fence clearing

[RayIN]

You could use a garbage can to contain the pieces.

I wear a helmet with a mesh face shield when clearing brush. I wouldnt want to get a piece of wire in my eye.

Good decision! My dad was blinded in one eye when a small thorn tree branch flipped and punctured his eyeball. By the time he got to a Dr. the fluid drained out of his eye.
I have a old motorcycle helmet with full-face shield. I even wear it when brushhogging small trees and head-high brush.

 

[Drstrangeglove]

It's mostly done. It was able to put it in two piles, which is all my mini could push. The third pile has no wire in it. I cut the wire every place I could easily get to it. All those damn vines were harder to deal with than the wire. Now, I will wait for the state to lift the burn ban and pour the diesel to it.

 

[kenhar]

Bulldozers are not the unbreakable beasts alot of people think they are. Wire on the ground will find a way to tangle in the tracks which almost takes a torch to remove. Then it will make its' way to the hubs and there goes the seals. Remove all the wire you can by hand, then use your machine. A flat tire on a tractor is easier fixed than a flat on a dozer. Ask me how I know that.

 

[mikester]

How do you guys roll up or otherwise bundle the lengths of barb wire? I have a lot of it to deal with too and it doesn't come out in very long lengths

I use thick leather gauntlet welding gloves for handling the wire. Wear old work clothes. A leather welding apron and or spats helps if you have them. Old rotten barb wire breaks flat when bent, newer stuff I loop into small bundles for the scrap metal bin.

 

[Mudfarmer]

Been there, done that, a couple of miles of barbed wire fencing once the livestock was gone. Whack to the fence (power saw and handlebar weed-whacker), pull the staples and clips, roll the wire, pull the metal posts if any, salvage what's good (store, give away, sell), take the rest to a recycler - may get fifty bucks or so.

 

[Drstrangeglove]

The first two piles of wire and fence post I dug out today after buring. I restacked the burn pile and will get the rest out later this week.

The grass is knee deep so while fire sitting I bush hogged and found more a few post with the mower. View attachment 3259191

View attachment 3259193

 

[Smokeydog]

Been doing some of that too. Recent fence is woven wire and barbed wire 80+ years old.

I first clear as much from the fence as possible. Recently been using a new tool, Precision Manufacturing Miniclip that certainly been impressive. Then cut the bigger trees and vines in a section of fence cut free. Pull the posts. With long bottom grapple roll and push up the section, 50-75’. Carry to gulley. Never underestimate the value of a good gulley.

Tree debris go to several piles or gulley. No longer burn. The gulley routinely digests approximately 100tons per year. Valuable farm asset. Has ate a truck, lot of old fences, several buildings, stumps, demolition debris and countless trees for over 50 years. Discharges black top soil quarter mile downhill into a meadow. The piles rot in a several years but not as fast.