# Setting a utility pole



## Honestly (Feb 3, 2011)

My first one. 35ft pole for a service for an electric gate. I am thinking this method looks pretty good, considering all I have is a 45hp kubota with a front end loader. Any suggestions or warnings? I will post pics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2XnSvIhxc8&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

The couple that I've set without a digger derrick, we chained to the back of a full-sized backhoe bucket. I'd probably try it with a mini-tractor, like your Kaboda, but I'd be prepared to bail out. The standard 30' penta pole weighs right at 500 pounds.


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## Honestly (Feb 3, 2011)

500 is not too bad. I definitely plan to move slow and careful. I have a guy who says he could do it with a skidsteer and 16' boom, but I would like to give it a go myself first. As long as I don't drop the pole on the wrought iron fence, I can always call him if things don't go as planned.


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## crazyboy (Nov 8, 2008)

I would give it a whirl without any hard feelings.


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## mdfriday (May 14, 2007)

Honestly said:


> My first one. 35ft pole for a service for an electric gate. I am thinking this method looks pretty good, considering all I have is a 45hp kubota with a front end loader. Any suggestions or warnings? I will post pics.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2XnSvIhxc8&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Unless it is a 4x4 for small temp stuff we sub these out


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## ren79eg (May 30, 2010)

Ive done a few with a front end loader-works in a pinch but it gouges the crap out of the pole where its chained on. You might want to drill your hole deeper than you think youll need as you have no leeway with a bucket so the pole usually drags the sides of the hole as it goes in.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Dig a trough up to the hole, 
put pole in trough,
put 3- 2x4s on the opposite side of the hole, 
push up to 2x4s
stand pole up, slides in hole. 
Don't pinch your fingers. 
Remove 2x4s
Back fill.
Next one..


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## crazyboy (Nov 8, 2008)

ren79eg said:


> Ive done a few with a front end loader-works in a pinch but it gouges the crap out of the pole where its chained on. You might want to drill your hole deeper than you think youll need as you have no leeway with a bucket so the pole usually drags the sides of the hole as it goes in.



Use a heavy duty strap instead of a chain if you afraid that it is going to gouge it.


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## Hairbone (Feb 16, 2011)

I did the backhoe thing once and never again.

Call around and find a tree service company with a crane to set the pole for your. We have a guy who does it for about $200


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## Honestly (Feb 3, 2011)

Hairbone said:


> I did the backhoe thing once and never again.
> 
> Call around and find a tree service company with a crane to set the pole for your. We have a guy who does it for about $200


Care to elaborate?


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

i bought an old digger truck to do this. makes a nice back-up boom truck too. The winch is always handy.


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## Hairbone (Feb 16, 2011)

Honestly said:


> Care to elaborate?


To me setting a pole with a loader is just dangerous, and in the case of installing a riser on it on the ground it is liable to get damaged while using a loader to pick it up. 

Tree service companies usually have a crane and work cheaper than hiring out a company with a bucket truck.


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## 220/221 (Sep 25, 2007)

How hard can it be? :laughing:

1. Dig hole

2. Put pole in hole

3. Level and backfil


I can get a crane out for about $100. I wouldn't even *consider* doing it any other way if there was access.

The right tool is well worth the cost.


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

We have our own boom trucks, it's a the only way to go. We set about 70 poles when I was an apprentice doing traffic signals.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

I put a (35) ft. pole in my back yard using a little rental backhoe..

I dug a (5)' deep hole and a sloping trench out to grade..

Used the bucket to gradually raise the pole into the hole..

But I would never do THAT again.. :no:


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## randas (Dec 14, 2008)

I seen a 400lb guy set a 35' by hand, I sh** you not


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## socalelect (Nov 14, 2011)

B4T said:


> I put a (35) ft. pole in my back yard using a little rental backhoe..
> 
> I dug a (5)' deep hole and a sloping trench out to grade..
> 
> ...


