Anyone use one that could educate me on brands, models, etc. for medium soil (sand, clay, some hard pan)? I've seen Titan, Skidril, Rhino, etc. but unsure what to actually go with given the large price swings ($400 - 2,400). Preference would obviously be on the lower end hah!

I used one for a weekend. It was a rental of unknown brand. We were driving 3 inch pipe 6 feet into the ground with 6 feet above ground. Had to use a tractor and bucket to lift the head and the operator up high enough to pound the 12 foot post into the ground.

Used it on some t-post to and it was overkill

Are you doing a weekend project or wanting it long term? I’ve rented an air hammer type driver and a diesel compressor to run it before. Drove tposts in the hill country like butter. Cost about 100 buck/day if I remember correctly.

unless you are needing it for an extended period of time, renting would be the route I would recommend.

I tried one of those but my soil was caliche and it didn't do much. I ended up buying a mansaver which is pneumatic and using a chop saw to put a point on the t-post to get it to punch trough smaller pieces of limestone. In some places I used a really long hammer drill bit to make a pilot hole and then pound the t-post in. I think in clay or limited rocks the gas ones are OK but the mansavers are stout. You'll have to have a generator and a fairly high flow compressor though so that makes it a pain in the arse.

We have used one down south a couple of times now. It works great. Corners of the pens were three inch pipe and it drove them in wonderfully.

My buddy bought it. That's the best way.

I rented from Sunbelt Rentals. I recommend! Took a while to get the hang of it ! Gasoline powered. I thnik brand was Rhino. Sunbelt rentals on N Beach in Ft Worth.