For the life of me, I just can’t seem to drive them straight. They look straight when I start. Been doing this for years, and you’d think I’d have the hang of it by now. There can’t be a secret trick to this, so I’m just griping.

Nothings straight any more.

Which way are they leaning? Left right, or away, towards you?
My dad always told me to pull them toward you a little more than you think you need to, to get them straight.

What kind of driver are you using?

Taylormade.

Use a sighter, farther from the one you're driving.

If it's a brace post that was set with a level, great. If it's a previous t-post, go put your level on it and mash it to level. Start far from your level post and work toward your level post (sighter)

Ok, that was funny!

I’m using an old fashioned type 2 handled driver, pounding it into the ground. The T-posts all lean to my right.

All over this property, the dang t-posts are straight in the fences. All of them, except where I added a post here and there. No fence crew would ever hire me.

JG sounds like he knows how to do this. I’ll try his approach.

To paraphrase a guy that was trimming trees on my place when I commented how I wish I could lay rock like the crew working on a sidewalk - "You're not the right skin color to do that." (He was dead serious.)

You gotta be hitting rock. Welcome to my world. Leaning is a minor problem. Twisting is the norm.

Just blame it on the crooked t-posts!

Mash them in with your tractor. Have someone hold it till it gets going, a little down pressure on the bucket and it will go straight.
Softer ground helps.

I worked for a fence building company, full time for 15 years. I've dug more holes and driven in more t-posts than I care to remember. Miles and miles of all types of fence. That's a big reason I like working on rifles and ammo a whole lot more. Much easier on the body.

yur right handed. hit it two times on the left every one for the right.

I have 21 T Post to set here pdq. What do you think about these gas powered T/Fence post drivers?
Thinking about renting one for $100.00 for 24 hours.

At this stage of my life, that decision is an easy one!

Marc

Just drove the last t-post, and tried to follow JG’s suggested technique, it’s pretty straight. I was gonna strut around a bit, but I was all alone, so strutting seemed a waste of effort. Kinda like a hole in one with nobody watching.

As for the gas powered post driver, I’d go for that if I had a lot of posts to drive. Another option, if you have a tractor or a Kubota RTV with the rear hydraulics, Kubota offers (or did) a hydraulic t-post driver.

Never used one. The only power tool I've ever used to put inbt-posts has been the bucket on a skid steer.

How much does that weigh? Do you want to hoist that much weight up to the top of the post?

You must have hard ground. 21 t-posts is a good morning warm-up exercise.

My daughters and I used this when I was building feed pens.

I could be talked into selling it. Lots of rock here in Val Verde county. Often we'd have to knock the arrow off of the Tee Post and it would fit perfect. As long as you drill straight down the T-post will be straight up. Takes about 60 to 70 seconds to drill the hole.

Currently a Callaway EPIC Max.

Used to manufacture an exclusive design manual post driver.

Putting up 10 hog panels around my feeder, the ground is soft for about the first 4" after that it is hit or miss rock usually hitting sandstone rock.
I have a heavy duty T Post driver, it would take me forever and wear my old azz out.

Looking at Stub’s t post driver, which might actually be uglier than mine, I think these things could be left in your front yard and never be stolen, like a manual post hole digger for instance.

And that reminds me. I do have a manual post hole digger if anyone wants it. It’s free. I will never use it again. Maybe my neighbor wants it, since he’s crazy enough to use it.

When driven into ground and crooked, they're metal, bend um straight. Oh by the way, if you have an air compressor,, I have an air powered sucked that will hammer them or I think up to 2 7/8" pipe into the ground. (Rohrer Manufacturing’s Man Saver Post Driver™ )

Telling you Stub has this figured out. Klappenbach bought one and we laughed. After seeing it in use and then using it, no one laughing now.

Working with my opie as a boy we would go grab lunch. Put all the power tools in the truck cab and locked it, but shovels ax sledge etc. stayed in the bed. He said a thief would only steal a tool that worked for you not with you.

Mine is also home made, built in 1968, has put in a lot of posts and can honestly say is like new. No way to wear those damn things out.

Best way I have found to get them straight, is to stand about 20 feet away and tell the person driving them, which direction they need to go. Ice cold beer helps too.

Ive never had problems driving them straight enough to suit me. But then, I don’t much care what the white folks downtown think.

Go to Home Depot and pick up the best fence builder waiting for a job and you can have a cold beverage while their working, they always seem to be straighter when someone else is driving them

Put in 2 end posts about 70 or 80 yards apart. Stretch a line, not wire, tightly between them. Start the posts on the line. If anyone smarts off, hand them the post driver. BTW, put the posts on the ground, where you want them, in advance.

After all the advice I got here on how to drive em straight, the next one I drove leaned to the right, just like the last bunch. I think Ol Thumper probably has the best advice.

I use this and push them in with my tractor bucket.

https://www.amazon.com/Swanson-Tool-PL001M-Magnetic-Level

I've got one and I don't care who calls me a sissy. Best investment we have made out at the lease. It weighs about 45 lbs and it takes less than 20 seconds to get a post in through limestone 6" down. We can do a 12 panel pen in less than 2 hours from pulling up to drinking the beer and looking at the pen all set. Highly recommend them, and I"d suggest buying one over renting if you need to do more posts.

Mine is a Titan with a Honda motor....works like a charm

Looks like a great machine, but not something I’d ever need. I have all the fence I need, with most of it being good, so my T-post driving doesn’t happen too often, and only when a gap needs repair or a tree crushes some fence. Of course, I did drive some t-posts for firewood stacks, and they all leaned. If it wasn’t for cows, I wouldn’t even need fences, and I don’t own a cow. Life in the country.