An apparatus for supporting a metal post while it is being driven into the ground. This apparatus allows a single worker to both hold the post steady as well as pound it at the same time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The use of t-posts and wire to contain livestock is common. Installing t-posts is relatively easy compared to wooden posts which require holes to be dug. Two people can a drive t-post, one to hold the post while the other pounds the post with a driver. However, it is very difficult for one person to drive a post because he must hold the post steady while at the same time using both hands to pound with the post driver. This is especially a problem for small farmers who often operate their farms alone. The present invention is designed so one person can easily drive t-posts into the ground without assistance. This invention has a hollow cylinder or shaft that is joined perpendicularly to a plate that rests on the ground. The operator places the t-post into the shaft and stands on the plate, thus holding the post steady while he uses both hands to pound the post with a driver. Referring to the Figures, a shaft 3 having a cavity within 11 that accommodates the cross-section of a t-post is attached perpendicularly to a plate 7 that also has a cavity 13 that accommodates the cross-section of a t-post. In the preferred embodiment the shaft and plate are metal and are joined by welding. The cavity 11 of the shaft is of suitable shape and sufficient size to receive said post within and to hold said post with a minimum of play is shown as a cross-section in FIG. 10 . To hold the plate firmly to the ground this embodiment has protrusions 9 , perhaps spikes, that sink into the ground to anchor the plate and minimize movement. To make it easier to remove the support after the post is set there are handles 5 which the operator can grasp. The shaft slides up and over the top of the post. One variation on the basic invention is to have the shaft join the plate at an angle other than perpendicular as shown in FIG. 3 . This might be desirable to accommodate a mowing machine. If the posts are slanted away from the pasture, animals grazing from within the pasture will reach through the fence and graze the other side of the fence. The mowing machine can mow beneath the wire near the posts but there is no need to crowd the post with the mower because the livestock has grazed there. Another variation takes into consideration the varying undulations of the ground. Consider that the plate does not always lie horizontally due to uneven ground. To ensure the posts stand at the same angle from the horizontal, it is necessary to be able to move the shaft from one angle to another. In one embodiment an adjusting device may reposition the shaft relative to the plate. If the shaft position is changeable relative to the plate, then they are joined using a method, other than welding, that allows the shaft to swing from the vertical. One example of a removable component comprising the cylinder is shown in FIG. 7 . Referring to FIGS. 4 through 8 , the cylinder 23 is separate from the plate 7 and has a perpendicular supporting shaft 17 , an adjusting device 27 , and a grooved disc 29 . The plate has two supporting members, one ungrooved 35 as seen in FIG. 5 and one with grooved indentations 31 as seen in FIG. 4 . The supporting shaft 17 rests in slots 21 of the supporting members 31 and 35 . The cylinder 23 is adjusted from the vertical by placing it at a desired angle and engaging the adjusting device 27 so that the grooved indentations of the grooved disc 29 mesh with the grooved indentations of the supporting member 31 . In this embodiment the hole 15 in the plate 7 must accommodate the movement of the shaft and may not be shaped like the cross-section of the post. Referring to FIG. 12 , the cavity 15 in the plate 7 is rectangular or other shape necessary to allow the shaft to be moved from one position to another. A further variation on this embodiment could have a built-in level so vertical, or other desired angles, could be easily detected. The advantage of a removable shaft is being able to accommodate more than one shape of post using the same steadying plate. Fencing is not the only application for metal posts. It is common to use such posts to erect road signs or support utility meters or for other support purposes. The same invention can be used by a single worker having nothing more in his truck than the post, the support and the driver. Sign posts are not normally shaped like a “T”, but rather like a “U”. A variation of the invention would have the plate and cylinder separate and joined when in use. The plate would accommodate more than one type of cylinder depending upon the cross-section of the post. The same plate can be used whether the post is the “T” type or “U” type. A person skilled in the art could think of many uses that have not been set forth in this document.