I hope someone can help! My fence has recently blown down and left the remaining post in the ground. The post that is left behind is below ground level and surrounded by a brick wall on one side and the other side is a driveway. Does anyone have any bright ideas of how to remove the post? I have tried drilling out the remainder with an auger bit but its not very easy!

Thanks

Tom

Hi Tom,

I've never tried this, but read that you can remove old tree stumps by
burning them out with diesel.

I have used the following method successfully several times:
Some of the devices mentioned are home-built.

1. Purchase 3-4 lag screws - 1/2" diameter, 12" long These will be
screwed into the remaining post stub in the ground. An impact wrench (I
use an electric model) will quickly install the screws. In a 4x4 post,
2 screws are about all that there is room for.
2. Rent/borrow/buy a pair of farm jacks. These are mechanical jacks
that provide about 48" of lift. They are used in tandem and must be
jacked up at the same rate.
3. Here's the home-built: A piece of 4"x4" square tubing, heavy wall,
about 12" long.
In the middle of the tubing, cut a window 6" long on one side. Once
that window is cut, drill 2 holes 1/2" diameter on the opposite side.
The holes must be about 2" apart. Each lag screw goes through a washer,
then through the window and out the hole on the opposite side to screw
into the broken post.
The farm jacks are limited as to how low to the ground they can be
used. They must be about 6-8" raised in order for the pump arm to
cycle. In order to permit the jacks to lift the device, each end of the
square tubing needs a loop extending upward on the same side as the
window in the tube. I suppose that some chain could be used for the
loop. My solution was to cut two lengths of #6 rebar, each about 24"
long and bend them unto a U-shape. The legs of the U are about 4"
apart. Each U-piece was then welded to the extreme end of the square
tubing to form a handle.
This whole apparatus works well when the residual post is not too
rotten and there is a nominal amount of concrete on the post. Rotten
posts will not hold the screws, resulting in pullout. Too much concrete
and you will not be able to pump the jacks. The jacks are only rated at
7000 pounds, so if you cannot pump down, do not use a vehicle or more
force...it will just damage the jack.
If this approach does not work, go rent the 65# electric jackhammer
and bust up a bit of driveway. Cost you about $50 for 4 hours.

Brilliant thank you. I shall give it a bash this weekend!

Tom

Many thanks for all your useful ideas, I shall be busy this weekend drilling and setting fire to things then!

Regards

Tom

Tom Holloway wrote:
crmay Wrote:
Hi Tom,

I've never tried this, but read that you can remove old tree stumps by
burning them out with diesel.


Many thanks for all your useful ideas, I shall be busy this weekend
drilling and setting fire to things then!

Regards

Tom


--
Tom Holloway

I would have just stuck a flowerpot on top of it...

I have used this very successfully in the past with posts that are NOT
set in concrete
.. Get a "T" shaped wine cork puller. Twist the puller into the stump of
the old post. move back/forth and left/right to loosen it a bit and
then use steady upward pulling to remove the old broken post.

Assuming that the submerged post base can be removed, what kind of post
will replace it?
Maybe a galvanized metal post with a bit of mortar or concrete to hold
it?

Is this a corner post or gate post with additional loads on it or is it
just a line post that must resist wind forces against the fence panels?

How about using an eye-bolt with 12" length and gluing it into one of
those holes you have drilled? Wait a day and pull it out. A 20' log
chain wrapped over a car rim and attached to a trailer hitch would
provide substantial vertical force.

On 2006-05-25, Tom Holloway wrote:

The post that is left behind is below ground level and surrounded by
a brick wall on one side and the other side is a driveway. Does
anyone have any bright ideas of how to remove the post? I have tried
drilling out the remainder with an auger bit but its not very easy!

I have done this a few times when I wanted to reuse a concrete
footing. What I found worked best was to get a 3" saw tooth bit
(e.g. 06J01.48 from leevalley.com) and drill out the core of the post.
The 3" bit allows you to stay within the post if you start slightly
off center or end up slightly off plumb; you don't want to hit the
concrete as that will quickly dull the bit. Getting the bit started
is the most difficult part, since the broken end of the post is
probably not flat.

Once you've drilled out the core of the post, use a long pry bar with
a flat chisel end to split the remainder of the post at the 4 places
it is thinnest. Then you can remove each of the remaining quarters by
prying it into the 3" hole and then pulling it out.

Cheers, Wayne

Wayne,
Thanks for the idea. I already have a 2-9/16 self-feeding bit such
as plumbers use to cut holes in framing for gas and water lines.
Already have the Hole-Hawg drill to power it too. Just need an
extension since these bits don't have a very long shank to them.
Now if that big drill doesn't slap me silly the first time the bit
hangs up, have that hole drilled in no time at all.

IBM5081 wrote:
Wayne,
Thanks for the idea. I already have a 2-9/16 self-feeding bit such
as plumbers use to cut holes in framing for gas and water lines.
Already have the Hole-Hawg drill to power it too. Just need an
extension since these bits don't have a very long shank to them.
Now if that big drill doesn't slap me silly the first time the bit
hangs up, have that hole drilled in no time at all.

Just one little "cautionary" note: I, too, had a Hole-Hawg
pistol grip with right angle attachment. I, too, used the
self feeding bit to drill 3-1/4" holes
for plumbing runs in my basement. After a LONG day of
drilling, cutting and gluing, I was about finished.
However, I was also darned tired. When I drilled a hole and
pulled the bit out, the drill was still coasting down.
Holding it by the pistol grip, I let it swing down alongside
my right leg, as I had done a few hundred times that day.
This time, however, the augur point hit me squarely on the
right knee and did just, precisely, what Mr. Greenlee
intended when he made the bit. It dug in and kept digging,
dragging the cutter along with it.

It went in full depth and the cutter also did a pretty
decent job on my leg.

Yes, I have already read the diverse manners in which a Hole-Hawg, no
clutch available, will continue to turn without regard to body parts
that might get in the way. That sounds like a nasty injury.

On Fri, 26 May 2006 15:46:43 -0700, Nonnymus wrote:

IBM5081 wrote:
Wayne,
Thanks for the idea. I already have a 2-9/16 self-feeding bit such
as plumbers use to cut holes in framing for gas and water lines.
Already have the Hole-Hawg drill to power it too. Just need an
extension since these bits don't have a very long shank to them.
Now if that big drill doesn't slap me silly the first time the bit
hangs up, have that hole drilled in no time at all.

Just one little "cautionary" note: I, too, had a Hole-Hawg
pistol grip with right angle attachment. I, too, used the
self feeding bit to drill 3-1/4" holes
for plumbing runs in my basement. After a LONG day of
drilling, cutting and gluing, I was about finished.
However, I was also darned tired. When I drilled a hole and
pulled the bit out, the drill was still coasting down.
Holding it by the pistol grip, I let it swing down alongside
my right leg, as I had done a few hundred times that day.
This time, however, the augur point hit me squarely on the
right knee and did just, precisely, what Mr. Greenlee
intended when he made the bit. It dug in and kept digging,
dragging the cutter along with it.

It went in full depth and the cutter also did a pretty
decent job on my leg.