T-post Practical Depth

quietearth2 · Post by **quietearth2** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 4:51 pm

For an art installation, I'd like to pound 7'-long heavy-duty t-posts halfway into the playa: 3.5' above ground, 3.5' below ground. I have a standard post driver. In normal soil I know I could drive it down that deep. But wondering if the playa is just too dang hard to drive a tpost down 3.5'. Any experience with this?

Token · Post by **Token** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 5:57 pm

Given enough quality strikes, sure, it can probably make it that deep. Might bend along the way if done careless.

More important question is how you gonna get it back out when you are done and want to go home.

Pre-drilling down 18” with an SDS rotary hammer and a 1” masonry bit would help allot going to that depth.

quietearth2 · Post by **quietearth2** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 7:40 pm

Thanks Token... we have a t-post extractor, the kind you use by hand. Do you think we could pull it out with patience using one?

Token · Post by **Token** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 9:50 pm

No idea. Playa is funny stuff an anything deeper than 2 feet gets pretty moist. Water table is right there.

What’s your plan B?

You have a 4x4 truck and some strong chain?

quietearth2 · Post by **quietearth2** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:15 pm

That's a damn good Plan B I hadn't thought of. Will take some chain, have the truck!!

gaminwench · Post by **gaminwench** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 11:53 pm

Pour some water around the post prior to extraction.

'Twist and Shout!'

Token · Post by **Token** » Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:12 am

BTW, why do you need that much holding strength from the T-post?

It’s gonna be allot of pounding to go 3 feet.

T-posts are also very low grade steel and bend rather readily, especially if there is any harmonic loading like from guy lines in the wind.

T-post Practical Depth

T-post Practical Depth

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