I used to set 30 foot poles for water well services with a bobcat 773 with a auger to 5 feet the put the bucket on and stand her up never had a problem. I've seen the poco guys dig the holes by hand then a antique helicopter flew the pole in


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Honestly said:


> My first one. 35ft pole for a service for an electric gate. I am thinking this method looks pretty good, considering all I have is a 45hp kubota with a front end loader. Any suggestions or warnings? I will post pics.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2XnSvIhxc8&feature=youtube_gdata_player


 
I will not bother with small Kubota tractour at all the 35 foot stick will weight in about 300 to 400 KG depending on diamaiter of the pole itself.

The last time I did have to use the bucket truck with a crane to pick it up it much quicker and safer this way than try to use with small Kubota tractour.

Check couple crane companies they can able to do that for very small fee.

I used to have 12.5 tonne hydrallic crane which I no longer have it ( money pit on POS ) That will work very slick.

Merci,
Marc


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## mrmike (Dec 10, 2010)

jrannis said:


> Dig a trough up to the hole,
> put pole in trough,
> put 3- 2x4s on the opposite side of the hole,
> push up to 2x4s
> ...


 
I have done a few myself with this method and would like to add that I raised them up using a deadman hooked to a nearby tree with a pully & rope hooked to a pickup truck...........works slick!


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

I think the safety issue here is not the setting of the pole, but what can go wrong using a light duty machine like a kubota to set them. kubotas and bobcats can be dangerous even with experienced operators because overloading of the front buckets cause them to tip forward violently, often crushing the operators. if you decide to do it this way, be careful, strap yourself in, and keep others out of harms way until the pole is safe.


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## Podagrower (Mar 16, 2008)

I've set a few 20-24 foot poles with my tractor and front end loader (New Holland 40 horse compact). I don't have counterweight on the back, so I have to use the fwd to avoid spinning the rears. I typically use a chocker rope between 1/3 and 1/2 up the pole to pick it up and drop it in the hole. I would not try that with a 35' pole. The sloping ditch with 2x4s at the end would be worth a shot, but if I could find a crane to do it for $200, I would hire a crane.


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## green light (Oct 12, 2011)

rent a craneor you can do it this way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX7jZJKlUUg


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## Hairbone (Feb 16, 2011)

socalelect said:


> I used to set 30 foot poles for water well services with a bobcat 773 with a auger to 5 feet the put the bucket on and stand her up never had a problem. I've seen the poco guys dig the holes by hand then a antique helicopter flew the pole in


 
I just love jobs where you have to use a helicopter....I guess it comes from my days of crewing a CH-53:laughing:

Last year we did a big diesel genset and the customer wanted in a spot a crane could not set it.....I said we will call and get a quote from Erikson air-crane and he changed his mind over $$ qui_ckly:laughing:_


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

Chains make me nervous for some reason. Prefer load straps. I would make sure the guy on the ground stays well clear of the operation. Your install looked pretty safe but I could see a lot of guys screwing up using that method.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Some grade stakes, some 12 foot long 2x4's (2 pairs that you can alternate , nailed together with one double head nail that you can pull out, making an x to sit the pole in while it is horizontal. In multiple sets, starting at about 4 foot off the ground, raise one end, set it into a cross brace with the first set of 2 by's . Make the second set of 2x4's cross at the 8 foot height, lift the pole and slide that set in and secure the bases with the grade stakes. Separate the first set of braces, reassemble them to cross at 12' and raise the pole 4 foot more and secure that set of bracing in , and now the pole starts going down into the hole part way. Keep going until completed. Pat yourself on the back for being a competent one man outfit, and then realize that if you were a ten man shop in the first place you would have been able to have bought a crane twenty years earlier....


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## Honestly (Feb 3, 2011)

Well thanks for the tips. Got the pole up today with no problems, back tomorrow to build 60A service. On the last pic, the pole on the left across the road is where the POCO is setting transformer. Got to call the tree trimmers.


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## aDudeInPhx (Feb 20, 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvUPepOvPj8


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

Modern man's pole pike.


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