# fence post stub removal advice?



## texanator (Mar 14, 2007)

Fence post broke at ground level and it is in middle between my and my neighbour's concrete driveway.

Can't dig around it, since it's all surrounded by the driveway concrete.

Do I need to rent a jack hammer and start busting the driveway... I hope not.

Open for all suggestions... oh, the replacement has to be sturdy, because
the driveway gate closes and butts against this post.

Do they rent some big drill(?) ... What would the tool be called that I should be
looking for (I'm not english speaking background, I dont know all tool names).

Thanks in advance,
--Sur


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## glennjanie (Mar 15, 2007)

Hello Sur and welcome to the Forum:
It is possible to use a 1" diameter 'ship-auger' bit to drill at least 4 holes in the post and try to get it to cave in on itself. A ship-auger bit has at least one foot of auger. You will need a very powerful electric drill to turn the bit and to back it out. If you let it run into the dirt, you will need to resharpen the bit. I wish you the very best on your project.
Glenn


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## Kerrylib (Mar 15, 2007)

Would it work to sink a BIG eyebolt into the stump of the post, then use a high lift jack with a chain to pull it up and out?  Make sure you are into good solid wood with the bolt or it will pull right out.

You said you can't dig around the existing post, what do you plan to do to put in the new one?  You may have to go with a jack hammer anyway to open up the hole to set the new post in place.

For the new post, what about something like a bollard, cement/steel posts in front of buildings to prevent cars from driving into them.


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## texanator (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks for responses.

Glenn:
Where would I rent a powerful drill and a fancy bit to go with it... from Home Despot?
(I'm in dallas/ft. worth area, everything should be rentable, I just don't know where)

Kerrylib:
I thought about a big bolt the other day, the biggest one at a local Love's was 
only about 8" long and the threads covered only about half of that, so I figured
it would be too short to hold well enough.
Additionally, the stub feels pretty solid wood, so if I screw a ginormous bolt
into the stub, wouldn't it make the wood buckle outwards making it tighter against the hole?
Drill a hole first before screwing in the bolt maybe... is there a known bolt diameter vs.
drill bit diameter ratio to retain maximum hold and minimum expanding of the wood?
Guessing I need to find some real old school hardware store who carries specialty
items eg. ginormous bolts... these mass marketed chain stores drive me crazy.
does that make sense?
Any places rent a high lift jack, heh?

Once the stub is out, I'm going to put a steel post into the existing hole,
I am trying to avoid breaking the driveway by all means possible.

--Sur


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## glennjanie (Mar 15, 2007)

Yes, the Home Depot or many other rental specialty companies should be able to help.
Glenn


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