How to quickly pull a fence post
Links
Hi-Lift Jack: https://geni.us/uLA4bT
Vevor Jack: https://geni.us/csFIKj
Reciprocating Saw: https://geni.us/U6eR
Post Removal
The most common techniques for pulling cemented in fence posts can often have issues like slipping chains on metal posts or the need for perpetual repositioning of the jack. I came up with an idea to use a reciprocating saw with the high lift jack, and it has worked great on both metal and wood posts. The key to getting a post out is that your leverage device has good purchase. Instead of wrapping a chain or strap around the post, I cut a notch in it with the reciprocating saw, which gives better purchase, and actually ends up being faster.
The first cut should be parallel to the ground and about one third of the way through a metal or wood post. Then you will come from below at a 45 degree angle and cut out a wedge. Torch blades work great for metal, and a nice large tooth saw is ideal for wood. Once that notch is cut out, all you need to do is take the large runner of your jack and slip it in for excellent purchase. Take your jack arm and engage it just a little bit so that it's snug. Before you start cranking, you’ll want to make sure that the top of the jack doesn't slip past your post. You can use a two by four to brace it, but I like to just let the jack rest up against the post that I'm pulling out. Once the jack is secure, you can crank away.
If you only have a couple of posts and don’t have a high lift jack, you can also use a floor jack or a bottle jack. They will take longer and require a bit more setup, like putting some wood on the ground for bracing. They also don't lift as high, so you’ll have to keep adding more wood or other blocks as you lift, but if you only have a few, either will work fine. I think that if you have more than 10 posts, getting a high lift jack is worth it because it really will make the job a lot faster. If you can wait a couple of days for delivery, I’ve found that they're cheaper online.
If you don't have a reciprocating saw, you can use a drill to drill a hole into the post and slide in a piece of rebar, then you can jack up against that.
