Idea to set power poles

[A.G.]

I am going to try to set some pretty good sized poles, with my four in one bucket.
Haven't tried it yet, here is what I am thinking.
Approach the pole that is on the ground from the bottom. Open the bucket to put the flat bottom against the pole laying on the ground. Chain the pole to the open 4 in 1 over the teeth and through the open clam bottom. (About four feet or more from the bottom of the pole.) Lift the pole and tilt up on bucket to hold the pole in near vertical position to set, in augered hole. Somehow wiggle around with the slack chain to get loose once the pole hits its mark.
This is going to be a two man deal, I don't think I can get out if needed because I have a glass door. If the loader arms are even slightly up you can't get out.
I think between the bucket tilt, and the opening action of the four in one, I can get it done.
A.G.

 

[pelpel]

How tall is the pole? If you can lift it and it sticks out/up, say more then 10', I'd be concerned about tipping over sideways. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Luthor]

How tall is the pole? If you can lift it and it sticks out/up, say more then 10', I'd be concerned about tipping over sideways. Let us know how it goes.

Sounds like a dissaster waiting to happen in my opinion.

 

[Fishfiles]

We live in the land of pilings , there are alot of crews puttig 30 and 40 ft pilings in the ground all the way to dirt with Bobcats , there make the attachment to pick them up ad set them , most fabricate their own , it is a side ways clamp , they first drill a hole 8-10ft deep with an auger and extension , then grap the piling about 4 ft from the end , the can then lift the poe vertical and set it into the hole ,they grab it higher up the pole with the clamp and pull it down as far as they can go , from there they use a couple of different methods , the best seems to be a excavtor with a vibratory plate compactor that has a piece of large pipe welded to the foot , they use machines in the 20,000 range and up , they are able to get on top the piling and vibrate it into the ground , another method is a mini pile drive attachment , that has a sprag on the winch which when the winch is lifted up , when it gets to the top o the leads it drops the weight , I finished today setting up a Kobelco 115 with a wet kit and a plate , he put two down as a test and it worked fine , he used the punch method , it is a 10ft tapered spike that chains to the plate , they push it into the ground then pul it out , it leaves a nice hole for the piling to fit into , really something to see they do 40 --40 ft in a half a day

 

[Tazza]

We live in the land of pilings , there are alot of crews puttig 30 and 40 ft pilings in the ground all the way to dirt with Bobcats , there make the attachment to pick them up ad set them , most fabricate their own , it is a side ways clamp , they first drill a hole 8-10ft deep with an auger and extension , then grap the piling about 4 ft from the end , the can then lift the poe vertical and set it into the hole ,they grab it higher up the pole with the clamp and pull it down as far as they can go , from there they use a couple of different methods , the best seems to be a excavtor with a vibratory plate compactor that has a piece of large pipe welded to the foot , they use machines in the 20,000 range and up , they are able to get on top the piling and vibrate it into the ground , another method is a mini pile drive attachment , that has a sprag on the winch which when the winch is lifted up , when it gets to the top o the leads it drops the weight , I finished today setting up a Kobelco 115 with a wet kit and a plate , he put two down as a test and it worked fine , he used the punch method , it is a 10ft tapered spike that chains to the plate , they push it into the ground then pul it out , it leaves a nice hole for the piling to fit into , really something to see they do 40 --40 ft in a half a day

I tend to agree, the leverage the post will have at that length could tip your machine over. I honestly don't know if the rams on a 4 in 1 have enough power to tilt a power pole at full length or not. I never under estimate these little things, they always seem to surprise me with what they can do. If you chain it up, be sure you use high quality chain, where it touches the cutting edge there is a lot of force that can and does snap chain, i have done it myself lifting up a set of 743 lift arms!
Good luck, i would like to see pictures when you do it if you are able, sounds interesting to me.

 

[jerry]

I tend to agree, the leverage the post will have at that length could tip your machine over. I honestly don't know if the rams on a 4 in 1 have enough power to tilt a power pole at full length or not. I never under estimate these little things, they always seem to surprise me with what they can do. If you chain it up, be sure you use high quality chain, where it touches the cutting edge there is a lot of force that can and does snap chain, i have done it myself lifting up a set of 743 lift arms!
Good luck, i would like to see pictures when you do it if you are able, sounds interesting to me.

If the upper chain breaks as you lift the pole the base may come into the cab and kill you, use very good chain or make a solid clamp device. If you bend or break the bucket you can fix that but when it breaks someone may get hurt. be very careful.

