[mab]

Quick question:
I need something to drive fence posts in (lots), and one  person has recommended one of those rammers (steel tube with handles) and another's recommended a big rubber maul hammer.

I don't want to buy both, so I was hoping for some opinions to help me decide. 

Thanks

Marcus

[FiB]

Rammer every time for me.  We have used both...

Pros for maul... erm, you can use it to hit other things  (including people unintentionally - the head of our old maul came flying off a couple of weeks ago missing my head by inches )? Plus one person might find it easier to use on their own

Pros for rammer - can easily be used by 2 people, easier to start off tall posts, less skill needed (vs required accuracy of maul). 

We dont have a rammer (we borrowed one a while back) but I am saving up for one!!!

[MikeM]

yup, rammer. A mell (what I was taught is a rubber maul) is fine for hitting in low stuff (we used em for them posts you get round car parks) but a rammer makes the job almost easy. I'd also get hold of a iron breaking bar if you're in a stony area, great for making an initial hole.

[robert waddell]

proper stob mell but you get different weights  and once you know how to use it it far easier  the rubber ones just bounce no force behind it
the metal post rammer you could make from scrap  a bit of round pipe a plate welded on one end and two handles

[Bionic]

When the people moved out of here they left a rammer behind.

OH has been making good use of it to put up the fencing for the pigs.  Only problem is he has hit rock and no amount of ramming will drive a fence post through that.

He is having to use postcrete in some places.

Sally

[arwelcoed]

Rammer for putting in corner posts as it won't damage the top of the post plus two people can use it for more whack! Plus it works beter than standing on top of things to gain height with a sledge hammer. Same as above for stakes too but a sledge is handy to knock in struts or to put in the odd stake in a hedge doing patching and so on.
If I was only aloud one, I would go with a sledge hammer (if I already had a spade or graft and bar) if I was intending to do a lot and I owned a tractor I would buy a post knocker for that and sell it after as you won't loose any money really as they are always in demand.

[robert waddell]

sledge hammers are not to be used on posts they split them  that is why a stob mell should be used it has a wider head surface
corner posts should be dug into the ground with struts going in either direction of pull  or rammed with a post knocker     i have used a digger to ram them in but they were massive you could not move them without the digger
but always pinch a hole first that way you can move rocks out the way and you don't do a woodpecker impersonation

[tobytoby]

A lot less damaged posts with a Rammer - and if you are careful you can put the posts in without any help. A post Mell takes 2, one to hod it and one to dod it.

[OhLaLa]

A lot less damaged posts with a Rammer

Out of your two choices this gets my vote as well.

 

[chrismahon]

We bought a rammer for 6" posts as it's a lot heavier than the 4" rammer but does those as well. The larger rammer also caters for lumps and bumps on a 4" post. Never used a Mell -sounds really awkward on tall posts.

[deepinthewoods]

6'' rammer.

[robert waddell]

yes but you are better with company than working on your Tod      quicker  and you need a goffer anyway there is always something you forgot or left at the other end
rammers for the not so skilled    it is a bit like log splitters verses axes
the best way is get somebody else to do the fencing

[Dan]

We've got and use both. There are times when access with a rammer is difficult, and that tends to be when we use the maul. And completely agree with Robert, forget rubber, get a decent metal-headed one.

[mab]

gosh, lots of opinions! 

Well the rammer seems to be favorite, esp. as I'm probably doing most on my own (too tight to pay for help  ).

I do use a bar to make a start hole & break the rocks.

Robert - I did think of making one; I've got some rusty 6" steel pipe lying around, but I'd need to get something for handles and the end - thick enough to do the job but thin enough to mig weld; in the end I decided it would take me too long (want to get some fencing done whilst the ground is soft).

cheers

marcus

[hughesy]

Rammer, no contest. If you've got a lot of posts to put in the 30 odd quid it'll cost is nothing.