Thread: The rebar ruined my hands....

Tweet

Okay, so admittedly it's mostly my fault for not wearing gloves, but my hands are killing me from trying to pull rebar out of the ground. I live in upstate SC, where most of the ground is composed of clay, some quarts, and sometimes sand. I use the rebar to stand up my tombstones and cauldron stirrer. Might use it to stand up a couple more props next year. But when I get ready to pull it out of the ground it's impossible! Anyone have any ideas how to make it easier?

I just kick them with the side of my foot . You can use a 5lb sledge hammer knock it side to side should pull right out.

Originally Posted by llama492

I just kick them with the side of my foot . You can use a 5lb sledge hammer knock it side to side should pull right out.

That's actually how I got them out tonight, and they still were stuck pretty good. The clay around here packs in pretty tight. Some of them took over 10 minutes a piece to get out. And with two pieces of rebar per stone with only six stones out this year (I'll be making more for 2011) and two for the cauldron stirrer, it took forever.

I'm pretty sure my yard hates me...

It is also good for aerating your lawn!

Maybe you could modify or build yourself something like a fence post puller to help you out next year ? It's a simple enough device and I think you could definitely fashion one that would hold onto your rebar.

http://www.nqmproducts.com/tuggy.htm

All you need are a piece of 2x4, vicegrips, and a large rock. Clamp the pliers to the rebar about 3 or 4 inches above the ground, real tight. Drop the rock close to the rebar and like the illustration above, use the 2x4 under the pliers and over the rock to lever up the rebar. Really easy and works like a charm. Keep the rock close to the rebar to give you the most leverage. Works every time.

Originally Posted by indianaholmes

All you need are a piece of 2x4, vicegrips, and a large rock. Clamp the pliers to the rebar about 3 or 4 inches above the ground, real tight. Drop the rock close to the rebar and like the illustration above, use the 2x4 under the pliers and over the rock to lever up the rebar. Really easy and works like a charm. Keep the rock close to the rebar to give you the most leverage. Works every time.

great idea, but Id just fasten a chunk of 4x4 to the front 1/4 of a 2x4 and skip the rock part.

Thanks so much indiana, greg, and diabolik (and my hands thank you too)! That will be so helpful for next year. It's one of those things that's so simple you wonder why you couldn't come up with it yourself. I had almost resigned myself to soaking the yard every year beforehand. Either that or doing a rain dance. Thanks again guys!

have never used rebar. I use wood dowels; 1/2 "; slide it into the 1/2" PVC; works great for me. Easy to cut to the length I need. Easy to hammer into the ground; A simple tap with a hammer and it slides out of the ground great! Never had any break; they're re-usable. And my old, arthritic hands appreciate it since it's effortless to work with!!

Also, most of my stones have a thin (1/4") plywood base with a couple of holes drilled into the back. I run twine thru the holes to stake them into the ground so they don't walk off in the middle of the night. lol

p.s.- I used dowels to stand up my gravedigger, too, which is quite a bit heavier than my stones. Ran 3' pvc pipes up both his legs; used 3' dowel to keep him there and he rested comfortably out in my yard for a month.

I just kick the crap out of it side to side to free it up a bit, then they just pull right out. Like you I keep expanding every year with what gets rebar supports. This year between all the tombstones, fence, standing props and the corn field, I pulled over 100 pieces of rebar out of my front yard on tear down day after halloween. (45 peices of rebar alone were used just to hold up the cornstalks.)