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Setting Telephone Poles

Deere John

Deere John

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Joined
Oct 5, 2006
Messages
178
Location
North Bay, Ontario
Occupation
Professional Forester
I'm pretty handy with my backhoe, but I have only ever tried to set a telephone pole once, and that was nearly a disaster. I want to learn.

How is it done? The machine is a standard hoe, 14' class machine - mine is a Deere, but I'm more interested to know how to do it safely without having the benefit of an extendihoe

Can someone please share their technique and tips.

Thanks
John
 
DigDug

DigDug

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
Messages
577
Location
Maine
John, I have set them in the past with the backhoe. Using a heavy barge rope or nylon sling attach this to pole above the balance point. The balance point will be lower than you think based on a tapered wooden pole. It will probably be 3/8 or 1/2 way up the pole. Good luck. doug
 
J

JS580SL

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Nov 3, 2007
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Massachuessetts
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operator
Ive set 2 large telephone poles in the past with a John Deere 310D standard hoe the same way as Dig Dug mention. Another thing is keep the hole as small in diameter as possible, the deeper the better.
 
I

Iron Horse

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One tip i can think of , do'nt use a chain with hooks . The hook will undo at the slightest release of pressure and the pole will fall .
 
Canadian_digger

Canadian_digger

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Oct 31, 2007
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811
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Ontario
I have set a bunch of poles before, but my backhoe has extenda hoe. I don’t think I could have done it with out. The biggest pole I have set is a 40footer and I think that is about the limit for our 310SG. You may be able to set a 35 footer with out the extenda hoe not to sure though. The only way I could see doing it without the extenda hoe would be to have the butt of the pole right next to the hole, and as you start lifting it the butt would slide into the hole so it could not tip over if you are lifting below the center of gravity. You may also want to jack yourself up as high as you can with your stabilizers to give you some extra height.

You will also want to have someone to help you direct the butt into the hole once you get it lifted over the hole.

What is the pole going to be used for? How long is the pole?
 
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bear

bear

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South Central Kentucky
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Are you freindly with anyone at the local electrical utility or their contractor(s)? never set one with a backhoe but have done 40-60 footers by hand (not the best way) what size iss the pole and what's it going to be used for?
 
stock

stock

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Aug 4, 2008
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We have moved on and now were lost....
You should get some of these

pole bucket 2.jpg


pole bucket.jpg



poleerec.jpg
 
Deere John

Deere John

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Oct 5, 2006
Messages
178
Location
North Bay, Ontario
Occupation
Professional Forester
OK - so I can cinch it with a strap at just above the balancing point. Then lift on the top and (I suppose) press with the bucket downwards on the butt to get in going in the hole, keeping the strap tight? The poles will be 30-35 footers.
 
I

Iron Horse

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Also be carefull of the fact that the pole will try and swing around the side of the bucket and come at you . The length of strap that is between the pole and the bucket hook will allow this to happen . They are very dangerous things to stand with a backhoe or excavator as your reach is limited . Unlike a pole borer that can get a hold up high and the pole swings like a pendulum . I knocked this thing up to build my pole home , it made it very easy and safe . These poles were 35' long .
 

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I

Iron Horse

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bigblueox said:
quite the ingenuity there iron horse! looks good!
Click to expand...

Necessity is the mother of all invention .:D

Dominion , 1976 302 Cleveland .

Pelicanroost , it was an old hand crank tow truck winch . I would lift the bucket full height , hook up the pole , take up the slack rope with the winch and lower the bucket . Up goes the pole .
 
H

harrywat

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Aug 9, 2009
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MS
Having someone on the ground with a control rope can make it happen pretty easy. However, the two I put up were less than 35'.
 
N

noah

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Joined
Aug 15, 2009
Messages
21
Location
ohio
I set a 25' telephone pole with a 416c cat backhoe. I used a nylon strap, up past halfway, I ran it from the bucket tooth over the top of the bucket, down to the pole. The bucket is all the way closed. Pick up the pole with the boom, then open up the bucket part way. The back of the bucket should be strait with the pole. That will help hold it. You have to make sure you have clearance when opening up the bucket so the strap won't get cut. This was with an extended hoe, and I could pick it up and backup a hill a 100' with it but it wasn't a real steep hill. So you should be able to pick up a pole with a standard hoe but I don't know the length of pole you can do that with. This proved to be a pretty stable way of doing it.
 
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