make an electric hammer drill for going through concrete with up to a 1/4" hole. If there was some way to mate the drill chuck loosely to a pipe that went over the rebar, you could drill it right in with vibration. To extract, reverse. Something like that should work.

OK, playa do-it-yourself-ers......we've come up with a functional germ of an idea. Anybody want to chime in? This is what it means to be in a DO-ocracy........

[unjonharley]

Last year sand here at home in the garden I used a hammer drill..

Put an old over size socket just bigger than the rebar..

Extract with vise grips and pinch bar..

I run the drill off my storage battery w/inverter and (50ft.) extension cord..

[EspressoDude]

[unjonharley]

After six years and a lot of over time with one of those.. I was sure it followed me home at night.. Or it had grown to my hand.. Now and then I would trade up to a 90 pounder... Government spec rivets were tough to button.. The 90 pound hammer was hard to handle walking 6 inch steel, 50 feet in the air..Took a lot of booze to keep me coming back.. eight hours on the hammer then four more on the overhead crane.. Couple of times I went 60 days without a day off..

[tamarakay]

Ok, on that video be drilled that rebar in really far, but how did he get it back out?

[unjonharley]

Ok, on that video be drilled that rebar in really far, but how did he get it back out?

Attach vise grips to the rebar close to the ground.. Use a crow bar to lift on the vise grips.. Use a small block of wood to keep the crow bar from sinking into the playa.. 1/2 inch rebar will hold most domestic shelters.. Fence posts may take a tractor to pull then out.. Been there did that..

[EspressoDude]

unjon: what did you say, I saw your lips move but didn't hear much.....bam, bam, bam, about 30 times a minute

[unjonharley]

You mean 30 times a second.. Or that s the way it felt.. Makes you say huh? a lot

[spoka]

Last year sand here at home in the garden I used a hammer drill..

Put an old over size socket just bigger than the rebar..

Extract with vise grips and pinch bar..

I run the drill off my storage battery w/inverter and (50ft.) extension cord..

Mr. Wizard documents how he built his Rebar Hammer here: http://www.litebrite.org/rebarhammer/

[some seeing eye]

Mr Wizzard was my mentor and I borrowed his hammer. He had an excellent art car too. Very generous individual. So yes, it's way back knowledge and he deserves all the credit.

[unjonharley]

Bit of over kill for most of us.. Same idea only smaller equipment.. Really like the angel box.. I think the angle is very important.. The line coming down @45 and the stake back @45

[Meat Hunter]

Not knowing that the wheel had already been invented by Mr. Wizard, several weeks ago I built a very similar hinged wooden jig to set my 18" x 1/2" lag bolts.

I did several test runs in rock-hard clay using a 1/2" non-hammer drill and they went in as smooth as Caravansary silk.

[BBadger]

[media]

Looks good, but will I be able to power one of those off a EU1000? I'm trying to cut down on weight.



But really, this next time, after using 18" rebar stakes, I'm going with lag screws instead.

[^Rhino!]

[media]

Looks good, but will I be able to power one of those off a EU1000? I'm trying to cut down on weight.

There IS a diesel-powered version, but are you sure you want to? It's overkill. Like cracking an egg with a sledgehammer.

If I really need holding power, rebar and lag screws are so passé. I'll grab a handful of the mini helical foundation anchors I can get from AB Chance up the road. The big ones are used to anchor radio towers. The minis ought to be able to hold up any tent in any wind,

[unjonharley]

Up until last year I used 1 ft. rebar staples set at a 45 away front the shelter.. A stick of wood and a pinch bar was over kill pulling them... While they were in use, nothing could pull them at a 45..

This year, going with a new monkey hut.. Rebar in the legs, 1 rebar staple out front and lag screws..

[Drawingablank]

Hi,

If you don't mind my asking, what did you use for a cover on the Monkey Hut greenhouse?

Since I fly out to the burn these days, my original monkey hut is just sitting in the garage and I sure could use a greenhouse.

I just set up a monkey hut green house.. Used Lag screws.. I have a large lead acid battery for camping.. Wheeled it out to the garden hooked up the inverter to extention cord and impact drill.. Banged those lag screws in no time..

The real plus of lag screws is, They go flat to the ground and nothing to trip over..

[unjonharley]

For the monkey hut green house cover.. I used opaque plastic.. Got it from the paint dept. Home Depot.. put it over and rolled the bottom up on a 1 x 2 board.. The sun breaks this stuff down pretty fast.. It will only last part of the year..