 

[xtreem3d]

If the upper chain breaks as you lift the pole the base may come into the cab and kill you, use very good chain or make a solid clamp device. If you bend or break the bucket you can fix that but when it breaks someone may get hurt. be very careful.

maybe you should unplug the connectors and take the door off?...i think they run about 900.00w/ the wiper motor

 

[mllud]

maybe you should unplug the connectors and take the door off?...i think they run about 900.00w/ the wiper motor

A.G.:Leverage is a unpredictable thing when your at the short end of the mechanical adventage. all that weight on the other end will win.The advice Fishfiles gives is good. If some Candians come on here they move e lot of trees They can help Mike

 

[877skidsteer]

Skid Steers can do all sorts of tasks, but this one sounds like you would be far better off with a larger machine.
Might want to read the article below before you try that one...
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/skidalt.html

 

[switzforge]

How about setting the base of the pole at the top of the hole (pole still lying on the ground) with a board such as a 2 x 12 in the hole sticking out so the pole can't slide past the hole or dig into the sides. the pull you skid steer up to the pole slightly higher than the balance point with the bucket paralel to the pole. Chain the pole to the bucket so that it can pivot. Lift the pole while turning tward the hole. On the pole is in the hole you should be able to push it straight up and down with the bucket. Actually now that I think about it forks might be better than the bucket, may not eevn need the chain as long as there is nothing that could be damaged if the pole rolled of the forks. Just make sure there are no bystanders and that the pole can't fall back onto you and the skid steer. No, I've not done this myself, just an idea

 

[sandhills-elect]

How about setting the base of the pole at the top of the hole (pole still lying on the ground) with a board such as a 2 x 12 in the hole sticking out so the pole can't slide past the hole or dig into the sides. the pull you skid steer up to the pole slightly higher than the balance point with the bucket paralel to the pole. Chain the pole to the bucket so that it can pivot. Lift the pole while turning tward the hole. On the pole is in the hole you should be able to push it straight up and down with the bucket. Actually now that I think about it forks might be better than the bucket, may not eevn need the chain as long as there is nothing that could be damaged if the pole rolled of the forks. Just make sure there are no bystanders and that the pole can't fall back onto you and the skid steer. No, I've not done this myself, just an idea

I set poles with mine and this i how i do it. I put pole end close to hole,(need a board at backside of hole to keep from filling it with dirt as you push pole in) useing my fork i move them close together about the width of pole. I set the frontend on back of fork frame and raise it above cab while driving forward pushing pole into hole, leave the forks tipped back as you go up along pole to keep it from going side to side. I usually elevate pole with blocks to get top end on the back frame of forks. Hope this will help. Brent.

 

[A.G.]

I set poles with mine and this i how i do it. I put pole end close to hole,(need a board at backside of hole to keep from filling it with dirt as you push pole in) useing my fork i move them close together about the width of pole. I set the frontend on back of fork frame and raise it above cab while driving forward pushing pole into hole, leave the forks tipped back as you go up along pole to keep it from going side to side. I usually elevate pole with blocks to get top end on the back frame of forks. Hope this will help. Brent.

I thought about that Brent, after looking at my forks. I thought about positioning close, forking up the pole end (top) and skidding the pole onto the top of my fork carrier, and running it up and in. The pole would ride between forks, as the loader gets closer, run the forks up.
I just need to miss the glass, pivoting the pole into position. Also to keep the pole from getting away, I have thought about using a chain across the fork tips.
I have run poles up coming off a pickup rack, and used the truck to position it.
The four in one idea, sprung from watching another buddy set poles with a 580 backhoe dipper and a chain, strapped to the bottom of his dipper.
My welder freind has advised me not to bend my "perfect" four in one bucket. He does all my repairs and custom attachments so I better not piss him off.
Need a smiley emoticon here.
A.G.

 

[pondfishr]

I thought about that Brent, after looking at my forks. I thought about positioning close, forking up the pole end (top) and skidding the pole onto the top of my fork carrier, and running it up and in. The pole would ride between forks, as the loader gets closer, run the forks up.
I just need to miss the glass, pivoting the pole into position. Also to keep the pole from getting away, I have thought about using a chain across the fork tips.
I have run poles up coming off a pickup rack, and used the truck to position it.
The four in one idea, sprung from watching another buddy set poles with a 580 backhoe dipper and a chain, strapped to the bottom of his dipper.
My welder freind has advised me not to bend my "perfect" four in one bucket. He does all my repairs and custom attachments so I better not piss him off.
Need a smiley emoticon here.
A.G.

In my younger days I was contracted to connect camp site power poles in a developmental area. We used a ford tractor with a welded extension on the auger for greater digging depth. Once we had the hole dug we would place a slick board on the back side of the hole. Then position the pole with the tractor with the larger end next to the hole. We first tried setting them with a lift bar but found it easier to set the 25' and 30' poles by hand. Two people walking the pole up into the hole while it slid into the hole on the slick board. It took a little bit of labor but worked out well. My two cents worth but most definitely be careful those things can get away from you in a hurry.